NIMASA announced its partnership with the Port of Antwerp in Belgium, in efforts to boost trade and encourage foreign direct investment opportunities in the Nigerian maritime sector. The Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, announced the collaboration when he played host to a team from the Port of Antwerp in Belgium led by the Director, Africa Port of Antwerp International, Mr. Nico Vertongen, in Lagos.
During the meeting, the NIMASA DG stated that the Port of Antwerp had had a long standing relationship with the ports community in Lagos, noting that from 2017 till date, 302 vessels have called between the Port of Antwerp and the ports community in Lagos.
More specifically, within that period, 33 vessels conducted exports goods from port of Lagos, sailing to the Port of Antwerp, with 22 Belgium-flagged vessels calling at Nigerian ports and several other volumes of transaction.
As the Director General commented
We have always had a business relationship with the port of Antwerp either as destination ports or ports of origin. We are glad to know that you are in Nigeria and planning to lead a business mission sometime in November to the Lagos Port Community. Our position is straight forward and clear; we welcome the business mission with our doors open and believe there is a lot we can do together.
Moreover, Mr Dakuku referred to the November meeting, stating that it will be the beginning of a relationship that will have advantages for both parties, while also provide opportunities for training, and provide to Port of Antwerp a better understanding on how the ports in Lagos, Nigeria, in Africa work, leading to the volume of trade between ports and other operations.
The DG also discussed the matter of the negative representation the Nigerian maritime sector has in the media, highlighting that the Agency has plans, including a legal framework on piracy and maritime crime and acquisition of assets to build up response capability, to stop the pirates and criminals from operating within the coastal waters.
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In the meantime, the Director, Africa of the Port of Antwerp International, Mr. Nico Vertongen, who spoke on behalf of the delegation noted that the Port of Antwerp intended to come to Nigeria in November on a business mission with the intention of boosting the already existing relationship between the ports community in Lagos and the Antwerp port.
NIMASA has continued to embrace collaboration and partnership, thereby allowing it to fully actualise its dream of creating a robust maritime sector in line with best global practices.