Marine Platforms Limited (MPL), a fully indigenous oil service company with the support of the Norwegian embassy in Abuja, has begun the intensive training of engine cadets and officers at the site of their on-going subsea vessel builder, Havyard Shipyard in Leirvik, Norway. The company has been giving essential sea-time on high end vessels to seafarers seconded from the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA). The cadets were recommended by the Nigerian Maritime Academy, Oron, Akwa Ibom State, among their best graduating students. After a rigorous selection and examination process conducted by MPL in Oron, successful candidates are to undergo intensive on the job training in Norway.
The first batch of trainees was led to the shipyard by MPL chief operating officer, Biodun Odusi. Marine Platforms in collaboration with Havyard Ship Technology, Norway, deem it necessary to develop necessary qualitative manpower in the marine sector of the oil & gas industry. It is believed that this training will demystify the complexities and ensure the needed exposure associated with vessels of this capacity. It is further geared towards enabling local Nigerians to acquire the much needed technology competencies that hitherto were given to expatriate personnel across the world. After successfully training over thirty remotely operated vehicle (ROV) pilot/technicians and continually recruiting fresh Nigerian engineering graduates who undergo a robust training programme with their ROV manufacturer, Perry Slingsby in York, UK, they are inspired to replicate this human capacity building in their marine segment.
Marine Platforms have been promoting the Nigerian content philosophy in the oil and gas industry since 2010 through genuine and sustainable human and material capacity building. They currently have over three hundred young Nigerians in employment and have acquired multi-million dollar high end marine vessels and sub-sea equipment. They are an exemplar of sustainable local capacity building and significant rallying point for the NCDMB and NIMASA.
OLUSOLA BELLO
