Hyacinth Chinweuba
The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Barr. Hassan Bello has said that revival of the Nigerian National Shipping Line (NNSL), is realisable despite withdrawal of PIL Shipping an investor in the project.
Bello said, though one of the major bidder withdrew from the project, however, there are still options opened to bidders, because the Committee constituted to ensure the refloating of the Nigerian National Shipping Line is working to meet the mandate, he said..
He therefore established that for a sustainable development to be effectively actualized on the reintroduction of the Nigerian National Shipping Line would involve Stakeholders, which includes; Banks, Insurance Companies, Flag Administration, Nautical Colleges, adding that policies and laws are essential for review to meet the current trend.
Bello, maintained that PIL Shipping was not the best choice, there were still other options, even as they have pulled out of the project.
He reiterated his commitment to ensure that the options available are in line, he said that to establish a National Fleet is not like a woman in the market who fries Akara with adulterated oil or buys bread from the marke without knowing if the product bought is not harmful. Sustainability he said is most adequate in building capacity.
He argued that, the Committee has worked out modalities on how national fleet would emerge, saying that, “We will build but give us the people, this is why I said don’t build a fleet, we would do it with all modesty christened in Nigerian name and the flag installed”, by that we have a national fleet but that will not be necessary, due to the economic situation of the country, a well sustainable fleet will be built, it is not going to be talk show, the committee is working assiduosly to see that the country is having national fleet once again.
For the project to be efficiently coordinated, as l mentiones earlier, “We have to involve the banks, insurance, the flag administration, nautical colleges, policies as well as laws that can change from FOB to CIF and others leading to ship building and ship repair yards”, he said.