Maritime National Discourse Holds Tuesday in Lagos

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

Maritime technocrats and stakeholders in the oil and gas sector, under the Distinguished Maritime Personalities (DMPs) are set to converging in Apapa Lagos for the 2nd edition of National Discourse to dissect issues on how to ensure improvement in maritime operations in Nigeria.

The event is put together by a leading industry media stable, Maritime Nigeria, where maritime industry leaders, chieftains and experts will discuss burning industry issues.

A release by the Publisher, Editor-In-Chief of Maritime Nigeria, Mr. Kelvin Igho Kagbare said the talk show with the theme New Ships and New Ports: Challenges of Infrastructure, Skill Sets and Tools.

He explained that the discussions which will be held under the canopy of Distinguished Maritime Personalities (DMP) will address all issues relating to the emerging growing and expanding port systems; while the event will also serve as a veritable occasion to recognize distinguished maritime personalities for their continuous, sterling contributions to the industry.

The statement reads: “In keeping with its promise to contribute and support the national vision to achieve continuous improvement in maritime operations, the management and editorial team of Maritime Nigeria, www.maritimenig.com, is pulling renowned maritime technocrats together under the umbrella of Distinguished Maritime Personalities, DMPs, to dissect the industry’s issues at its 2nd National Discourse for the year 2023.

“The theme for this year’s National Discourse is ‘New Ships and New Ports: Challenges of Infrastructure, Skill Sets and Tools’. With the successful takeoff of the Lekki Deep Seaport and proposed lbom, Badagry, Gelegele, Agge and similar facilities, the issues of complementary and operability dynamics also sets in; hence the need to be abreast of developments.

‘’As the ports and ships gets bigger, become more sophisticated and technology driven, we have a duty to hear and learn from those whose business it is to know, what our actual competitive margins are and where we are real time”.

The Maritime Nigeria Chief Executive Officer assured that the 2023 DMP edition promises to be huge and better, having regards to the depth of consultations.

“We are confident that our DPMs forum will also give us a broad based outlook in area of support structure and superstructure, tools and skills, policy stability and it’s interplay with global trade”, adding that the DMPs were carefully selected based on their track records, involvements and contributions to the growth of the nation’s maritime economy.

Also speaking, Chairman of the Planning Committee, Mr. Shepherds Okiemute noted that preparations for the 2nd edition began last year at Rockview, immediately after the end of the maiden edition.

“We met and reviewed how it went and began working on the 2nd edition which is schedule for Tuesday, November 7, 2023 at the same venue as discussions with DMPs and other stakeholders in the maritime and oil and gas stakeholders continue”.

“We are elated by the responses so far, l can report that some well meaning stakeholders who have contacted us on the modalities and the spread, have been quite encouraging”, Okiemute said.

Chairman Publicity, Mr. Kenneth Jukpo, Publisher of the DietNewsDigest also expressed enthusiasm on this year’s gathering. “It is the 2nd in the series and from what we had last year, l am optimistic that this year’s National Discourse will be bigger and better.”

Jukpor disclosed that this year’s National Discourse has been planned to run in four stages vis-à-vis Recognitions, Presentations, Discussions and Summation.

“We recognize the busy schedules of our DMPs and other invited guests and as such, we plan to prioritize time while achieving the aims of the discussions”, he said