NCDMB to build facility for ship repair, others in Bayelsa

The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) said it is developing the Brass Island Terminal facility in Bayelsa State to carry out repairs and maintenance of large ships and vessels such as LNG carriers, VLCCs and maritime equipment such as jack-up rig vessels.

The Executive Secretary of the board, Engr. Simbi Wabote, who stated this yesterday during a visit to the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu Gambo, disclosed that the first phase of the project has already begun and that it was part of the board’s achievements in the past five years.

He identified the board’s marine vessels development and categorisation strategy as one of the core initiatives that would support the actualisation of the 10-year roadmap.

“The goals of the Marine Vessel Initiative are to promote the construction and maintenance of vessels in Nigerian yards, stimulate ownership of marine vessels by Nigerian entities, grow flagging and registration of vessels in Nigeria, deepen Nigerian manning of marine vessels, and develop worldclass ship repairs and shipbuilding yards.

“Board had made progress in the various aspects of these objectives such as support for the acquisition of marine vessels by Nigerians via the Nigerian Content Intervention Fund (NCIF) managed by the Bank of Industry (BoI), provision of sea-time training for marine cadets, patronage of in-country dry-docks and the completion of the feasibility study and site selection for the proposed development of shipyard,” he said.

Responding, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Zubairu, sought the assistance of the board in upgrading the Naval shipyard in Lagos, particularly the slipway.