The Shipowners Association of Nigeria (SOAN) has promised to provide training berth for cadets of the Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP) of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
This was disclosed by the president of the association, Engr. Greg Ogbeifun in Lagos on Thursday.
According to him, the association is disturbed by the lack of seatime for the cadets hence, it decided to provide vessels for their training.
“This particular situation is of utmost interest to SOAN. We have decided to put together a hundred training berth in our ships to support NIMASA’s NSDP. You can hold us go that.
“We are putting modalities together and we will engage the authority of NIMASA on the modalities. The ships are there also. I think it will be good for the industry,” he said.
Ogbeifun also stated that the association was making strong recommendation to the government on the establishment of a merchant navy training board.
“The training board will articulate training of seafarers between shipowners and accredited maritime institutions in Nigeria and will be constituted by public and private sector to monitor the growth of Nigeria seafarers,” he added.
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