EMEA News
Nigeria Single Hull Tanker Phase Out Delayed Until 2020
A planned phase-out of single-hulled tankers in Nigeria has been pushed back five years to encourage the growth of the country's maritime industry, local media reports.
The deadline was reportedly pushed to December 31, 2020 from its original 2015 date.
According to the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), over 80 percent of Nigeria's tankers are currently single hull.
"Our decision to extend the final phase-out date for all single hull tankers registered under the Nigerian flag administration to December 31, 2020 was to give more time for fleet replacement by Nigerian ship owners and also develop greater capacity to handle scrapping of vessels in the country," said Ziakede Akpobolokemi, director general of NIMASA.
The extension also reportedly only applies to Nigerian-registered vessels, while foreign-registered single-hulled tankers will not be allowed to trade in the country's territorial waters beginning May 1, 2015.
The original phase-out date was set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
At the time, provisions also reportedly allowed for an extension on the deadline if members could show that they did not have the capacity to meet the date on time.
Member states would then be permitted to give extensions on certain categories of tankers, provided that the vessels did not engage in international trade.
Last March, outgoing Nigerian President Jonathon Goodluck also introduced four maritime-centred bills in an effort to maximize the benefits of the industry.
