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· We Are Committed To Reduction Of Human Interface, Improved Vessel Turnaround Time, Says Jamoh
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) have commenced a digital manifest management regime for all vessels berthing at all Nigerian Ports.
Also, physical transactions concerning Sailing Certificates and cargo manifest processing are being phased out completely, as stakeholders are encouraged to fully embrace the initiative by visiting the NIMASA portal.
Director-General of NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh, said the automation was aimed at further reducing human interaction, improving efficiency and blocking revenue leakages.
“In line with the Federal Government’s Executive Order on Ease of Doing Business, we are committed to improving turnaround time of vessels, reduction of human interface in most of our transactions with our stakeholders and this is in our bid to ensure transparency and professionalism that the sector requires to grow.
“We have improved our operational relationship with our sister Agencies, as we speak, we have made tremendous progress in our determination to convey sailing clearance for Vessels to the NPA electronically.
“We also receive and process manifests electronically. This has improved efficiency leading to improvement in the turn-around-time of vessels calling at the nation’s ports,” Jamoh said.
Continuing, he said: “Right now we have ensured that the process of submitting and processing manifests is reduced from 72 hours to five hours for Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) and larger container vessels whereas it would only take two hours or less for smaller vessels. These are marked improvements and it is still work in progress.”
Jamoh noted that the benefits that would be derived from the total digitisation of all the agency’s processes expected to be completed this year, would be enormous not only for the stakeholders but also for the entire country.
It would further help to improve the balance of trade and improve commercial shipping activities in Nigeria.
It would be recalled that NIMASA under Jamoh’s watch had always advocated the automation of its processes for enhanced and effective service delivery.
Industry stakeholders view the renewed drive as another stride in the transformation of the maritime sector for more economic benefits to the country.
