Abandoned Ship Owners May Lose Vessels after April 28 Deadline

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Owners of abandoned ships on the Nigerian territorial waters have been given till April 28, 2017 to remove them or risk being sanctioned.

This directive was given by the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr Dakuku Peterside, at a function in Lagos recently.

Mr Peterside said this move was to ensure safe and secure shipping on the Nigerian territorial waters.

He said those who failed to heed to this order risk sanctions ranging from forfeiture or removal by the agency at the owners’ expense.

Mr Peterside said it was instructive to ensure that the country’s waters remained safe for navigation in order to advance its maritime interests.

He therefore warned that all abandoned ships would be declared as wrecks and NIMASA would ensure that nothing impedes safe navigation on Nigeria’s waters by removing them.

“In line with our mandate on the protection of the marine environment and safety of navigation within Nigerian waters and our powers as the receiver of wrecks; owners of all abandoned ships, vessels and derelicts are sternly warned to seek removal plan permits from the agency and ensure the removal of these wrecks and derelicts from our waters on or before April 28, 2017 failure of which would attract appropriate sanction.”