Harboursandport.com: Lagos - Nigeria was at the weekend saved from the negative publicity of being
reputed to have unsafe sea territory when piracy and nefarious criminal
activities strive as a combined team of Nigeria Navy and Ocean Marine Solution
Limited (OMSL) rescued a Chinese cargo ship attacked in the Gulf of Guinea.
According to reports obtained from FleetMon Explorer, an international the news agency, a general cargo ship 'Huanghai Glory,' which left the Lekki Port,
east of Lagos Nigeria on Thursday, March 5, 2020, was reported to have been
attacked and boarded by pirates at 1820 UMT some 85 nautical miles (NM) south
of Lagos Nigeria.
According to the report, the ship and its 23 crew members (all Chinese)
were said to have been under the siege of the Pirates for about 24 hours after
the matter was reported to the Nigerian authorities.
Independent investigation by our reporters revealed that neither the
Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) nor the Nigerian Maritime Administration &
Safety Agency (NIMASA), whom reliable source said were adequately informed
could render any rescue efforts until a patrol boat (NNS SPARROW) owned and
operated by the joint team of Nigeria Navy and OMSL under the Safe
Anchorage Area (SSA) of Lagos port rose to the occasion.
Narrating the incident, FleetMon Explorer stated: "General cargo
ship HUANGHAI GLORY reported by Dryad Global as attacked, boarded by pirates at
1820 UTC Mar 5, some 85 nm south of Lagos Nigeria, Gulf of Guinea."
Adding that "The ship was drifting after the attack, not responding to
contact requests."
The report stated that the tracking process monitored showed that, "the
ship started moving at around 1300 UTC Mar 6, after about an hour went adrift
again. As of 1500 UTC Mar 6, the ship was still adrift or moving at slow
speed."
It, however, explained that "Nigerian Navy patrol boat NNS SPARROW
approaching – in nearly 24 hours after the alert, in the vicinity of Lagos."
According to the report, the 23 crew members of the ship were reportedly
all Chinese.
"The ship left Lekki port, east of Lagos, understood on Mar 5, though
AIS track looks somewhat different with positions and time not exactly fitting
in the story.
"General cargo ship HUANGHAI GLORY, IMO 9458432, dwt 28287, built
2012, flag HK, manager TIANJIN XINHAI INTL SHIP MGMT, Tianjin."
Although, FleetMon Explorer did not expatiate on the details of patrol
boat NNS SPARROW which rescued the ship and its crew members our investigation
confirmed that it belongs to OMSL, as it is part of the vessels purchased by the
firm and hitherto deployed to the Lagos water coast in assisting the Nigerian
Navy to carry out patrol operations as part of the SSA agreement which has in
recent times come under attack by the management of NPA.
Recall that the move was perceived by some industry stakeholders as an
attempt to further increase the level of unemployment in the country as well as
frustrate a noble ideal put in place to secure the nation's maritime space
especially the Lagos port from embarrassing situations such as what occurred
during the weekend.
Interestingly, our findings show that the ship 'Huanghai Glory,' which
was rescued by the 'NNS SPARROW' is not under any contractual agreement with
OMSL before it offered to intervene on the platform of National interest.
A source at the firm who confirmed the incident said, "The vessel
is not our client but the Navy beckoned on us to assist considering the amount
of bureaucracy, it would take for them to execute."
Speaking on the development, Lagos based freight forwarder, Mr. Mark
Okonkwo, who claimed to be aware of the incident told Vanguard that, "The
case was reported to the Navy and neither the Navy nor NIMASA or NPA could make
swift move expected for the rescue mission."
He noted that not for the swift intervention of the OMSL rescue vessel
Nigeria would have once again come under negative publicity.
He, therefore enjoined the port regulators to shield their swords and
allow for private sector participation in the security of the nation's
seaports.
He added that OMSL should be encouraged to set up the same security outfit
with the Navy in the Warri and Bonny area which have now become a pirate zone.
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