Nigeria’s ports record 59.5% increase in vessel calls, 80.1% in gross tonnage

DESPITE the recessionary economic
environment Nigeria recorded about 59.5
percent increase in vessel traffic at the various
sea ports in 2016. Director General of Nigerian
Maritime Administration and Safety Agency,
(NIMASA), Dakuku Peterside, who disclosed
this in Lagos, yesterday, said that 370 vessels
called at the ports across the country in 2016
as against 262 in 2015.
He also disclosed that the vessels in 2016
came with 420,000 Gross Registered Tonnage,
GRT, a huge 80.1 per cent jump above 233,000
GRT recorded in 2015.
Peterside also said that a lot of progress has
been made in the area of Cabotage
implementation.
Cabotage regime
He added, “before the cabotage regime came
into being, less than 12 per cent of Nigerians
were on-board vessels operating in Nigerian
waters, but today the figures have changed
significantly as over 60 per cent of workers on-
board vessels operating under the cabotage
regime are now Nigerians.
“It may also interest you to note that before
2003, less than three per cent of vessels
operating on our waters were flagged Nigerian.
However, today, we have over 60 per cent
vessels doing business in Nigerian waters flying
the Nigerian flag. Another good news about the
cabotage regime is the fact that we have been
able to achieve 20 per cent in building
cabotage vessels from a completely foreign
dominated era.
“Our aim is to target 100 per cent cabotage
compliance in the nearest future. The issue of
the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund is one we
have taken a critical look at and I can
categorically say that we are addressing the
issues militating against the fund being fully
operational and accessible.”