The Port Manager of Rivers Port, Mr Oladele Alabi has said that Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is making efforts to salvage the tug boat that accidentally capsized on the water channel off-Berth 8 of the Rivers Port.
The Port Manager who was addressing journalists shortly after meeting with stakeholders in Port Harcourt, said Rivers Port is responding promptly to remove the tug boat, so as to give right of way to other ships using the channel.
The Port Manager of Rivers Port, Mr Oladele Alabi has said that Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is making efforts to salvage the tug boat that accidentally capsized on the water channel off-Berth 8 of the Rivers Port.
The Port Manager who was addressing journalists shortly after meeting with stakeholders in Port Harcourt, said Rivers Port is responding promptly to remove the tug boat, so as to give right of way to other ships using the channel.
He described the accident involving the contract tug boat on the services of Super Maritime Company in Port Harcourt as unfortunate, saying that NPA management is not happy with the unfortunate incident.
The chief executive officer of Rivers Ports said that Super Maritime company’s engagement of a tug boat is a normal situation in the maritime sector.
According to him, “maritime environment is a large one and often times contracts are awarded to deliver some services”, even as he noted that, there are some contracts, which a shipping firm can contract to a private tug boat owner.
He explained that NPA was not part of such private contracts. He further noted that as a foremost Federal Government agency, the authority has constitutional responsibility to ensure smooth shipping activities as relates to Ports services.
He disclosed that management has worked out plans to ensure that the boat is cleared away from the water channel, to ensure easy navigation for inward and outward bound ships.
He said that already the port management has put in place two action plans to ameliorate the challenges facing mariners on that channel.
‘’We have commenced the establishment of maker buoys to designate the accident scene so as to alert other vessels on the channel. Secondly the company – Super Maritime, has arranged to get divers for the salvage operations’’, the Port Manager was quoted as saying,
We have also confirmed that the Bonny Channel Company, an expert in wrecks removal is already contacted to fast track the removal of the tug boat, he added.
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