AFTER several warnings the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has commenced clampdown on vessels that do not comply with the provisions of the Cabotage Compliance Strategy introduced last year to ease the implementation of the Cabotage Act 2003 in Nigeria. This is even as the agency has detained a vessel, MT NAVIGATOR CAPRICORN, which is a Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Carrier. “Our laws forbid foreign vessels operating in our territorial waters save for compliance with the Cabotage Act. The agency via a Marine Notice suspended considerations for applications of grant of waiver on manning for prescribed categories of officers in vessels engaged in Cabotage trade. The whole essence of this was to ensure that Nigerians are not deprived of the jobs due to them on showing requisite qualifications for the job.

Source: Nigerian Tribune February 10, 2019 16:18 UTC