In a significant stride toward enhancing maritime capabilities, the Nigerian Maritime and Safety Administration (NIMASA) has initiated preparations for the deployment of its modular floating dock.
Today, the agency successfully relocated the floating dock to a jetty at Standard Flour Mills in Apapa, marking a crucial step in its journey to the designated operational base at the Continental Shipyard, Apapa.
The focal point of the preparations involves the meticulous installation of heavy 50-tonne cylindrical spuds, crucial for anchoring the dock during operations. The director-general of NIMASA, Prof. Bashir Jamoh expressed confidence in the agency’s progress, stating, “We are moving slowly but steadily to our destination. Today, we are lifting out the cylindrical spuds to be prepared for piling at the Continental Shipyard where the floating dock is scheduled to commence operations.”
Jamoh assured stakeholders of the agency’s commitment to operationalising the floating dock soon, emphasising the potential for Nigeria to save foreign earnings through this maritime advancement.
In a strategic move last year, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) leased designated areas at the continental shipyard for the modular floating dock’s operations. These areas include the dolphin jetty, waterfront adjacent to the slipway, administrative facilities, construction and maintenance workshops, all forming part of a comprehensive public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement.
