The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency has shut down ShellPlux and TMDK Terminals, both located in the Ijegun-Egba area of Lagos, for violating the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code.

According to Thursday’s release by the Head of Public Relations at NIMASA, Osagie Edward, the move was part of the agency’s role as the designated authority for implementing the ISPS Code in Nigeria.

The ISPS Code, an amendment to the SOLAS Convention, was developed by the International Maritime Organisation to enhance maritime and port security, particularly for facilities engaged in international trade.

Edward explained that the enforcement action follows “persistent non-compliance by the facilities with the provisions of the ISPS Code, despite several formal warnings.

“The move aligns with global best practices and is by Section 79(f) of the ISPS Code Implementation Regulations (2014), which mandates the closure of any facility that remains in violation for over three calendar months,” Edward said.

Speaking on the development, the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, emphasised the agency’s commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s maritime domain.

“In wielding the big stick, we acted only as a last resort. Our primary goal is to enforce safety and security practices across Nigerian ports and jetties.

At a time when we are collaborating with the United States Coast Guard to lift the conditions of entry on vessels from Nigeria, we cannot afford lapses that jeopardise our progress,” Mobereola said.

He added that the facilities would be reopened once all compliance requirements are satisfactorily met and acknowledged their important role in service delivery and trade facilitation.

The NIMASA boss stressed that the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, is committed to enhancing sustainable trade facilitation for the maritime sector in a safe and conducive environment.