NPA Under Pressure As Vessel Traffic Increases

Increased ship traffic recorded by the nation’s ports may have put pressure on Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to provide enough tugboats, essential equipment for berthing and sailing operations for ocean-going vessels.

Recent statistics on ship traffic released by the NPA show that the number of ocean-going vessels to the ports in Nigeria between January and June 2011 stood at 2,571, reflecting a 2.8 per cent increase over the 2,502 recorded the same period 2010.

The total gross tonnage of the ocean-going vessels stood at 59,070,867, which showed a 14.46 per cent increase over the 2010 first half figure of 51,606,296. Coastal vessels that called at the ports within the first half of 2011 stood at 13,053, a reflection of 29.23 per cent increase over the half year 2010 figures of 10,100, while the gross tonnage of the coastal vessels in the same period under review 2011 was 4,210,922, a growth of 25.36 per cent over 2010 figures of 3,358,993.

Findings, however revealed the tugboats owned by the NPA, especially for operations in the Lagos Pilotage District (LPD) are insufficient and not able to meet the volume of ships, which include container and bulk carriers, as well as tanker vessels calling at the Lagos ports and jetties.

It was learnt that ships calling at the Lagos seaports have to wait on queue on the “roads,” even after having been given clearance to berth. P. M.Maritime gathered that each vessel coming to berth requires a minimum of two tugboats. To avoid being charged for the waiting time, operators now resort to hiring of tugboats to berth their vessels even after paying to the NPA for the operations.

Hiring a tugboat, it was learnt, goes for between N150,000 and N200,000 per operation.

P. M.Maritime checks revealed that the situation for operators handling container vessels is somewhat ameliorated by the fact that they sometimes secure the use of NPA’s tugboats for their operations. The situation for operators of tanker vessels is, however, insufferable, because they are compelled by the circumstances to hire tugboats from private operators to bring in their vessels.

Curiously, even as the dearth of tugboats stares it in the face, the NPA is set acquire gunboats for the Nigerian Navy (NN).

The NPA Managing Director, Engr. Omar Suleiman, explained that the promise to the Navy is to complement its effort in maritime security, in a bid to combat the challenges of piracy and port crimes, and the maintenance of adequate security at the seaports.

Suleiman had spoken through the NPA General Manager, Security, Lt. Col. J. M. Tahir (Retd), recently while addressing Heads of Security Departments of various ports locations at their quarterly security meeting in Lagos.

Suleiman said that security is a crucial issue, because, according to him, in spite of the presence of other security agencies at the ports, blames for whatever security lapses are always heaped on the NPA Security Department.

He disclosed that the NPA has provided three patrol boats for waterfront security at the Western Ports, adding that similar number of boats will also be provided for Eastern Ports. He revealed that 20 patrol vehicles will soon be provided for all ports locations.

The NPA boss commended the Security Department for their dedication to duty at the ports, pointing out that despite the security situation in Nigeria in recent times, particularly with terrorist activities, none has been identified to have come in through any of the ports.