COVID-19: 13 vessels coming from highly infected nations – NIMASA alerts

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency on Monday, cautioned stakeholders about 13 vessels bound for Nigeria from five countries heavily affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

The Director-General of NIMASA, Jamoh Bashir, while calling for caution, in a statement, noted that stakeholders needs to ensure strict adherence to the COVID-19 guidelines put in place by the Presidential Task Force as part of the measure to stop the spread of the virus in the country.

According to him, Eight of the vessels are expected to berth in Apapa, Lagos; four in Bonny, Rivers State; and one in Port Harcourt, River.

“We are counting on the continued cooperation of frontline government agencies and private sector operators in this regard as we jointly wage the war against the COVID-19 pandemic,” Bashir said.

He explained that the advisory was to keep abreast all agencies of government and private sector operators at the ports of the expected arrival of the vessels.

Bashir, further noted that professionalism is very key at this time in operating the vessels, adding that operators at the ports should ensure all safety measures and precautions in the best interest of the maritime community and the country were fully applied.

The vessels, previous port of call included the United States, Brazil, India, Spain and the United Kingdom.

Alice Ajakaye