Newly commissioned tug boats will boost maritime services – NPA MD

Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Mohammed Bello Koko, has said the inauguration of Bollard Pull Tug Boats vessels at the Lagos ports would support port security, patrol, surveillance and deliver excellent marine services.

He said the state-of-the-art vessels was apt especially with the commencement of operations of Nigeria’s first Deep Seaport, the Lekki Deep Seaport.

Bello Koko said this at the inauguration of the newly acquired Bollard Pull Tug Boats at the Lagos ports by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Dr Magdelene Ajani.

His words:”I am greatly delighted and honored to welcome you to this occasion, which is a demonstration of this administration’s resolve to position the Nigerian Ports Authority to respond squarely to the contemporary demands of trade facilitation.

“Imbued by our corporate aspiration of attaining hub status by more efficiently servicing domestic cargo needs, winning back transit cargo hitherto lost to our maritime neighbours and positioning to cater to the maritime requirements of our landlocked neighbours, we have deployed a three-pronged strategy driven by people technology, infrastructure and equipment such as the state-of-the-art vessels we are gathered here to commission today.

“This occasion is part of the fulfillment of our service charter to provide relevant marine crafts to support port security, patrol, surveillance and most importantly deliver excellent marine services especially with the commencement of operations of Nigeria’s first Deep Seaport, the Lekki Deep Seaport.

“Our determination to continuously enhance our operational efficiencies accounts for the purchase of these new 80 Ton Bollard Pull Tugboats christened M.T MAIKOKO and M.T DA-OPUKURO to complement our existing fleet of tugs and recently commissioned Security Patrol Boats (SPBs) and Pilot Cutters deployed to enhance channel security across all our locations.’’

The NPA boss pointed out that the deployment of the Lekki Deep Seaport as launch pad for transshipment remains unwavering, adding that the inauguration of the tug boats is an attestation to NPA’s doggedness and commitment to the noble cause.

He assured consignees, concessionaires and other stakeholders of continuous improvement in service delivery from the NPA under his leadership.

Inaugurating the two newly-acquired state-of-the-art marine crafts, the Permanent Secretary, Ajani, said the acquisition of the 2813 model of Damen’s ASD neoteric 80 Tons Bollard Pull Tugboats, the first of its kind in Africa, had accentuated the determination of the Federal Ministry of Transportation to boost port operational efficiency.
She said:”My joy derives from the fact that the acquisition of these equipment, amongst many others that are in the works, signposts Nigeria’s seriousness to optimize the opportunities inherent in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)Agreement to which we are signatory.

Ajani pledged the support of the Federal Ministry of Transportation to the audacious efforts of the NPA, agencies and parastatals of government towards inter-agency collaborations in the attainment of the overarching goal of making Nigeria a global reference point of excellence in trade facilitation.