As Ogbeifun, Onuoha, Shittu,  Ochei, others Lead Discussions

As the countdown to the 2^nd National Discourse with Distinguished Maritime Personalities, DMPs holds tomorow, the organizers, Maritime Nigeria and its associates have disclosed that maritime stakeholder have shown great enthusiasm as they get ready to engage on policy issues and challenges affecting maritime and oil and gas operations in Nigeria

Notable among maritime personalities expected at the event is Engr. Greg Ogbeifun, who insists that he is retired but in words and actions remains very active and articulate when it comes to maritime issues. Alongside distinguished personalities such as Prince Olayiwola Shittu, Chief Michael Onuoha, Hassan Bello, the Rector, Maritime Academy of Nigeria, MAN, Commodore Duja Emmanuel Effedua and Barr, Mfon Usoro, issues of emerging  bigger ships, new sea ports, infrastructure, required skill sets and tools are expected to be professionally dissected and analyzed.

Master Mariners, chief engineers captains of industry such as Mr. Charles Okorefe, a lecturer and haulage expert is billed to make presentation at the event even as the Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Service, ML/CS, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Engr. Victor Ochei is also expected to speak at the event on current maritime issues.

Government Agencies such as the Nigeria Ports Authority, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA as well as the Maritime Academy of Nigeria are expected to grace the event and speak on specific topics just as the NLNG Shipping are Marine Services Ltd, NSML is also listed as participant in the program.

The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria and the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, NAGAFF are among Maritime groups expected at the event.

Organizers of the event inform that the program is in keeping with its promise to contribute and support the national vision to achieve continuous improvement in maritime operations, the management and editorial team of Maritime Nigeria, www.maritimenig.com, is pulling renowned maritime technocrats together under the umbrella of Distinguished Maritime Personalities, DMPs, to dissect the industry’s issues at its 2nd National Discourse for the year 2023.

The theme for this year’s National Discourse is “New Ship, New Ports: The Challenge of Infrastructure, Skill sets and Tools”.

According to the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Maritime Nigeria, Mr. Kelvin Kagbare, the Nigerian maritime domain is not only expanding but developing bigger and deeper sea ports across the country.

He says “With the successful takeoff of the Lekki Deep Seaport and proposed lbom, Badagry, Gelegele, Agge and similar facilities, the issues of complementary and operability dynamics also sets in; hence the need to be abreast of developments.

“As the ships and the ports and get bigger, become more sophisticated and technology driven, we have a duty to hear and learn from those whose business it is to know, what our actual competitive margins are and where we are real time”.

“We are confident that our DMPs forum will also give us a broad-based outlook in areas of support structure and superstructure, tools and skills, policy stability and it’s interplay with global trade”, Kagbare said.

The Maritime Nigeria Chief Executive Officer assured that the 2023 DMP edition promises to be huge and better, having regards to the depth of consultations. He explained that  the DMPs were carefully selected based on their track records, involvements and contributions to maritime businesses and development in the country.

The Chairman of the Planning Committee, Mr. Shepherds Okiemute disclosed that preparations for the  2nd edition began last year at Rockview, immediately after  the end of the maiden edition.

“We met and reviewed how it went and began working on the 2nd edition which is schedule for Tuesday, November 7, 2023 at the same venue as discussions with DMPs and other stakeholders in the maritime  and oil and gas stakeholders continue”.

“We are elated by the responses so far, some well meaning stakeholders who have contacted us on the modalities and the spread, have been quite encouraging”, Okiemute said.

Chairman Publicity, Mr. Kenneth Jukpor, Publisher of the DietNewsDigest also expressed enthusiasm on this year’s gathering.

“It is the 2nd in the series and from what we had last year, l am optimistic that this year’s National Discourse will be bigger and better.”

Jukpor disclosed that this year’s National Discourse has been planned to run in four stages vis-à-vis Recognitions, Presentations, Discussions and Summation.

“We recognize the busy schedules of our DMPs and other invited guests. We plan to prioritize time and the discussions”, he said.