NPA Deploys ICT Facility To Beef-up Port Security, Facilitate Trade  

The Federal Government has assured that the country remains committed to upholding the thrust of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in areas of safety, security, environmental protection and trade facilitation.
Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi gave this assurance at the weekend while commissioning the Command, Control, Communication, and Intelligence System (CCCIS) developed by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA)
The state-of-the-art marine operation and surveillance centre is to assist the NPA in monitoring vessel activities on Nigerian waters and to cover marine activities in the six ports and four pilotage districts in Nigeria.
At the official commissioning of the device at the NPA headquarters in Marina, Lagos at the weekend, Amaechi reiterated President Muhammadu Buhari’s commitment to ensuring the safety and security of all business sectors, as well as trade facilitation and diversification of the Nigerian economy.
“This is a clear demonstration of government’s commitment to uphold our vision for the maritime industry to develop a safe, secure, clean marine environment and efficient integrated maritime network for effective global shipping at competitive cost”, he said.
According to him, the approval for the facility was granted in 2013, to provide business intelligence on movement of vessels and cargoes, as well as share intelligence with other government agencies at the port.
He assured that the CCCIS would promote the rating of Nigerian ports by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), stressing that it is in line with IMO convention on Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS and the Ships and Ports Security Facility (ISPS) code.
 “This is one of the positive responses to the dynamics of port modernization as well as a device for stemming the safety, security and operational challenges facing the port system and maritime industry”
“This infrastructure comprises of long and short range video surveillance monitoring systems as well as several other software applications which are in line with the SOLAS and ISPS code”
Also speaking at the event, Managing Director of NPA, Ms Hadiza Bala-Usman said the CCCIS would enable NPA surmount safety and security challenges in the entire Gulf of Guinea because the facility would be able to track vessels, record security breaches and share intelligence with other relevant agencies like the Nigerian Navy, Customs and Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
Ms Bala-Usman also said the technology will enable NPA generate adequate revenue and ensure that all revenue leakages are blocked in furtherance to governments revitalization of the economy.
“This facility will incorporate other port automotive devices like the Vessel Traffic System (VTS) with the ultimate goal of establishing an automated single window system for the maritime industry”
“It also comprises of the Marine Operational Centre (MOC) which will enable the actual monitoring of vessels. The Network Operations Centre (NOC) which is the support and infrastructure date base that stores all information including recorded videos” she said.