Lagos – The Minister of Transportation, Mr Rotimi Amaechi has said that Nigeria, as a member of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), remains committed to safety, security, environmental protection and trade facilitation.
Amaechi said this on Friday in Lagos at the inauguration of the Command, Control, Communication and Intelligence System (CCCIS) at the headquarters of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
“This conceptualisation, development and installation of this Command, Control, Communication and Intelligence System by the NPA will in no small way promote the rating of our ports by the IMO.
“It is pertinent to note that the development of this facility began with an approval in 2013 with the aim of providing Business Intelligence for the movement of vessels and cargoes,’’ the minister said.
He said that the facility (CCCIS) would also provide improved and secured communications within the nation’s waterways for enhancement of efficiency within the nations’ seaports.
Amaechi described the facility as one of the positive responses to the dynamics of port modernisation as well as a device for stemming the safety, security and operational challenges facing the port system and the maritime industry.
“This is so because the infrastructure comprises of long and short range video surveillance monitoring systems as well as several other software applications.
“These are in line with the International Maritime Organisation’s Conventions for the Safety of Life At Sea (SOLAS) and Ship and Port
Facility Security (ISPS) Code.
“The seaports in Nigerian provide one of the major platforms for trade facilitation with about 90 per cent of our imports and exports being done thought the seaports.
“This would not have been possible without the support of Mr President,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quotes the minister as saying.
He expressed appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari for the “unflinching’’ support in ensuring the safety and security of all business sectors, trade facilitation and diversification of the Nigerian economy.
According to him, this has promoted export trade which in the near future will stimulate the growth of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Amaechi said that government would continue to encourage laudable projects like the CCCIS to ensure safety, security, environmental protection, efficiency and also to improve on revenue generation.
He urged the management of NPA to continue to improve on the automation of the port system, adding that the port community should key into the utilisation of the facility (CCCIS) for efficient port services.
The Managing Director of NPA, Ms Hadiza Usman, said that the facility had been developed to cover maritime activities in the six ports and four pilotage districts; supporting required information and data as needed by the industry.
She said that the project (CCCIS) would incorporate other port automotive devices like the Vessel Traffic System (VTS) pursuant to the Chapter V Regulation 12 of SOLAS and the Integrated Port Community Information System (IPCIS).
Usman said that this was with the ultimate goal of establishing an automated single window system for the maritime industry.
The managing director explained that the project comprised Maritime Operational Centre (MOC) which would enable the actual monitoring of vessels.
“The Network Operations Centre (NOC) which is the support and infrastructure data base that stores all information including recorded videos.
“The development of this cutting edge technology is another step toward the enhancement of the authority’s drive toward the automation of our operation,’’ NAN quotes Usman as saying.
She added that the technology was put in place “to deliver core values of efficient service delivery in a safe, secured environment and with innovative ideas to ensure that our customers and stakeholders are satisfied at all times’’.
Usman said that on maritime security, responsibility was placed on NPA to undertake detailed security assessment of port facilities and identify threats in order to checkmate them.
“Furthermore, it would enable us to surmount security and safety challenges within our operations and the entire maritime domain in the Gulf of Guinea,’’ the managing director said.
Usman said that this would be with the capability of an interface with stakeholders aiding us to track and record maritime security breaches.
“In addition, this technology will enable the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) not just to generate adequate revenue but to also ensure that all revenue leakages are blocked to revitalise the economy.
“In the days ahead, the Nigerian Ports Authority will be playing pro-active roles in the digital space , ensuring that there is synergy and collaboration among relevant agencies such as Navy, NIMASA, Customs and other security and intelligence agencies, ‘’ she said.
The managing director said that this would be for the purpose of sharing information, documentation, to enhance maritime safety, security as well block revenue leakages. (NAN)
