The Marine Engineers and Naval Architecture (MENA) a division of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) has said that most of the crew on board Nigerian owned vessels are not insured.
The body has therefore called on the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to ensure strict compliance with the implementation of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) convention on Safety Of Life At Sea (SOLAS).
Speaking with Shipping Position Daily at the weekend, Chairman of MENA; Engr. Charles Otuonye alleged that many of the engineers working on ships especially those of Nigerian shipowners are not insured.
He urged NIMASA to beef-up its enforcement duty and supervise this process as it is mandatory for every ship owner to insure their vessels and the crew but many are allegedly flouting the law.
Engr Otuonye also urged engineers to insist upon insurance on their life before going on board.
He sai: "Piracy in Nigeria posts a high risk to our members who are on board vessels, when these pirates come, they are always sophisticated and they try to overpower the seamen. It is a challenge because safety of lives at sea is threatened, most times the ship is lost and lives are lost"
"We are calling on employers of labour to do life insurance policies for our members, recent developments have shown that many of them do not have insurance for their crew"
"Piracy poses high risk to seafarers, I have investigated cases where pirates shot at a vessel, piercing the vessel with bullets and crews were injured"
"SOLAS Convention, Nigeria is signatory to this through NIMASA, they are trying but at the same time they should meet up with the international standard because there is no exemption, IMO oversee the who thing so they must be sending reports frequently"
"Nigerian employers just put crew on board without adequate insurance, but the crew always want jobs by all means. But from now henceforth, let it be in the terms of contract for employment, it is the world global practice", he said.
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