Headlines
Concerns over low rate of vaccination among seafarers heighten

—as crew change delays persist
Despite the tremendous efforts in the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in large shipping nations in Europe, Asia, and North America, the share of seafarers vaccinated remains too low. The inability to get seafarers vaccinated is also likely contributing to the persistent crew change crisis according to new data from the monthly update on the Neptune Declaration Crew Change Indicator.
Believing that vaccination rates will be a critical part of addressing the crew change challenges, the organizers of the monthly survey sought to aggregate data from the 10 leading ship managers to determine the rate of vaccinations. The data shows that only 15.3 percent of seafarers are vaccinated.
“Seafarers are starting to get vaccinated, especially those from developed countries,” said Kasper Sogaard, Head of Institutional Strategy and Development, Global Maritime Forum. “Programs in the US and some European countries are offering vaccines to international seafarers, but many more countries must follow suit to solve the crew change crisis.”
Ship managers identify the Philippines, Myanmar, Indonesia, Venezuela, and Latvia as the areas with the largest challenge in securing the supply of vaccines. The continual high infection rates and subsequent domestic lockdowns are the issues they cited as challenging crew changes and causing disruption to crew movements.
They noted that the number of seafarers from Eastern Europe is especially a challenge due to the low supply of vaccines.
Despite the concern over the low vaccination rate among seafarers, the report did indicate a possibly stabilizing in the number of crew approaching the end of their contracts are working beyond the 11- month limit in the Maritime Labor Convention. After significant increases last month, the report shows that the number of seafarers on board vessels beyond the expiration of their contracts increased only slightly to nine percent in July and just over one percent for seafarers working more than 11 months.
The organizers of the report cautioned that the numbers however remain high and that it is critical to take additional steps, including increasing the availability of vaccinations, in order to protect seafarers and maintain the global supply chain. |
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Headlines
Exclusive! Hope rises on take-off of proposed $3bn Badagry Deep Seaport as NPA, APMT resume discussion

The approval was finalised following a presentation by the Federal Ministry of Transportation at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) during the last administration of President Mohammed Buhari.
According to officials, the port is expected to generate $53.6 billion in revenue over the 45 years concession period.
The proposed site of the project is located 55km west of Apapa and the port of Lagos, along the 55km long Lagos-Badagry Expressway, which is being upgraded from a four-lane to a ten-lane expressway.
The port is expected to have an annual throughput capacity of 1.8 million Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs).
The proposal for the project was announced in 2012. Feasibility studies have been completed and construction works are yet to start.
The project will be implemented in four phases, with the overall project cost estimated to range between $2 billion and $3 billion.
Also, it is expected that the new port will primarily ease pressure on the existing ports of Lagos, Apapa and Tin-Can Ports, which handle approximately 85 percent of the country’s non-oil throughput.
It will further alleviate the burden on the country’s existing ports, which are on the verge of exceeding their cargo handling capacities, and address the country’s annual container traffic, which is expected to grow to 10 million Twenty-foot Equivalent Units by 2030.
Plans for the adjoining Badagry Free Trade Zone will include a power plant, oil refinery, industrial park and warehousing and Inland Container Deport functions.
Headlines
Jamoh, Bello- Koko, serial award winners, bag National Productivity merit awards

The Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Bashir Yusuf Jamoh, is gradually turning into a serial award winner as he has landed yet another plaque of honour from the federal government.

An excited Jamoh expressed appreciation to the Federal Government, noting that it is a call to greater service to our Fatherland.“I am spurred by this award, particularly as it is coming from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, which underscores the ministry’s role in ensuring reward for hard work and productivity in public service”
“Let me also use this opportunity to dedicate the award to the industry’s stakeholders; external and internal, as they have made our work easier as an administration.
“We will continue to strive to make the maritime sector a viable economic driver, especially with the Blue Economy mantra, which is critical to the sustainability of the maritime sector”, Jamoh said.
Commenting the on the selection of the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, the DG said it is a well-deserved honour, as she has remained a core professional and astute administrator in the coordination of activities in the Ministry and the Agencies under the supervision of the Ministry.
“I am not surprised by her selection, as she is an administrator par excellence and has remained resolute and professional in the discharge of her duties.
”This conferment can only spur me and the entire team at the Nigerian Ports Authority whose commitment to exceptional performance culminated in this recognition, to continue pushing the limit and advancing the frontiers of trade facilitation.
”Imbued with the understanding that excellence is a moving target, I want to seize this moment to assure that we will not rest on our laurels in our resolve to turn our rich maritime potentials into actualities’, an elated Koko declared.
The National Productivity Order of Merit Award was instituted by the Federal Government of Nigeria to recognize and honour productive individuals and organizations in Nigeria in the year of the award for achievements made in the preceding years.
Headlines
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