The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has awarded the contract to relocate a modular floating dock it recently acquired to Melsmore Marine Nigeria Limited.
The floating dock reported to have cost the country’s apex maritime agency about N50 billion is a significant headway made by the country in checking capital flight as vessels operating in the country spend an estimated $100 million (N85 billion) on dry docking and ship repairs done in neighbouring countries annually.
While addressing officials of Melsmore, the Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh emphasised the need for them to review the action plan in the light of realities on ground with detailed deliverables, and key performance indicators with clearly stated timelines.
“Nigerians eagerly await the deployment of the modular floating dock. This is a national asset, which has potentials to boost maritime trade, create jobs, develop skills, by providing training avenues to various maritime training institutions in Nigeria, while also attracting foreign investment and preventing capital flight, thereby generating revenue. We hope to have students from the Maritime Academy of Nigeria and the Maritime University Okerenkoko amongst other maritime institutions come for practical time,” Jamoh said.
No less than 5,000 ships call annually at NNigerian seaports. There are also an estimated 400 active coastal vessels and fishing trawlers operating in the country’s waters. This very active maritime industry requires effective docking facilities, but the counrty has no floating until NIMASA acquired this one.
Before now, the dry-docking of vessels operating in Nigeria was done outside the country with huge implications in terms of foreign exchange costs running into several millions of dollars yearly.
Experts believe there is a huge investment opportunity for ship repair and ship building in the country presently that is not being exploited.
Inside the modular floating dock
NIMASA’s newly acquired modular floating dock will be relocated from the Naval Dockyard to the waterfront of the Dolphine Jetty at the Nigerian Ports Authorityk Dockyard which used to be the Continental Shipyard, according to a statement by the agency’s spokeman, Osagie Edward.
A top officer at Melsmore, Danny Fuchs, while discussing details of the relocation of the floating dock to the Dolphine Jetty which the agency leased from the NPA said his firm had submitted a feasibility study taking note of the mooring system required to anchor the modular floating dock.
“The Mooring System supplied by the Manufacturers of the Modular Floating Dock is made up of two steel piles of 36 meters Length, 2 meters in Diameter and a weight of roughly 48 Tonnes each. These massive piles need to be driven about 20 meters into the Seabed. We will bring our expertise to bear in carrying out this project. We also hope to invite the manufacturers, Damen Shipyard to join forces in achieving this relocation project. We will work with Damen Shipyard to ensure the Modular Floating Dock is Seaworthy before the relocation. This is to Commission the Modular Floating Dock before relocation,” he said.
