EXCLUSIVE: Anxiety Mounts As “MV Shanghai Eagle” From Spain Berths At GDNL, 2 Days Before NIMASA Advisory Notice

There are palpable tension at the Lagos Ports Complex (LPC) over the weekend , as one of the thirteen enlisted vessels by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) heavily affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic had berthed since 25th June 2020, DAILYFOCUS NIGERIA has confirmed.

The vessel simply identified as MV Shanghai Eagle sailed in from Algerciras Port , Spain and has already berthed at Dangote owned – Greenview Development Nigerian Limited (GDNL) laden with gypsum product.

Sources disclosed that all 21 crew aboard the vessel are from the Philippines.

Multiple sources alleged that the crew on onboard the ship were screened and cleared by Port Health Services officials without red flagging observations to further alert other agencies of government to be fully kitted before embarking on the routine check.

They also accused NIMASA for the late information to the public on the vessel at berth saying the health status of the crew onboard the vessel would have undergone intensive observation checks .

While reacting to NIMASA’s statement on Sunday, one of the source said: “After going through the RED ALERT on the alerted vessels, It is quite sure and surprising that one out the thirteen Named M/V SHANGHAI EAGLE from SPAIN from GARRUCHA PORT with Consignment of GYPSUM Products for DANGOTE Berthed at DANGOTE TERMINAL 25/6/2020.

“The port health cleared the vessel without red flagging and observed that other government agencies had boarded the vessel Friday the 26th June, 2020.

“If going by what was published by NIMASA then , there’s a big problem. ”

Similarly, some of the officials from sister agencies lamented that the advisory information from NIMASA came at the wrong time because some of the vessels had already berthed thus endangering the lives of the frontline workers.

They affirmed that the information should have been made available to the stakeholders at least one week earlier before Vessel Arrival Time.

Meanwhile, officals from Port Health Services confirmed to our correspondent on Sunday, that the crew aboard the vessel have been screened and observed without any suspected cases of COVID19.

The Port Health official at the Lagos Ports Complex , who preferred anoynmity also affirmed that the service would up the ante to further screen and observe crew from the listed vessels and others designated for Nigerian ports.

It would be recalled that management of NIMASA had notified stakeholders about 13 vessels from five countries heavily affected by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Eight of the vessels are expected to berth in Apapa, Lagos; four in Bonny, Rivers State; and one in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Information about the vessels, expected to arrive the three Nigerian ports between June 23 and July 17, was received through the Command, Control, Communication, Computer, and Intelligence System (C4i) Centre under the NIMASA Deep Blue Project, also called the Integrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure.

Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, said the need to ensure stakeholders adhered strictly to the guidelines put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Nigeria informed the decision to red-flag the vessels.

NIMASA had earlier given an advisory through a marine notice on the operational procedures for the ingress and egress of vessels arriving from such countries.

By Roland Ekama