Nigeria on high-risk list in maritime crimes

Nigeria has been classified among high-risk countries in doing international maritime business. The nation may henceforth have to pay more for the services of foreign seafarers.

This was given in the latest maritime report obtained from the website of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration.

It quoted the Secretary, Department of Labour and Employment, Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz, a Filipino lawyer and labour arbiter, as confirming this.

The Republic of Benin is also on the list, according to the report.

Specifically, it stated that vessels sailing into Nigeria would henceforth pay double to employ Filipino seafarers on board their ships.

Already, the decision has fuelled fears of an increase in freight rates.

Filipino seafarers reportedly account for over 10 per cent of the world seafarers. They also reportedly dominate the manning of most vessels calling at Nigerian ports.

Dimapilis-Baldoz said the decision was made based on International Labour Organisation and Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 (MLC 2006) guidelines.

The guidelines state that basic wage should be used in the computation of applicable benefits for seafarers whose vessels are transiting through areas with war-like and high-risk designation.

She said, “High-risk areas include the Gulf of Guinea territorial waters (12 nautical miles) ports and inland waterways of Nigeria and Benin, including ports, terminals and roads, anchorage, the Delta of the Niger River, other inland waterways and port facilities, except only when the vessel is attached securely to a berth or SBM facility in a guarded port area.

“Seafarers sailing in these areas are entitled to a bonus equal to basic wage, payable for the actual duration/transit; doubled compensations for death and disability; right to refuse sailing, with repatriation at company’s cost (by submitting respective notice); and increased security requirements.”

Since the beginning of the year, there have been several incidents of piracy and kidnapping for ransom within and off Nigeria’s coast.

Some of the incidents include the Nigerian Navy foiling an attempt by suspected pirates to hijack and abduct 25 foreign nationals aboard a Maersk merchant ship, Sufmarine Kuramo, carrying general cargo to Nigeria, early January.

The attack was said to have taken place about 60 nautical miles off the coast of Bonny Island Fairway Bouy, Rivers State.

Two weeks later, a gang of pirates in two speed boats, chased and fired at a car carrier while underway around 37 nautical miles southwest of Bayelsa, just to the west of Port Harcourt.

One Russian and a Nigerian were in February abducted from the MV Bourbon which was hijacked by pirates around the Brass region, Rivers State.

There have also been several rescues missions by the Nigerian Navy in the Gulf of Guinea. They include 10 Indian crew members rescued after their vessel was hijacked by pirates off Cote D’Ivoire and MT Maximus, a Saudi Arabian oil tanker, hijacked off the coast of Cote D’Ivoire.

Six suspected pirates were later arrested in connection with the hijack of MT Maximus.