The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and Sternula Denmark have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance vessel-to-vessel and land communication in Nigerian waters.
The Director General of NIMASA, Dr Bashir Jamoh, made this known in a statement by the Assistant Director Public Relations of NIMASA, Mr Edward Osagie, in Lagos on Tuesday.
The MoU between the agency and Sternula is on full-scale Very High Frequency (VHF) Data Exchange System (VDES) space capabilities.
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According to him, the partnership not only aims at improving the safety and security of navigation but also seeks to enhance the overall productivity of seafarers operating in the region.
Jamoh described the move as a booster to the agency’s digitalisation efforts.
He said that it would further provide alternate communication channels for vessels in line with provisions of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA).
According to him, “access to timely information is key to a viable seaborne transport, particularly in this dispensation of Blue Economy.
“In this new reality, there is the need for ship managers to gain access to quality data, which is essential for ship managers to make decisions, while also acting on market opportunities.
“A well digitalised system leads to faster access to information, improved customer experience, increased productivity, lower operational costs and improved decision making.
“Others are improved information security, higher mobility, and automation of business processes, amongst others,” Jamoh said.
He noted that the IMO set the requirements for the e-Navigation strategy implementation plan, while IALA develops the technical solutions such as AIS as part of measures to ease and promote digital communication in the Maritime Industry.
He said that the MoU, signed by Jacob Weibrent of Sternula and witnessed by the Danish Consul General to Nigeria Jette Bjerrum, would see to a VHF Data Exchange System connectivity via Sternula fleet micro satellites.
Jamoh said that MoU would make NIMASA Africa’s leading Maritime Administration with seamless communication between shores and ships, thus improving safety of lives at Sea.
The NIMASA boss said that Sternula-1 and the built-in AIS 2.0 technology, also called VDES, is a new communication solution to implementing a global e-Navigation strategy.
Jomoh said that the 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.
