Egina may be barred from Nigeria: report

ABUJA, January 8, 2018 – The Egina FPSO may not be allowed in Nigerian waters due to disputes over towage services, local media reported Monday.

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has threatened to bar the vessel from Nigerian waters if the parties do not comply with its towage and pilotage laws.

“The refusal of the parties involved in the project to request for towage and pilotage service from the NPA, (being the only organisation empowered to provide same in the country), is contrary to the laws of the country and would be resisted,” The Guardian quoted NPA’s general manager of corporate and strategic communications, Abdullahi Goje, as saying earlier.

“Notice has already been given to promoters of the FPSO to the effect that the vessel would not be granted access to Nigeria’s waterways and that the NPA would pursue legal remedies in its determination to ensure that no organisation impedes on the mandate of the NPA as provided in Part II of the Port Act.”

In December 2017, the Nigerian Senate formed an ad hoc committee to investigate local content and cost variations on the Egina project.

Samsung Heavy Industries’ portion of the Egina FPSO set sail for Nigeria in October 2017. The 330-metre-long, 61-metre-wide and 34-metre-high FPSO was built at the Geoje shipyard in South Korea. Its voyage will take three months and the remaining topside module integration and commissioning is expected to be completed in H2 2018.

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