NLNG Ship Management Limited (NSML) Managing Director Abdul-Kadir Ahmed said Nigeria must adopt global maritime standards in the areas of safety, efficiency, capacity building and competition to maximize the integrated potential in the nation’s blue economy. . .

Ahmed, who stated this, while delivering a keynote address at a liner conference with the theme: “Maximizing Nigeria’s Blue Economy Through Automation”, in Lagos recently, said that the blue economy is not local; but an international industry with global standards.

He stressed that it was the responsibility of regulators to ensure that operators in the sector strictly adhere to these standards, saying that the set of rules containing player activities within the sector apply not only to Nigerians; Rather, they are a global set of standards that address safety, quality, efficiency, and security.

According to him, this is the responsibility of the regulatory bodies; the ability to define and enforce those standards and, most importantly, the ability to lead the industry and ensure that these standards are met.

“The second element refers to capacity and competition, the capacity not only to develop but also to domesticate the capacity to boost the blue economy.

ical and without competent people and hands, it is impossible to ensure that the blue economy develops sustainably.

“NSML is a subsidiary of NLNG, primarily responsible for shipping and ocean services and operations, and the goal of the creation is simply to develop and tame the global skill sets when it comes to shipping and ocean services, which are essential for the blue economy. It’s also very important when you look at it from that perspective, to recognize that at the end of the day, the development of our resources will have an effect and an impact on people’s lives.

“Nigeria, as a country of 200 million people, with more than 50 percent of our population under the age of 25, requires that we sustainably develop our resources in such a way that we can provide livelihoods for this vast majority of people. . And to do that effectively, there needs to be a focus on capacity building and skill set,” she added.

Highlighting the importance of safety, competition and capacity, he said: “it is not enough to have an industry with these standards, but one that enables, drives and absorbs these standards because they are critical in terms of how we develop and sustain the blue economy. ”.

The aforementioned elements, he said, “are also very pertinent to achieve it. I’ve been thinking a lot about the theme of today’s conference and from my perspective it’s an effective and sustainable development of our blue economy, but looking at it from the automation angle, how do we automate? All these elements that I have mentioned will come into play.

“The automation of the regulatory infrastructure is quite critical and goes beyond the simple application of security, but also creates an environment that makes it easier to do business. For us to really move this sector forward, it is important that there is clarity, a level playing field, competitiveness and a drive towards efficiency, safety and security.”