NIMASA probes Warri ships collision

The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) says it has launched a probe into the accident involving two vessels in Delta state.

Two ships – MT Elixir and MT Tank – collided midstream some 10 nautical miles south west of the Bonga FPSO, near Warri on October 19.

At a media briefing in Lagos, attended by three survivors of the accident, Haruna Jauro, acting director general of the agency, commiserated with the families of the victims involved and explained that arrangement had been made to cater for the expenses of injured crew members.

“As an agency, we deeply feel it because it happened in the environment where we operate,” he said.

“We have created an environment for the victims and their families to be able to talk to the owners of the ship. In addition to search and rescue, our role is to conduct investigation, and that we are doing.

“NIMASA has a team on ground working in collaboration with the officers of the Nigerian Navy, and they have been giving us reports. The nature of the operation does not allow spontaneous reports to the public.”

Vincent Udoye, NIMASA’s director of safety and seafarers standards, said the agency swung into action immediately it was informed of the situation.

“I contacted the zonal coordinator for central zone NIMASA, Kunle Olayiwola, after we received the distress call and I urged him to arrange search and rescue, as well as conduct preliminary investigation,” he said.

According to Udoye, Global West Vessel Specialist Limited (GWVSL), which NIMASA has a public private partnership arrangement with, deployed vessels to the scene of the accident for rescue operation.

“We have a memorandum of understanding with Shell that owns the Bonga facility, and there is an arrangement that when there is distress at sea, the nearest vessel to the scene of the accident should respond immediately,” Udoye said.

“While NIMASA vessel was on its way, one of the vessels within the Bonga field responded and picked up a survivor. MT Elixir, which had the accident, had also deployed its own rescue boats to pick up the survivors.

“By the time our vessel ‘NIMASA Bineibi’ got to the scene, they had picked up three survivors. NIMASA then conveyed the survivors from MT Elixir to the shores for proper medical attention.”

Udoye further explained that there was a limit to NIMASA’s involvement with foreign vessels.

“The responsibility of a flag administration like NIMASA with respect to marine casualties is to investigate thoroughly, learn the lessons and communicate the lessons learned to the appropriate authorities. The law enforcement agencies have the powers of prosecution,” he said.