NIMASA boots vessel surveillance with new satellite centre

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has established a satellite surveillance centre as part of it’s strategies to tackle the menace of sea pirates attack on vessels plying on the Nigerian territorial waters.

According to the NIMASA's Director of Shipping Development, Capt Waredi Enisuor who disclosed this in Lagos, the surveillance centre can track every vessels entering or leaving the country.

' By the establishment of the satellite surveillance centre, Nigeria can record zero tolerance before the end of 2015.

' The surveillance centre can also detect when a ship enters Nigerian waters and falsified her International Maritime Organisation (IMO) number,” he said.

He said that the shortage of military personnel to assist NIMASA in responding to distress calls and suspected attacks is affecting the agency but reassured that plans are underway to address the issue.

The Director however stated that with the success recorded in bringing down the rate of piracy in Nigeria, the country can now bargain for better recognition at the IMO.

In his remarks, NIMASA's Director General, Mr. Patrick Akpobolokemi said, 'For any sustainable and meaningful growth in the maritime sector, a robust maritime domain awareness system is inevitable.

'Our desire is to provide a safety net for all those doing business within Nigerian waters,.

'With the NIMASA satellite surveillance center, which was launched last month, the agency is now able to respond to any distress call on Nigerian waters and beyond.”