The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has announced the introduction of a new Cabotage Compliance Strategy (NCCS), for a successful coastal and inland trade regime.
The Director-General of NIMASA, Dakuku Peterside, made this known in a statement issued by Isichei Osamgbi, the agency’s Head, Corporate Communications in Lagos last week.
Peterside said that NIMASA came up with the facility to secure jobs for qualified Nigerians in the maritime sector.
He said with the NCCS regime, NIMASA would no longer consider applications for grant of waiver on manning for prescribed categories of officers in vessels engaged in cabotage trade. The director-general stated that special applications for captains, chief engineers, chief officers, and 1st mate, in the absence of qualified Nigerians, would be considered on merit.
Peterside assured that NIMASA would continue to work closely with stakeholders to support and promote indigenous participation in the Nigerian maritime sector. He called on all relevant government agencies and International Oil Companies (IOCs) to collaborate with the agency in harnessing opportunities available in the nation’s maritime space.