With this, the new Ship Registry Certificates now have Quick
Response Codes (QR Codes) embedded in them to enable Ship-owners, Stakeholders
and Regulatory Agency’s Enforcement officers to verify the validity of the
certificates.
A statement by the Assistant Head of Public Relations,
Osagie Edward, said it has commenced the enforcement of full compliance with
the marine environment protection statutory requirements and documentation on
Nigerian and foreign-flagged vessels operating within the country’s maritime
domain.
All ship owners and operators are now required by law to
update their vessel documentation, which include all permits or exemptions,
levies, record books and plan approvals. This is also a pre-condition for
further processing of any vessel or company requests with the Agency.
NIMASA would mete out sanctions to operators who fail to
comply with the relevant requirements, it warned.
In the statement, the Director-General of NIMASA, Bashir
Jamoh, said: “The Agency has adopted technology to guarantee more security for
our documents and give stakeholders and the international shipping community
greater confidence in our services.”
The Registrar of Ships, Mrs Nneka Obiayor, said security and
business facilitation were the chief considerations in the introduction of the
electronic verification of new Ship Registry Certificates.