The Minister of Transportation, Mu’azu Jaji Sambo has expressed optimism that a greener and sustainable maritime industry is achievable through partnership and a determination to achieve synergy in the formulation and implementation of a roadmap for the maritime sector in Nigeria.
The Minister who stated this in Lagos at the 2022 World Maritime Day Celebration with the theme “New Technologies for Greener Shipping” said, as the world transits to higher levels of artificial intelligence and green technology the need for a new technology to drive the maritime sector has not only become necessary but imperative as nation.
He stated that,“As a country, we must not lose out on the future race which will require a workforce of new skills and competencies of maritime institutions particularly the Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron and the Nigeria Institute of ⁿTransport Technology to begin to recalibrate the curricular to address this requirements of the future.
Mu’azu stated further that, commitment to a greener future in the maritime industry comes with inputs from government and the private sector, with the government already putting in place policies and an enabling environment, one of such being the recent inauguration of the National Council on Climate to coordinate the implementation of sectoral targets for the regulation of Green House Gas (GHG) emissions, to formulate appropriate policies towards green growth and sustainable economic growth of the country.
The Minister however, called on the private sector to invest in more modern platforms and assets that will meet the emission level of the future, adding that in line with this, he would seek the actualization of the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund which he believes will facilitate the acquisition of newer vessels for indigenous operators.
“New Technologies for Greener Shipping” Sambo, said “Comes with the responsibility of training and retraining our workforce in order to prepare them for the inevitable innovation and transformation of the future that will certainly impact on jobs and skills”.
On his part, the Minister of State for Transportation, Prince Ademola Adegoroye, in his remarks stated that the theme is very relevant in addressing specific aspects of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) particularly SDGs 9, 13, 14 and 17 on industry, innovation and infrastructure, climate action, sustainable use of the oceans, seas and marine resources and the importance of partnership and implementation to achieve the goals.
Giving the welcome remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Magdalene Ajani said that the theme “reflects the need to support a green transition of the maritime sector into a sustainable future through promotion of inclusive innovation and uptake of emerging technologies, especially in the context of Developing Countries, and in particular the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs)”.
She also urged stakeholders to network, share ideas and proffer innovative solutions geared towards addressing the diverse challenges confronting the sub-sector for optimal performance.
Speaking earlier, Chairman of the occasion and the Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi, in declaring the session open noted that the theme is in tandem with the government’s commitment towards net zero GHG emission by 2050.
According to him, part of the commitment includes moving within the next 15 years from fossil to renewables, saying there is no better industry to propagate this than the Federal Ministry of Transportation and its agencies.
He further called on industry experts and stakeholders to engage robustly and bring up initiatives towards achieving the Nigerian government’s dream of achieving sustainable energy drive.
In his contribution, Dr. Taiwo Afolabi, the Special Guest of Honour represented by Capt. Ibraheem Olugbade stated that a survey embarked on reflects that the shipping industry consumes 300 milloon tonnes of fuel every year thereby releasing about 3% of the world’s carbon dioxide emission to the atmosphere.
According to Olugbade, the shipping sector can play a substantial and leading role by embracing new technologies through acquisition of green ships that are more efficient, consume less energy and cuts down on sulphur emissions.
He also lauded the institutional framework by IMO, noting that it is only through these strategic initiatives would global emissions, global warming and pollution be addressed.
The program had in attendance, the Minister of Science and Technology, Adeleke Mamora, Lagos State Commissioner of Transportation, Dr. Federick Oladeinde, who represented the governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Directors in the Ministry of Transportation, Heads of Agencies of the Ministry, Industry experts and stakeholders.