in Developing Countries
..."the importance of protecting and conserving our seas, oceans and their inhabitants cannot be overemphasized as we are intrinsically linked to them and their wellbeing reflects our own wellbeing too." -Dr Jamoh
ZAINAB JUNAID
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency(NIMASA) in collaboration with Maritime Technology Cooperation Center(MTCC) commenced a 3-day management training on Transfer of Environmentally-Sound Technologies (TEST Biofouling) project for partnering Countries in Nigeria.
This initiative is in line with International Maritime Organization(IMO)'s guideline for the Control and Management of Ship's Biofouling.
While declaring the workshop open in Lagos on Monday October 30, 2023, the Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh noted that the training on Test Biofouling Project is an initiative of IMO in close partnership with the Maritime Technology Cooperation Center (MTCC) to assist developing countries advance their knowledge about how to facilitate the implementation of the IMO Biofouling Guidelines considering the complexity of biofouling management and the technologies available.
Speaking on the theme "The Place of Technologies in the Management of Marine Biofouling" Dr Jamoh explained that IMO Guideline for the Control and Management of Ship's Biofouling is an international instrument aimed at addressing and maintaining the efficiency, safety and environmental sustainability of maritime operations as well as prevent the spread of invasive species in our waters.
On the process by which Biofouling is formed, the NIMASA Boss said ships are at the crux of global trading and they serve as a channel for transportation of harmful non-indigenous Invasive Aquatic Species (IAS) with the organisms attaching themselves to the outer surface and niche areas of every ship.
"The organisms are then translocated from one ecoregion to another. The process by which these organisms attached themselves to the ship and other surfaces is referred to as Biofouling," he said.
According to him, "Since Nigeria's economy relies heavily on international trade with shipping being a key component of the country's import and export activities, which has inevitably exposed the nation to threats of the IAS transfer into our territorial waters the training becomes a necessity.
"This training is Paramount as biofouling poses a huge threat to Nigeria's transition to the Blue Economy. It incurs environmental burdens such as low productivity, biodiversity, lower resilience to climate change and economic burdens including financial loss due to low productivity, huge prevention and control costs, in addition to increased operational cost of offshore infrastructures among others."
Dr. Jamoh added that the training will showcase newest technologies and applications which include cost-effective practices and related benefits for the environment and efficiency of shipping.
Also speaking, the Director, Head, Department of Partnerships and Projects, IMO, Dr. Jose Matheickal in his Google message, commended Nigeria for contributing significantly to IMO's policy development process, and for their active participation in IMO meetings. NIMASA especially for taken the lead in partnering with MTCC Africa for the training on TEST Biofouling in Nigeria.
"I remember my early involvement with Nigeria on Ballast water project in which Nigeria became a lead country and has really acted very faar to put the convention into force. So I'm really hoping that Nigeria will follow the same path when it comes to the biofouling guidelines.
Matheickal urged Nigerians to key in to the biofouling guidelines, saying, "This event is very meaningful as it serves as a platform for information sharing. The event will be a milestone for Nigeria as one of our TEST partnering countries. We have been encouraging more women to participate in the sector and we are very excited to find African Women in Maritime (WIMAFRICA) Nigeria and other women groups emerging in the maritime space.
"I'm sure together we can work to ensure a sustainable maritime industry that supports all the beneficiary countries as well as the rural economy for our future," he said.
In his goodwill message, Captain Sunday Umoren, the Secretary-General, Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control for West and Central African Region (Abuja MoU), affirmed that marine Biofouling increases costs of fueling vessels to shipowners
He added that aquatic species have good, bad and the ugly side and to maintain a balance in the aquatic environment respective maritime countries need to keep their aquatics.
Dr Oma Ofodile, Deputy Director, Marine Environment Management Department, NIMASA and MTCC Africa Focal Point, on her part, stressed how NIMASA ensured MTCC mandate is achieved by ensuring Nigeria get enough capacity to reduce biofouling rate.
She noted that the training is a way to close the gap from emision and urged all participant Countries not to be left behind on the IMO call for zero emissions by 2050.
“NIMASA has done a lot to reduce emissions and the training is one of the ways to close the gap of emission from vessels,” Ofodile said.
Earlier in his welcome speech, the Director of Marine Environment Management Department, NIMASA, Mr Heaky Dimowo, appreciated the support and relentless efforts of IMO and MTCC towards making the workshop a success and called on all delegates to support the new initiative through active participation throughout the workshop, and afterwards ensures the implementation of what is learnt.
His words, "I would like to extend our warm welcome to the delegates of the International Maritime Organization, the Maritime Technology Cooperation Center, to Nigeria.
"The workshop is one of the regional demonstration projects to which the IMO, in collaboration with MGCC, intends to build capacity on the management and mitigation of the environmental risks associated with the transfer of invasive species.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I call on you to support this new initiative through our active participation throughout the workshop, and afterwards by ensuring that we implement what we learn here," he added.
While Comoros, Kenya, Mauritius, Malta, Somalia and Djibouti, are among African Countries that participated at the training, other stakeholders in the maritime sector who graced the Occasion include - Nigerian Alternate Permanent Representative of the IMO, Dr. Abdul Dirusu, President of WIMA Africa, Rollens Macfoy, Commissioner for Lans and Environment, Ebonyi State, Secretary General of the African Shipowners Association, Funmi Folorunso; Fellow Rochelle Carters, the Admiral Superintendent of the Naval Dockyard Limited, Victoria Island, Lagos, represented by OEA Ezele, among others.
