Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) says its floating dock would be operational in the first quarter of 2022.
Director General of NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh, who made the disclosure during a recent media briefing in Lagos, while showcasing the agency’s achievements in 2021, and his vision for 2022, said the floating dock would  operate under the  Public Private Partnership (PPP).
The N50billion, submersible floating dock is one out of the five types of dry docks used for ship repairs.
Jamoh said It was named “MFDP NIMASA” and constructed in 2016 by Damen Shipyard.
“The Dock will not be solely operated by government or NIMASA as we have handed it in for a Public Private Partnership.
“As usual, the issue of privatisation of any government property goes through processes, and the floating dock is undergoing those processes.
“The Director-General of the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) was here to give us the first certificate, telling us that privatising the modular floating dock is bankable, doable and profitable”, he said.
The Agency, Jamoh said, had obtained endorsement, from the ICRC to continue with the privatisation plans.
He said it had gone ahead to negotiate with the managing partner and the co-partner, Nigerian Ports Authority, that would give the Agency Continental Shipyard for the floating dock.
“As I am talking today, officials of this administration are in Dubai to inspect the facilities of the managing partner and we expect in no distant future, maximum by middle of February, we should be able to get the final no objection.
“Privatisation of government property must be approved by the Federal Executive Council because it is a national asset,” he said.
The DG noted that they do not know the plan of the former administration, but inherited the dock when they came in with no plan of where to install it.
He said that when the agency wanted to channel it for use, they had a lot of challenges.
“We still believe we can take it to the final destination and the cost implication cannot be borne by the Federal Government alone.
“When we privatise it, the managing partner can decide and move it to the proper position it is supposed to be,” he said.
While noting that the operationality of the floating dock is procedural, Jamoh explained that the agency had invited foreign experts that would check to see the dock was still in sound shape, and ensure that the necessary services to be done to guarantee that the parts and the class conditions were fully taken care of.
He said the plan was to ascertain the true situation so that when approval was gotten from the Federal Executive Council, it would be in good shape and be easily moved to where it would be used.
“The floating dock is a policy intervention, huge investment by government. There is nothing lost here. The best thing is how to manage the investment to yield revenue and provide job opportunities for Nigerians.

By: Chinedu Wosu