The Nigerian Navy in Lagos yesterday inaugurated the Maritime Safety Information (MSI) Portal and Data Centre for effective safety of mariners on the country’s waterways.
The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Ibok-Ete Ibas, who inaugurated the portal and the data centre, assured that the facilities would provide more maritime security and boost Nigeria’s economy.
The Chief of Naval Staff was represented by the Flag Officer Commanding Western Naval Command, Rear Adm. Sylvanus Abbah.
Speaking on the new portal, the CNS said: “Robust maritime activities cannot thrive without security and safety, which largely depends on the availability of accurate and timely hydrographic data and information.
“This data can be in form of nautical charts, be it paper and electronic navigational charts as well as navigational warnings about uncharted dangers which needs to be disseminated quickly to facilitate safe conducts of maritime activities.
“With the establishment of this portal, I enjoin all stakeholders to cooperate and utilise this facility for promotion of safety and security in Nigeria’s maritime environment,” he said.
Ibas said the portal would ensure timely collation, processing and dissemination of real time navigational warnings and other safety information to mariners operating within the country.
“With our waters safe and secure, robust maritime activities will thrive, which will boost Nigeria’s economy and ultimately improve the general well-being of all Nigerians,” he said.
Earlier, the hydrographer of the Navy, Commodore Emeka Okafor, said that accurate dissemination of hydrographic information to mariners was central to facilitating security within the maritime domain.
“This MSI portal and data centre is intended to provide navigational warnings of uncharted dangers and meteorological forecasts to mariners navigating within Nigerian waters.
“On the other hand, mariners would be able to easily reach out to the hydrographers to report any uncharted features observed during their voyage within the Nigerian waters which may constitute dangers to navigation,” he said.
Okafor said that the world is currently divided into 21 navigational areas, adding that Nigeria is under Navigational Area 2.
He said that Nigeria, through the establishment of the portal had fulfilled a critical International Hydrographic Organisation’s requirement for the development of hydrography.
Present at the inauguration were senior Naval officers, both serving and retired, captains of industry and stakeholders in the maritime sector.
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