US commends Nigeria on ISPS implementation

The United States Coast Guard has commended Nigeria over what they described as considerable progress in the implementation of the International Ships and Ports Facility Security Code.

The Head of Public Relations at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Mr Osagie Edward, said this in a statement on Monday.

According to the statement, Joe Prince Larson of the US Coast Guard disclosed this when he led a team from the International Port Security Programme on a working visit to some terminals and ports in Nigeria.

Larson said that the visit was to ascertain the level of implementation of the ISPS Code across Nigerian port facilities.

Delivering an interim assessment report to the management of NIMASA, Larson noted that Nigeria’s “compliance with the ISPS Code ranks amongst the best globally.”

While stating that his team would report their findings to the leadership of the US Coast Guard, Larson expressed confidence that NIMASA could maintain the high standards attained to date.

“We had the pleasure of visiting Matrix and Julius Berger in Warri, Delta State, before proceeding to the Lekki Deep Seaport and Dangote Port in Lagos, with the overall assessment being very positive,” he said.

Larson reiterated that the group observed that there is a clear and deep understanding of the implementation of the ISPS Code in Nigeria, “with the level of compliance observed to be at par with some of the best maritime nations globally. We would report our findings back to US Coast Guard headquarters accordingly.”

Earlier, the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Dayo Mobereola, announced the agency’s commitment to sustaining the improved compliance levels at the nation’s ports, noting the effect this has on how Nigeria is perceived internationally.

He added that the NIMASA would continue to support efforts under the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, to improve standards in the Nigerian maritime industry.

“I must express my happiness at the positive feedback we have received from the USCG delegation, as it serves as a reward for the Federal Government’s commitment to the development of the sector and the work of the agency, under the supervision of the federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, to ensure international standards are adhered to in the area of port security,” he said.

The USCG has consistently partnered with NIMASA to conduct on-the-spot assessments of the compliance level of Nigerian ports with the ISPS Code.

These evaluations, which commenced last year as part of a three-year plan, are geared towards providing actionable insights and data-based decisions to lift the condition of entry placed on vessels departing Nigeria for the United States of America.