Abstract
This research work titled “marine pilotage in Nigeria waters with emphasis on Lagos pilotage district, Nigeria. Most maritime countries have areas designated as compulsory pilotage districts where ships are not allowed to navigate unless navigated by a pilot licensed in such country. The rationale for compulsory pilotage would appear to be based on the need for national security and protection of life and property in the ports and harbours of these countries. This study comprehensively explore Lagos pilotage district. The study is aimed at evaluating the effect of marine pilotage in Nigeria waters. The sea is a wide world on its own with several regions, each region has its peculiarities, challenges and special circumstances. Some regions are wide while others are narrow, some are clear while others are imbedded with ice bergs hidden below the sea level, these peculiarities can only be known by mariners who operate in those regions.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
- Background of the study
The sea is a wide world on its own with several regions, each region has its peculiarities, challenges and special circumstances. Some regions are wide while others are narrow, some are clear while others are imbedded with ice bergs hidden below the sea level, these peculiarities can only be known by mariners who operate in those regions. No single sailor has the comprehensive knowledge of all the ports and regions of the sea with their peculiarities, in many circumstances sailors are met with challenges and confusion as to the nature of a particular area of the sea and how to sail through it to avoid danger especially when plying the route for the first time. This limitation of knowledge and the need to avoid disaster gave rise to the employment of men who are knowledgeable in the local conditions of each particular port or region of the sea, so as to provide effective communication with the shore and with tugs, often in the local language whenever the need arises and to guide the vessel through the thick and thin of the region or port into which the vessel is entering especially when navigation may be considered hazardous, particularly when a shipmaster is unacquainted with the region (Sweet & Maxwell, London 2014). These men who are knowledgeable in the local conditions of the sea are called pilots. The remuneration of these men is usually calculated by the tonnage of the vessel. Most maritime countries have areas designated as compulsory pilotage districts where ships are not allowed to navigate unless navigated by a pilot licensed in such country. The rationale for compulsory pilotage would appear to be based on the need for national security and protection of life and property in the ports and harbours of these countries. In Nigeria, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is the body responsible for regulating the use of Nigerian ports and the legislation, which establishes the NPA is the Nigerian Ports Authority Act (NPAA) 2019. Section 41 of the NPAA gives the Minister of Transport power to create areas designated as compulsory pilotage districts. The major challenge encountered by the pilot is getting on board a vessel especially when the vessel is excessively large or during turbulent weather. This challenge was addressed in Chapter V of the SOLAS Convention, which is also in Pari material with International Maritime Organization resolutions that addressed the boarding and dislodging of pilots in very large ships (A.426(XI); and pilot transfer arrangements (A.667(16)).3 These pilots get on board a ship/vessel through the help of a ladder, high speed pilot boats or helicopter from the shore to an inbound ship and from an outbound ship back ashore. (NPAA 2009) Once the pilot is aboard, he goes to the vessel’s bridge area where he will stay, guiding the vessel until it has transited the area.
- STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
It is not uncommon for shipowners to incur liability for acts or omissions for which neither they nor their employees are directly responsible. This is particularly common in the compulsory pilotage field. However, even in cases where liability cannot be disputed, shipowners may be entitled to limit their liability and, in some cases, escape it entirely. The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Act allows the minister of transport to designate certain areas of the nation's ports and territorial waters as compulsory pilotage districts
The Lagos or Commodore Channel, which is a coastal inlet, is the only significant connection between the Lagos port complex and the Atlantic Ocean (Abiose 2013). As stated earlier, the Lagos port is a natural harbor and originated on island separated by creeks, such as Lagos Island, fringing the southern west mouth of Lagos lagoon while protected from the Atlantic Ocean by barrier islands and long sand splits such as Bar beach, which stretched up to 100km east and west of the mouth (Chukwu et al 2014). The entrance to the ports lies between the East mole, which extends 150m SSW from the SW extremity of Victoria Island, and the West mole, which extends 0.4 mile SE from the mainland shore. The Lagos harbor or Commodore Channel is 0.5 km to 1 km wide, 10 km long and a depth of 10m to 15m (Tata & Ifechukwu 2019). The Apapa port has a berths’ depth of 9.5 to 15m alongside, while the Tin Can port berths are 161 to 298m long and have depths of 9.0 to 12.0m alongside and a turning Basin diameter of about 400m with a depth/sounding range of 9.5m to 11m. Some section of the harbor is cross with submarine cables and pipelines at varying depth which post danger to navigation safety. Vessels which may impede the safety of navigation to sea going vessels are: Fishing trawlers, Dredgers, Sand digger boats, Local fishing boats and also Tidal situation, Weather and Traffic situations. It is against this backdrop that the researcher intend to examine the challenges of marine pilotage in Nigeria.
- OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The study has one main objective, which is sub-divided into general and specific objective, the general objective is to examine marine pilotage in Nigeria with emphasis on Lagos pilotage district. The specific objectives are;
- To explore the factors inhibiting the growth and development of marine pilotage in Nigeria
- To ascertain if there is any significant relationship between government policies and the development of Lagos pilotage district
- To examine the role of pilotage in the development of the marine transport sector in Lagos state, Nigeria.
- To proffer suggested solution to the identified problems
- RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following research questions were formulated by the researcher to aid the completion of the study;
- Are they factors inhibiting the growth and development of marine pilotage in Nigeria?
- Is there any significant relationship between government policies and the development of Lagos pilotage district?
- Does pilotage aid in the development of the marine transport sector in Lagos state, Nigeria?
- RESEARCH HYPOTHESES
The following research hypotheses were formulated by the researcher to aid the completion of the study:
H0: There are no factors inhibiting the growth and development of marine pilotage in Nigeria
H1: There are factors inhibiting the growth and development of marine pilotage in Nigeria
H0: There is no significant relationship between government policies and the development of Lagos pilotage district
H2: There is a significant relationship between government policies and the development of Lagos pilotage district
- SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
It is believed that at the completion of the study, the findings will be of importance to the management of Lagos pilotage district as the study seek to explore the importance of pilotage to the development of marine transport in the study area, the study will also be of importance to Nigerian maritime and safety agency (NIMASA) who are saddle with the responsibility of regulating marine transport, as the findings of this study will aid them in policy formation. The study will also be of important to student who intend to embark on a study in similar topic as the findings and content of this study will serve as a reference point to further studies. Finally, the study will be of importance to student, teachers, lecturers, academia’s and the general public as the study will contribute to the pool of existing literature on the subject matter and also contribute to knowledge.
- SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The scope of the study covers marine pilotage in Nigeria waters with emphasis on Lagos pilotage district, but in the course of the study, there are factors that limit the scope of the study;
Availability of research material: The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study
TIME: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities and examinations with the study.
FINANCE: The finance available for the research work does not allow for wider coverage as resources are very limited as the researcher has other academic bills to cover.
- OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS
Pilotage
Pilotage refers to activities related to the navigation of vessels in which the pilot acts as an advisor to the master of the vessel and as an expert on the local waters and their navigation.
Maritime pilotage
Marine pilot is a mariner who maneuvers ships through dangerous or congested waters, such as harbors or river mouths. Maritime pilots are regarded as skilled professionals in navigation as they are required to know immense details of waterways such as depth, currents, and hazards, as well as displaying expertise in handling ships of all types and size.
Vessels
A ship is a large watercraft that travels the world's oceans and other sufficiently deep waterways, carrying cargo or passengers, or in support of specialized missions, such as defense, research, and fishing.
1.9 ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY
This research work is organized in five chapters, for easy understanding, as follows
Chapter one is concern with the introduction, which consist of the (overview, of the study), statement of problem, objectives of the study, research question, significance or the study, research methodology, definition of terms and historical background of the study. Chapter two highlight the theoretical framework on which the study its based, thus the review of related literature. Chapter three deals on the research design and methodology adopted in the study. Chapter four concentrate on the data collection and analysis and presentation of finding. Chapter five gives summary, conclusion, and recommendations made of the study.