Determined to achieve a safe, secure and sustainable shipping environment, the Nigerian Maritime Safety and Administration (NIMASA) has reiterated its commitment to the implementation of the Ballast Water Convention of 2004.
NIMASA, which solicited for the support of countries within the West and Central African region in achieving this target, is presently hosting a 3-day regional workshop on ballast water in partnership with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and it started on Monday.
Dakuku Peterside, director-general of NIMASA, said at the opening on Monday in Lagos that since the advent of the convention, efforts had been made to ensure effective implementation of its provisions.
According to him, the international convention for the control and management of ships ballast water and sediments were adopted by the IMO in February 2004, to minimise the transfer of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens.
“This was in response to the growing concern over the problem of invasive alien species on the marine environment as a result of ballast carried by ships,” he said.
He stated that the regional workshop in essence is to support the timely and harmonised implementation of the convention in the West and Central African sub region with priority and emphasis on the ratification and implementation of the convention by member states.
“Nigeria being among the first five countries to ratify the convention and has taken giant steps in ensuring its implementation,” he said.
Also, Kitack Lim, secretary-general of IMO said about 81 countries had so far ratified the Ballast Water Convention, representing 80 percent of world tonnage.
Lim, who spoke through a representative, said that more countries are in the ratification process.
“Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Republic of Gambia have all acceded to the convention while others like Equatorial Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Sao Tome and Principe are yet to accede to the convention,” he said.
Gbemisola Saraki, the minister of state for transportation, said the West and Central African region have a great responsibility to ensure that issues of ballast water management are of top priority both at the national and regional levels.
“Over the past two decades, ballast water has been increasingly recognised as one of the major vectors for the introductions of harmful aquatic organisms and pathogens into the aquatic environment. It is also known to be one of the four greatest threats to the marine environment”.
According to the minister, untreated ballast water can transport and introduce invasive alien species, which can negatively impact local ecosystems, biodiversity and livelihoods of the Nigerian maritime sector.
Ballast water is water carried in vessel tanks in order to improve stability, balance and trim. It is taken up or discharged when cargo is unloaded or loaded, or when a ship needs extra stability in poor weather.
AMAKA ANAGOR-EWUZIE & SEYI JOHN SALAU
