• Tue. Feb 18th, 2025

NIMASA, TOTAL EP Nigeria Join Forces To Aid Distressed Drifting Vessel In São Tomé And Príncipe

Byadmin

Jul 31, 2023

In a collaborative effort, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and officials from Total Energies EP Nigeria Limited successfully rescued the occupants of a distressed fishing vessel from São Tomé Príncipe that had been adrift in the ocean for 11 days.

The rescue mission began when the vigilant team from Total Energies Nigeria Limited spotted the distressed vessel in the Offshore Operational Field, OML 100. Without delay, they alerted the Regional Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (RMRCC), situated in NIMASA, about the urgent situation.

Following the established Safety of Lives at Sea (SOLAS) protocol set by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), the Total team promptly initiated a rescue operation. Once the occupants were safely aboard, they handed them over to NIMASA while anchoring the distressed vessel at OSHE HONMI (OML 100).

NIMASA, through its Search and Rescue SARS clinic, provided vital first aid and comprehensive medical attention to the distressed passengers. Among them was an individual who spoke only Portuguese, and NIMASA took the necessary steps to ensure their safe return to their home country by coordinating with the Nigerian Immigration Service.

The Director General of NIMASA, Bashir Jamoh, expressed his appreciation for the seamless cooperation between NIMASA and Total Energies during this rescue operation. He emphasized that ensuring safety in the maritime sector remains a top priority for the current leadership of the Agency, a crucial aspect of its three-point Agenda.

“We will continue to prioritise safety of lives and property in the maritime sector, while also embracing collaboration as a tool to actualizing our mandate. Safety is everyone’s business, hence we must continue to preach safety in the day-to-day affairs of the Nigerian maritime sector”, Jamoh said.

Notably, NIMASA has recently obtained five enforcement vessels to bolster its operations in the Nigerian maritime domain, specifically for Flag, Port state, and Search and Rescue activities.

The Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention is an IMO Convention that Nigeria has ratified, and NIMASA serves as the implementing authority for this important agreement.

By admin

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