PRESIDENCY COMES HARD ON CARGO ‘DIVERSION’

•    Threatens Five Year Jail for Owner, Crew
•    Says Henceforth, All Ships Must  Announce Arrival Within 24b Hours

Apparently reacting to the unabated violation of its earlier directives on off shore discharge of cargoes by ships coming into Nigeria, the Presidency has vowed to begin immediate clampdown on ships and ship owners who still engage in such acts of economic sabotage.
The warning was given yesterday through the recently- created Inter-Agency Maritime Operations Committee (IMOOC).
Specifically, the IMOOC in a statement that was signed by its chairman, Rear Admiral EO Ogbor acknowledged that ships laden with imported petroleum products that were financed through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) are berthing at ports of neighbouring countries.
Although, the statement was silent on the identities of the neighbouring countries, it nevertheless alleged, such ships however still transport the cargo into Nigeria from those countries through unapproved means.    
“This act is tantamount to smuggling and has sustained adulteration of petroleum products”, the statement stressed added that the practice is also denying government of its accruable revenue.  
The IMOOC which drew its members from security and government agencies, including the Navy, Army, NPA, NIMASA and others also directed that henceforth, ship owners, Captains, shipping companies and shipping agents must ensure that their ships must report their arrival on Nigerian shores within 24 hours to the Nigeria Customs Service and other relevant maritime agencies.
In the twin statements which were obtained exclusively by Shipping Position Daily yesterday, the IMOOC said that defaulting ships would be seized while their owners will risk five year jail term without an option of a fine.
On ships offloading their cargoes in neighbouring countries, the committee directed that all ships laden with cargoes that are financed by the CBN should henceforth proceed to the “secured designated lightering zones within the pilotage districts in Nigeria” to off load into lighterage vessels.
The statement also directed all relevant government agencies to immediately attend to all off-take vessels from neighbouring countries “must be attended to using full international rates on government tariffs”.