Nigeria’s Maritime Administration and Safety Agency announced the electronic verification of new vessel registration certificates introduced on July 1.

According to a statement from the agency, the new vessel registration certificates come with built-in quick response codes to allow shipowners, stakeholders and regulators to verify the validity of the certificates.

NIMASA said it has started to fully enforce legal requirements and documentation relating to the protection of the marine environment on Nigerian and foreign-flagged vessels operating in the country’s maritime domain.

“This means that owners and operators are now required by law to update their vessel documents, which include all permits or exemptions, fees, records and plan approvals. It is also a prerequisite for further processing of any vessel or business request with the agency, ”he said.

The agency has warned that it will impose penalties on operators who fail to meet applicable requirements.

According to the statement, the new decision is in line with the agency’s statutory mandate to implement all applicable provisions for the protection and documentation of the marine environment, as provided for in the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution by ships, 1973; the Merchant Shipping Act, 2007; and the 2007 NIMASA law.

NIMASA Managing Director Dr Bashir Jamoh said that effective enforcement of environmental protection regulations in the maritime domain is crucial to the country’s quest for economic development.

He said, “We are deliberate, methodical and strategic in enforcing environmental protection requirements with respect to our own international laws and regulations to which we adhere.

“A well-protected marine environment guarantees investor confidence, which is a fundamental necessity for the maximization and optimization of our rich maritime endowments. This directly affects the dynamics of economic diversification and sustainable development of the country.

“We are inducing a strong and sustainable marine environmental protection system that serves the interests of both the country and the operators. And the necessary steps have been taken to ensure that we have stakeholders on the same page. ”

Regarding electronic certificate verification, Jamoh said the agency has adopted technology to ensure more security for its documents and to give stakeholders and the international maritime community greater confidence in its services.

The Registrar of Ships, Ms. Nneka Obiayor, said: “The safety and security of ships as well as the ease of doing business are of the highest priority in the design and implementation of electronic verification of our new certificates. registration of ships.

“With a blend of technology and creativity, we have introduced new features designed to make our vessel registration certificates more secure and easier to process. ”

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