Nigeria Joins League Of Aluminium Vessel Manufacturing Nations

For the production manager of West Atlantic Shipyard Ltd, Jason Markwell, the Nigerian nation has indeed launched itself into the elite league of manufacturing nations of aluminum vessels, which is the only kind in the entire West African sub-region.

Markwell stated this when he conducted the director general of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Temisanren Omatseye, and his entourage round the production plant of WAS at Onne Oil and Gas free zone, Onne Port Complex, where various sizes of vessels are undergoing completion stages.

These entire investment portfolios, according to the production manager, are a strong statement of faith in Nigeria and a positive affirmation of commitment to the enhancement of the Nigerian local content and technological transfer.

The comprehensive shipyard, he said, is made up of workshops, jetty and largest floating dry dock of about 7000 tons and 110 metres length in the entire African continent with seasoned workforce, adding that WAS, which has trained about 300 staff in various field, started business of building aluminum boats in 2004 on a 60,000 sqm expanse of land.

He also informed the NIMASA boss of the many advantages of WAS services, which includes amongst others building to client’s specifications. On the company quest to meet the construction standard he said, the workshop is designed as three warehouses covering an area of 8000sqm. 

The company business which covers both fabrication and maintenance/repairs work on various vessels also has plan to construct for the first time in Nigeria steel hulled platforms supply vessels (PSV), anchor handling tug supply vessels (AHTS) and ships repairs.

On a long term, the company is also geared towards the Nigerian offshore fleet, West African offshore fleet and Atlantic tuna fishing fleet and personalized orders he explained.

A highly impressed NIMASA boss, who boarded a completed and floated vessel and did an extensive tour of the passenger vessel at the jetty, promised to render necessary support for the company particularly under the Cabotage act policy of the federal government.

He explained that the company has shown uncommon commitment and therefore deserved all the support the federal government and the Agency can give in encouragement.

According to Omatseye, this achievement of note came on the heels of the Federal Government’s drive for foreign investment to diversify the economy from its dependence on monolithic income base

Omatseye was accompanied on the one-day official visit to the WAS shipyard the three executive directors of the agency, including Adeniran Aderogba, Ibrahim Zailani and Ishaku Shekarau, all Executive Director of the agency.

The Director General and his entourage also had a tour of other port facilities at Onne, including Intels Nigeria Ltd, where they received by the acting general manager, Sascha Kuehl, and top management staff. They were conducted round some of their completed port facilities, newly commissioned heavy-duty cranes as well as on-going projects.

While commending management of Intels for their unprecedented developmental strides of port facilities, the completed expansion of the FLT3 376metres quay apron and FLT4, 376metres quay apron, the completed 7 story ultra modern Intels new Head Office complex at the port that is due for official commissioning shortly and water treatment plant amongst others.