To enable port stakeholders take proper risk measures against the spread of coronavirus in the country, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has notified of 13 vessels coming in from five countries heavily affected by the pandemic.
The alert comes amid a growing number of infections across the nation. In the notice, which covers a period between June 23 and July 17, eight of the vessels are expected to berth in Apapa, Lagos; four and one in Bonny Port Harcourt respectively in Rivers State.
Giving the notice, the NIMASA Director-General, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, said the country was counting on the continued cooperation of frontline government agencies and private sector operators in the joint war against the Covid-19 pandemic.
In a statement from the NIMASA Head of Corporate Communications, Philip Kyanet, Jamoh explained that the advisory was to ensure that all government agencies and private sector operators at the ports to applied the highest level of precaution and professionalism in keeping with its earlier advice on the handling of such expected vessels.
NIMASA had earlier given a marine notice on the operational procedures for the ingress and egress of vessels from such countries, as officers of concerned agencies were requested to immediately report any situation or circumstance that might compromise best practices in handling the arrival and discharge of these vessels and others that might be advised in the future.
The vessels included EBONY RAY, from the United States (U.S.) to Apapa-Lagos (23/06/2020), NORD SUPREME, from Immingham, United Kingdom to Apapa-Lagos (25/06/2020), and GASLOG WARSAW, from Ferrol, Spain to Bonny, Rivers (26/06/2020).
Also in the list, DESERT PEACE, from Houston, U.S. to Apapa-Lagos (26/06/2020), SHANGHAI EAGLE, from Garrucha, Spain to Apapa-Lagos (25/06/2020), KATRINA THERESA from Algeciras Bay, Spain to Apapa, Lagos (25/06/2020), and HARMONIC, from Escomberas, Spain to Bonny, Rivers (27/06/2020).
Those still in view are DESERT HOPE, from Santos, Brazil to Apapa-Lagos (01/07/2020), STENA CLEAR SKY, from Dahej, India to Bonny, Rivers (04/07/2020), and MUSKY, from U.S. to Port Harcourt, 07/07/2020.
The rest are VECTIS OSPREY and GRANDE ISLAND – both from Houston, U.S. to Apapa-Lagos (11/07/2020), and LNG BONNY II, from Dahej, India to Bonny, Rivers (17/07/2020).
