The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has intensified enforcement of Nigeria’s Cabotage regulations as part of efforts to strengthen indigenous participation in coastal and inland shipping.
The agency said the move was in line with its statutory responsibilities under the NIMASA Act 2007, the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act 2003, as well as existing regulations and implementation guidelines.
In a marine notice, NIMASA directed individuals and organisations seeking to deploy vessels for Cabotage operations to ensure that their vessels meet Nigeria’s requirements on ownership, registration, manning and construction.
The agency also stressed that vessels and ship-owning companies involved in Cabotage activities must be registered in the Special Register for Vessels and Ship Owning Companies Engaged in Cabotage.
In a statement issued by its Deputy Director and Head of Public Relations, Edward Osagie, NIMASA said all vessels, owners, operators, charterers, managers and other stakeholders involved in Cabotage activities must maintain valid statutory certificates, licences, registrations and other required documents.
The agency said: “Cabotage vessels must, as applicable, be wholly owned by Nigerian citizens, duly registered in the relevant Special Register, manned by Nigerian citizens and built in Nigeria.”
It explained that vessels that do not meet the requirements could only be deployed where the required Nigerian capacity was unavailable and the statutory conditions had been established and verified by NIMASA.
“The Agency will continue to monitor compliance with the Cabotage Act, its regulations and applicable guidelines, in a bid to entrench maritime governance and ensure that jobs meant for Nigerians are not outsourced,” the statement said.
NIMASA said the marine notice, which takes immediate effect, further demonstrates its commitment to increasing indigenous participation in local and international shipping, developing local maritime capacity and ensuring that Cabotage operations contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s maritime and economic development.
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