Effect of ISPS Code on the Effective Operation of Nigeria Seaport. A Case Study of NIMAS

Effect of ISPS Code on the Effective Operation of Nigeria Seaport. A Case Study of NIMAS

CHAPTER ONE

Aim and Objectives of this Study

The aim of the study is to evaluate the Transport Policy Implementation of the ISPS Code in NIMASA. The specific objectives of the study were to;

Evaluate the compliance level of Nigerian port facilities with the ISPS Code;
Evaluate port facilities with interface with the foreign vessels; and
Examine the challenges to the ISPS Code’s implementation in

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

The International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS)

The International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, is a vital maritime regulation that ensures the safety and security of ships, ports, cargo, and crew. Prior to the ISPS code, the safety of ships at sea was the main priority of SOLAS. SOLAS was updated, and Chapter XI, which covers measures to improve marine safety, was renamed Chapter XI-1, and a new Chapter XI-2 with a greater emphasis on maritime security was added. This is because security and safety are fundamentally distinct concerns. Currently, international ships and port facilities are protected to the highest standards by the ISPS Code. On September 11, 2001, as a direct reaction to the attacks on the World Trade Centre, it was adopted. The international community has decided to build a new security regime for ships and port infrastructure utilized in international trade in order to identify and prevent security concerns and incidents. ISPS was created in response to this danger by states, government agencies, and municipal governments, as well as the shipping and port sectors in partnership with the IMO. Maritime security was improved with the 2002 amendments to the 1974 Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea. The International Code for the ISPS outlines the security procedures for ships and port facilities in response to prospective threats. Standards, consistency, and dependability are the main objectives of the ISPS code. Providing governments with this data will make it simpler to strike a balance between increasing threats and evolving vulnerabilities for ships and port infrastructure. Just as with any new regulation, the general public, including sailors and port users, initially had serious reservations about the ISPS code. Many individuals are starting to see the importance of coding as a part of shipping. Few dispute that the code may be improved by making it more sensitive to the real threats of piracy and stowaways (Bergqvist, 2013).

CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research Scope

This study was conducted using ex-post facto and cross-sectional methods. Ex-post facto research was employed since the data used in this study was not susceptible to researcher tampering. A cross-sectional survey technique is used to gather data from a subset of the population, which identifies events based on the frequency with which they occur in natural clusters across time. This strategy has been employed in earlier research, thus it was deemed suitable for this paper.

Population of the Study

There are a number of groups in Nigeria working to prevent and discourage unlawful activities on the country’s waterways, including NIMASA, NPA, NSC, the Nigerian Shipping Council, PFSO, SSO, and CSO. Their cooperation with other law enforcement authorities is likewise well-established. Given that it was written for national governments; the ISPS Code includes private information that was not previously accessible to the public at large. This probe was primarily concerned with NIMASA and NPA personnel. As an alternative, I made contact with port facilities security officers.

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CHAPTER FOUR

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Compliance Level of Nigerian Port Facilities with the ISPS

The goal of this part is to assess the degree to which port facilities adhere to the ISPS code. By looking at the number of ports that have met the ISPS code over the last five years, this was done. The frequency of usage of Port facilities that were found to be compliant during the year under consideration are summarized in Table 1. The ISPS Code compliance is verified by regular audits by the port administration and the port operator. 74 ports in Nigeria (Lagos, Calabar, Warri, and Port Harcourt) had 47 (63.5%) of their facilities comply with the ISPS code in 2017, according to data in Table 1. Only 46 (59.0%) port facilities out of 78 met the ISPS Code’s requirements in 2018. As of 2019, 63 (79.7%) of the nation’s 79 port facilities were in compliance with ISPS regulations. In 2020, 39 (58.2%) out of 67 ports’ facilities met the ISPS Code’s requirements. Only 37 (61.7%) of the 60 ports tested in 2021 were ISPS- compliant. Only 232(64.8%) out of 358 ports were found to be in compliance with the ISPS standards between 2017 and 2021 in Nigeria.

CHAPTER FIVE

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Conclusions

It is essential that ports and terminals be adequately protected by both the maritime sector and the government at all times. A breach in port security might have disastrous effects on a country’s economy and perhaps the world’s economy as a whole. Port users and terminal operators should be aware of their own vulnerabilities and should be well- versed in the intricacies of the ISPS Code in order to help minimize these dangers. As a result, the global economy is dependent on the safety of terminals and ports to transport goods and people from one location to another. The port’s operating conditions have vastly improved after the ISPS code was put into place. Port users have increased their use of Nigeria’s ports as a result of the introduction of perimeter fencing, surveillance, access control, trained and adequate security personnel, and proactive measures that have eliminated hawking, touting, pilfering, stowaway, and other illicit activities in Nigeria’s maritime domain. Nevertheless, compliance levels are not still up to maximum levels.

The ISPS Code has had a significant impact on port safety and efficiency in Nigeria, which cannot be understated. In Nigeria, the primary purpose of the ISPS code has been met to a great degree. Maritime industries have seen a rise in the degree of security. There is no doubt that risks cannot be completely avoided, but the ISPS is a great step forward in reducing their impact on the marine environment. On average, 64.8% of ports meet the requirements of the ISPS Code regime, according to the report.

Recommendations

From the findings of the study, the following recommendations were made:

Non-compliant terminals and jetties must, nevertheless, meet the requirements of the ISPS To guarantee complete compliance, the enforcement staff must be thoroughly taught and sensitized regarding the application of the code. NIMSA should also work more closely with its sibling organizations.
Corruption needs to be addressed in order to fill the gaps identified by this study. Corruption has permeated the country’s security apparatus deeply, making it easier for pirates to In order to reduce piracy on Nigerian waterways, corruption must be reduced. The nation’s security system might be accessed by a panel of investigators. Any marine security-related issues should be able to be investigated by such a panel, and it should have access to knowledgeable information about any suspected officers, whether they be security or governmental.
Based on the research findings, it is recommended that the countries’ security policies in the maritime domain should be restructured to allow institutional governance structures that will mitigate corruption in the port’s processes and in acquiring security tools and equipment. This strategic framework will allow fair play among the stakeholders and co-management, which will mitigate corruption in the system shown from the research findings.

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