Menu

Deep Blue

Deep Blue project

Deep blue project excites LCCI

, ,

The President of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Mrs Toki Mabogunje, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari on the launch of the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure, the deep blue project.

Mabogunje gave the commendation during the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Special Day at the 2021 Lagos International Trade Fair, on Saturday in Lagos.

The fair is holding from Nov. 5 to Nov. 14 and has as its theme: “Connecting Businesses, Creating Value”.

Over 200,000 visitors are expected while about 1,500 exhibitors from 16 countries are participating in the 35th edition of the fair.

“The launch of the Integrated National Security and Water Ways Protection Infrastructure, also called the Deep Blue Project by President Muhammadu Buhari, is also as well commended, even as we crave for safer waterways.

“The blue economy in Nigeria cannot thrive with cases of sea piracy incidents on our inland waterways; we expect international trade volumes to rise as economic recovery goes across the globe.

“Supply chain disruption caused by the COVID-19 lockdown needs to be restored through the efforts of maritime regulators like NIMASA,” she said.

The LCCI president also said that in recognition of the importance of the sector and its role as a regulator, Maritime Sector had been inaugurated at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

According to her, the maritime sector brings all the actors to play – the ship owners, the seafarers, etc.

She said: “We have spoken to all of them asking whether they would like to have a part of the Lagos Chamber to coordinate together and speak with one voice about the maritime sector.

“Nigeria is too big and important an economy to ignore. And we need to have a larger voice in global trade and especially on this African Continental Trade Agreement that is about to come about.”

The Director General of NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh, said that blue economy was capital intensive.

Jamoh, represented by Dr Momoh Alhasan, Assistant Director, Shipping Promotions, explained that Lagos as a littoral state was best suited to concentrate on ports and logistics which would attract other activities in the blue economy system.

“Seaports play a strategic role in facilitating International trade and economic growth of both littoral and land locked states.

“They are catalyst in the following areas: In terms of gross value added to GDP, terms of employment generated from port activities.

“In terms of trade volumes and values in relation to both exports in terms of fiscal revenue to national and regional governments imports.

“In terms of investments by public and private investors, port superstructure and infrastructure are capital intensive and require constant maintenance,” he said.

Jamoh urged the state government to collaborate with the Federal Government to improve port infrastructure and superstructure to attract more trading vessels, thereby boosting state and national Income.

Deep Blue

Deep Blue project driven by competent manpower – Official

0

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has reiterated that assets deployed under the Deep Blue Project, recently launched by President Muhammadu Buhari, are manned by proficient officers from the Nigerian security services.
The Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh, disclosed this in a statement in Lagos on Monday, signed by Mr Osagie Edward, Assistant Director, Public Relations, NIMASA.
He made this known during the graduation ceremony of officers trained to crew the Special Mission Vessels, the main maritime component of the project also called the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure.
Jamoh, who was represented by the Agency’s Executive Director, Operations, Mr Shehu Ahmed, said the graduation of 30 officers trained in various parts of the globe was a significant addition to the team of competent personnel manning assets under the maritime security scheme.
He said that the event was remarkable since it guaranteed competent manpower required to man the Special Mission Vessels.
Jamoh said that the ceremony also indicated NIMASA’s commitment to bequeathing a crime free maritime domain to Nigerians and the global maritime community.
“Early in the year and in line with a Presidential directive, we deployed the Special Mission Vessels and the Fast Interceptor Boats to the Lagos Port Secure Anchorage Area.
“But the event of today takes us further to the full deployment of the two Special Mission Vessels with fully trained and certified crew.
“The Crew of the Special Mission Vessels have concluded localised training and terrain familiarisation courses after their initial technical based training abroad,” he said.
Similarly, Mr Anthony Ogadi, the Coordinator, Deep Blue Project, and NIMASA’s Director, Planning, Research and Data Management Services Department (PRDMSD), said the crew had nine foreign and 10 local trainings on various platforms of the Project under the supervision of the project contractor, HLSI.
Ogadi stated that some local trainings for the operation of other assets under the maritime security scheme, including the Special Mission Aircraft, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, and armoured personnel carriers, were simultaneously on-going at Ikeja and Ojo in Lagos state, and Elele in Rivers.
Speaking on behalf of the crew, Captain of DB Lagos, Capt. Uche Aneke, and that of DB Abuja, Capt. Mohammed, thanked NIMASA for facilitating the training.
They also assured the Agency that they would carry out their duties with a high sense of proficiency and professionalism.
Certificates were presented to the officers at the ceremony, which also had in attendance NIMASA’s Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Mr Chudi Ofodile, and Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, Mr Victor Ochei.
The Deep Blue Project is an initiative of the Federal Ministry of Transportation and Federal Ministry of Defence.
It is being implemented by NIMASA with personnel from the Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Navy, Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police, Department of State Services, and other security agencies.

Deep Blue project

Deep Blue Project in Lagos for launch

0

President Muhammadu Buhari will launch the assets under the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection, also known as the Deep Blue Project, in Lagos on June 10.

Dr Bashir Jamoh, Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) said this in a statement on Friday in Lagos.

Jamoh said preparatory to the launch, the Maritime Security Unit of the Deep Blue Project was conducting simulation exercises for the event on land, air and sea to confirm its readiness for full deployment.

The director-general noted that the various military formations in the region were aware of the exercise.

He advised members of the public, especially those living in coastal communities to remain calm while the exercise was ongoing as it was only meant to test the readiness of the assets.

“With the deployment of the assets of the Deep Blue Project, we are entering another level of national security designed for total spectrum maritime security and better domain awareness using some of the latest technology.

“This effort to secure our waters will give Nigerians more leverage to harness the enormous resources of our maritime environment and aid the drive toward economic diversification,” he said.

Jamoh said the project, which was initiated by the Federal Ministry of Transportation and Federal Ministry of Defence, was being implemented by NIMASA.

“The main objective of the Deep Blue Project is to secure Nigerian waters up to the Gulf of Guinea. The project has three categories of platforms to tackle maritime security on land, sea and air.

“The land assets include the Command, Control, Communication, Computer, and Intelligence Centre (C4i) for intelligence gathering and data collection.

”16 armoured vehicles for coastal patrol; and 600 specially trained troops for interdiction, known as Maritime Security Unit The sea assets are two Special Mission Vessels and 17 Fast Interceptor Boats.

“The air assets comprise two Special Mission Aircraft for surveillance of the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone; three Special Mission Helicopters for search and rescue operations; and four Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.

“The Deep Blue Project is the first integrated maritime security strategy in West and Central Africa with the aim of tackling the incidences of piracy, sea robbery and other crimes at sea,” he said.

Jamoh said the Suppression of Piracy and Other Maritime Offences Act passed by the ninth National Assembly would now provide legal backing for prosecution and punishment of offenders which used to be a challenge.