The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), on Friday, announced its decision to suspend service boat operations to debtor international oil companies (IOCs) and other beneficiaries of the services.
According to NPA spokesman, Abdullahi Goje, the suspension would take immediate effect and it would affect all its pilotage districts until full settlement of debts accruing from unpaid pilotage dues.
The NPA’s image-maker further added that NPA might prevent affected Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels from using the Nigerian waterways from January 2018.
Goje noted that the decision to stop the operation of service boats to debtor companies followed the failure and refusal of the affected companies to honour their obligations to the Authority.
“This is in spite of several reminders over a couple of months to this effect.
“Given the fact that the companies, some of whose indebtedness run into millions of dollars, outstanding for over two years, ignored the advice given by the NPA,” he stated.
Goje said that the Authority had no choice than to pursue this course of action, which had been communicated to all companies concerned.
He said that NPA would no longer give access to these companies to use its towage and pilotage services, saying that this was contrary to the laws of the country.
Goje added that NPA was the only organisation empowered to provide such services (towage and pilotage) in the country.
