14 Functions of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) are listed in this article. We hope you find it informative.
Functions of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency
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When it has to do with the agency of Maritime in Nigeria, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) is the apex agency that regulates and promotes maritime in the country.
The Agency came into existence as a function of the merging of Joint Labour Industrial Council and the National Maritime Authority which were formerly agencies of the Federal Ministry of Transport on 1st August 2006.
The duty of the regulation of the Maritime Industry in the country relies on the Agency through the following documents:
- Merchant Shipping Act. 2007
- Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act. 2003; and
- Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency Act. 2007. (all of which can be gotten as a PDF file on their website).
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The establishment of the agency was primarily to administer Maritime Safety Seafarers Standards and Security, Shipping Regulation, Maritime Labour, promotion of commercial Shipping and Cabotage activities, control, and prevention of Pollution in the marine environment, the NIMASA also acts upon homeland International Maritime Organization (IMO) and International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions.
The vision of NIMASA is to be the leader when it comes to the Administration of Maritime in Africa at large and also to advance Nigeria’s Maritime Global goals. To achieve its stated vision, the NIMASA does its best to achieve and ensure secure and safe shipping, clean oceans, and enhance the capacity of maritime following the best possible global practices that are geared toward the development of the economy.
The core values of the agency are; Commitment, Integrity, Teamwork, Excellence, Professionalism, discipline, accountability, and Leadership.
The NIMASA is s organized into three different sections with each section being led by the Executive Director.
Each of the three sections has a minimum of two other departments under it and each of the departments is headed by a director.
In its totality, there are about 8 departments that report to the Executive Director and 9 units or sections that report to the Chief Executive Officer (Director General).
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The functions of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency include:
1. Pursuing the development of regulatory and shipping issues which has to do with seafarers and Merchant shipping.
2. Administers and regulates shipping licenses.
3. Administers, regulates, and certifies Seafarers.
4. Establish training and safety standards for the Maritime industry in Nigeria.
5. Regulates the safety of shipping when it has to do with the construction of ships and their navigation.
6. Provide services for Maritime search and rescue activities.
7. Conduct the surveillance of the coasts and air with Maritime.
8. Give adequate direction and ensure optimum adherence to the security measures of vessels.
9. Prevent and control the pollution of the Maritime.
10. Come up with and implement programs and policies that will enhance the speedy growth of the local capacity both in ownership, manning as well as the construction of ships and other infrastructures of the Maritime.
11. Foster the enhancement and administration of the provision of the Cabotage Act. 2003.
12. Carry out duties that have to do with Port and Flag State.
13. Ensure maximum security in the Maritime sector.
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14. Establish the processes for successful implementation of the convention of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) as well as the International Labour Organization (ILO) and other conventions internationally to which Nigeria as a country is a party on Maritime Labour, Maritime Safety, and Security, Public Shipping, and for the put to use of Codes, Resolutions, and Circulars which may arise from there.
