The Nigerian Navy has handed over a tanker vessel, MT Sea Eunice, which was arrested last 11 August, to the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA). The vessel is presently located along Escravos River, close to the Aroton community.
The Base Operation Officer of the Nigerian Navy Ship, Delta (NNS, DELTA), Commander Samuel Musa noted that the vessel was constantly switching off her Automatic Identification System (AIS), which is a violation of the International Maritime Organisation regulation that NIMASA implements in the country.
Responding to the development, NIMASA’s Director-General, Dr Bashir Jamoh lauded the Nigerian Navy for always being proactive in its operations and noted that NIMASA is committed to inter-agency collaboration with the Nigerian Navy.
“Let me use this opportunity to state that NIMASA and the Nigerian Navy are partners in progress, because without synergy we cannot realise our mandates. We will continue to work closely with the Nigerian Navy to strengthen the existing ties to ensure we keep our maritime environment safe and secured”, the DG said.
The District Surveyor, Central Zone for NIMASA, Engr. Joshua Oyadiran, who received the vessel on behalf of the agency, assured that investigations would be carried out in line with NIMASA’s mandate.
