A Nigerian ship owner has faulted the planned fizzling out of single hull vessels by 2020, saying that it is of great disadvantage to the nation’s economy and the maritime sector in particular.
Captain Deji Abegunde in a recent chat with Shipping Position Daily said that the plan by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to enforce the replacement of single hull with double hull ships poses a serious threat to Nigeria ship owners.
The master mariner reiterated that the regulatory agency signed the double hull treaty blindly, stressing that "how can Nigeria go and sign double hull vessel treaty".
He argued that double hull vessels are of no advantage to Nigeria, because the level of natural disaster are uncommon in Nigeria waters, he also noted that double hull ships are required basically to prevent pollution.
Captain Abegunde who is the Managing Director Peter -Best Marine Limited and owner of the oil tanker MT Charon which had an accident sometime ago, stressed the need for NIMASA to review agreement of the types of hull that should be operational in Nigerian waters adding, that Nigerian ship owners do not have the financial capability to transcend from single to double hull tankers.
"How many times do we experience pollution in our waters, double hull is just to prevent pollution and we the Nigeria ship owners don't have the financial capability to buy latest vessels and we are naturally blessed in West Africa"
"Where double hull is supposed to come up fully is in the polar region of the world where you have longer night and shorter day, where you mostly navigate at night", he stressed.
The mariner added that Nigerian authorities are fond of imitating foreign policies to the detriment of Nigerians, pointing out that ship owners are not encouraged to do shipping business in Nigeria.
He explained that NIMASA failed to understand what Nigerian ship owners are faced with in Nigeria, adding that shipping operators in Nigeria are gradually winding down because of the unfavourably policies put in place by the relevant government agencies.
Captain Abegunde also predicted that with the policy on double hull vessels will lead to mass job loss for Nigerians.
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