By Babajide Okeowo
The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) in collaboration with the Maritime Technology Cooperation Center (MTCC) have commenced a three-day workshop to assist developing countries in advancing their knowledge about Biofouling and also facilitate the implementation of the IMO Biofouling Guidelines.
Biofouling is the accumulation of aquatic organisms on wetted or immersed surfaces such as ships and other offshore structures and is a major vector for the introduction of alien species – Invasive Aquatic Species (IAS) – that may severely impact marine biodiversity.
To eradicate this challenge, a 3-day management training on the Transfer of Environmentally-Sound Technologies otherwise called TEST Biofouling project has kick-started in Lagos.
While declaring the workshop open on Monday, October 30, 2023, Dr. Bashir Jamoh, the Director General of NIMASA, noted that “Nigeria’s economy relies heavily on international trade with shipping being a key component of the country’s import and export activities which has inevitably exposed the nation to threats of the IAS transfer into our territorial waters make the training a necessity”.
Speaking on the theme “The Place of Technologies in the Management of Marine Biofouling”, Jamoh noted that “the training is in line with IMO Guideline for the Control and Management of Ship’s Biofouling which is an international instrument aimed at addressing and maintaining the efficiency, safety and environmental sustainability of maritime operations as well as prevent the spread of invasive species in our waters”.
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Speaking further, the NIMASA D.G said “ships which are at the crux of global trading serve as a channel for transportation of harmful non-indigenous Invasive Aquatic Species (IAS) with these organisms attaching themselves to the outer surface and niche areas of every ships. They are then translocated from one ecoregion to another. The process by which these organisms attached themselves to the ship and other surfaces is referred to as Biofouling.
According to him, “This training is paramount as biofouling poses a huge threat to Nigeria’s transition to the Blue Economy. It incurs environmental burdens such as low productivity, biodiversity, lower resilience to climate change and economic burdens including financial loss due to low productivity, huge prevention and control costs, in addition to increased operational cost of offshore infrastructures among others.”
Dr. Jamoh added that the training will showcase newest technologies and their applications which include cost-effective practices and related benefits for the environment and efficiency of shipping.
