...Says Platform Been Operating On Nation's Waters For 7 Year's Unhindered
Harboursandport.com: Lagos - The nation's maritime administration, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), has admitted failure in it's flag administration duties as it's said that the capsized oil drilling platform, Majestic Rig has been operating on the nation's waterways unhindered in the last 7 years.
NIMASA in a statement signed by Assistant Director and Head, Public Relations Department, Osagie Edward, said "Initial findings has confirmed that the ill-fated Rig is Panama Flagged and has been operating on Nigerian waters since 2016 without requisite approvals from the Agency.
"The ABS Classed inland Water Drilling 232 feet-long Barge, with a rated drilling depth of 30,000 feet collapsed where it was been towed from N04, 30:34 / E00543:57 enroute Ovhor 21 that belongs to SEPLAT Oil field in Delta State."
A maritime expert who spoke with Harboursandport.com on the issue on the condition of anonymity said the incident shows the level of the capacity gap in NIMASA. The expert explained that it is not impossible that error may be as a result of the rush to send out the press statement in defence of the agency afraid of consequences.
According to the maritime expert, "remember that the professionals engaged by the Akpobolokemi administration were kicked off in 2016, noting that those were the people that were making things happen in NIMASA during the period. The absence of these set of professionals have left the nation's waterways open to all comers, the expert noted.
The expert expressed worry that despite all the security platforms by the Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Army, NIMASA and otherswhich cost the nation millions of dollars, such a platform could operating without registration for 7 years unnoticed.
The expert said it is not impossible that there are other vessels/platforms such as the Majestic Rig still operating Unhindered on the nation's waterways. The expert continued, "if it were to be in an ideal situation, there would definitely have been consequences but this Nigeria where anything goes."
In it's efforts to do damage control on the effect of the incident on the nation's waterways, NIMASA in the statement said "In line with the mandate of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, which includes safe shipping and cleaner oceans, a team comprising of Search and Rescue and marine accident investigation officers have been dispatched to the scene of the incident involving the Majestic Rig belonging to Depthwize Nigeria Limited, which capsized at Ovhor in Warri, Delta State.
"NIMASA has initiated contact with the Clean Nigerian Associate, a conglomerate of all International Oil Companies (IOCs’) responsible for the cleaning of Tier 2 oil spill, to establish the level of spillage at the scene of the incident.
"In addition, the Agency is in communication with officials of SEPLAT Energy Limited chatterers of the ill-fated Rig who are expected to officially report the incidence within 24 hours in line with the provisions of the Merchant Shipping Act 2007," he statement concluded.
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