NIMASA: The Key to Effective Port and Flag Administration is Standardized Digital Communication.
According to Dr. Bashir Jamoh, Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), international cooperation to achieve standardized digitalization is crucial for maritime administrations around the world and is needed for all maritime sector stakeholders to effectively communicate in accordance with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) and the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorization provisions (IALA).
As part of the current Management’s efforts to ensure adoption of international best practices in the Nigerian maritime sector, Jamoh noted that NIMASA is currently taking part in the testing stage of an international satellite system that would improve communication channels for ships at sea. Jamoh made this statement at the launch of Denmark’s first commercial satellite, Sternula-1, in Aalborg, Denmark.
In the Port Sector, Jamoh noted that Digitalization is the foundation of Smart Ports and Digital Twins, both technological tools and solutions that can transform real-time data into accurate and more precise business decisions, rendering port operations extremely effective as it interconnects all sectors of the maritime supply chain.
NIMASA had in the third quarter of 2022, signed a Letter-of-Intent with the Danish telecoms company Sternula, on participation in the Worldwide AIS 2. 0 Demo Project that will allow for early testing of digital services over the satellite-based AIS 2.0 at the beginning of 2023. AIS 2. 0 is an extension to AIS, adding two-way data channels over VHF by using special satellite channels which means that every ship with a VHF antenna will be able to communicate globally.