GoG SECURITY: MARAN Probes GoG-MCF/SHADE, NIMASA’s $195M Deep Blue Project.

By Izuchukwu Ozoemena

The Maritime Reporters’ Association of Nigeria (MARAN) says as piracy and other maritime crimes resurface in the Gulf of Guinea (GoG), it has become necessary to assess the effectiveness of GoG-MCF/SHADE, a regional security initiative the ICC Yaoundé and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) launched in 2021.

The association also intends to gather maritime stakeholders to evaluate the Federal Government’s investment of $195Million in a Maritime Security Contract called, Deep Blue Project anchored by NIMASA.

This forms the major plank of the inaugural maritime security summit named MARAN Annual Maritime Lecture (MAMAL, 2023) which the association shifted from October 24 to November 21, 2023.

In a press statement issued in Lagos, Thursday, MARAN observed that despite the acclaimed successes of the $195million NIMASA Deep Blue Project aimed at curbing piracy and maritime crime, there have been no meaningful impact on shipping and freight costs because the situation remains uncertain, and the Joint War Risk Committee still classifies Nigerian waters as a war risk zone.

MARAN said: “Notwithstanding the regional collaboration effort, GoG-MCF/SHADE, there has been a resurgence of pirate attacks in the Gulf of Guinea, the most recent being an attack on a Marshall Islands-flagged ‘MT Nyon’.”

“The attack which occured 16 nautical miles south of Conakry, Guinea, on June 22nd, 2023, left several crew members with minor injuries.”

The inaugural edition of MAMAL 2023 with the theme “Maritime Security: Emerging Threats and Actionable Steps”,

is targeted at proffering long-term, sustainable solutions that will effectively address maritime crimes in the GoG region and protect seafaring and fishing communities in the affected countries.

The statement observes that in the festive season of November to December, people usually resort to crime to ensure they can take care of their families during the holidays. MARAN seeks to probe why criminality on Nigerian waters increases in this season.

Stakeholders expected to grace the summit include the Nigerian Navy, regional navies and other stakeholders in maritime sector. Others are Shipowners, NIMASA, Shipping Lines, Terminal Operators, Nigerian Shippers Council, major seafarer organisations and others.