Acquiring additional equipment to boost security
Effective June 12, all vessels calling at the nation’s seaports will be required to meet all the requirements of the ship security plan equivalent to the maximum of those required at security level 2, as defined in the ISPS Code.
This directive which applies to all ships entering any of the nation’s seaports or port terminals are part of the additional security measure taken by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to ensure the strict compliance to the ISPS Code, by all visiting vessels.
Similarly, the NPA has concluded the process of acquiring additional security equipment to enhance the safety and security at the nation’s seaports. All the newly acquired security equipment is expected to be fully in place before the end of next September.
Managing Director of the Authority, Malam Habib Abdullahi made these disclosures in a press chat with newsmen in Lagos.
He explained that the security equipment which shall be deployed to selected port locations in both the Western and Eastern Ports shall include X-ray and Scanning machines, Water front Patrol boats, as well as the provision of Computerised Access Control Gate with CCTV System. This equipment are to be spread in Ports in Apapa, Tin Can Island, Rivers, Onne, Calabar and Delta Ports.
According to the Managing Director, the provision of these additional security equipment would not only enhance both the safety of port operations and port users at the nation’s ports but would also guarantee the safety of all visiting ships as required by the ISPS Code provision.
Malam Abdullahi, who acknowledged the efforts being made by some terminal operators in complying with the provisions of the ISPS Code within their domains, commended the Federal Government for ensuring that the nation’s seaports fully implement the ISPS Code requirements.
In the same vein, the Managing Director commended the Federal Government for designating the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) as the local authority in charge of Port security saying that the decision was in the right direction and a positive step towards achieving a full ISPS compliance.
Source: NPA
