Abuja MoU Region partner Maritime University to provide training courses for Port Officers

The Abuja Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Port State Control for West and Central African Region has announced its intention to partner with the Regional Maritime University (RMU) to provide International Maritime Organization (IMO) specialized training courses for Port State Control officers in the Abuja MoU Region.

The collaboration is aimed at providing training on IMO Model course 3.09 and related IMO/ILO conventions, guidelines, circular publications and other related course to Port State control officers in the Abuja MoU region.

Capt. Sunday M. Umoren, the General secretary Memorandum of Understanding on Port State control for West and Central African Region made this known in a meeting with the Regional Maritime University last Monday, August 28 at the University’s vice Chancellors office.

“You might have the knowledge but how to impact this knowledge is key as it is not everybody’s specialty to train and impact knowledge” he explained.

According to him, the courses required by the Port State control officers in the region for capacity development are not currently offered by any Maritime Training Institutions in the Abuja MoU Region.

He was of the firm opinion that the partnership will promote the Maritime Institutions in the Abuja MoU Region by encouraging Port State Control Officers of member States to access the training courses provided by the Regional Maritime University as opposed to sourcing for such training in other Regions, which he explained are very expensive.

He was however enthusiastic that this opportunity will not only be beneficial to the region but also to the Port state control officers.

Dr. Jethro W. Brooks Jnr. the acting Vice Chancelor of the Regional Maritime University (RMU) took turn to express the willingness of the university to help provide training and also impressed on his management team present to kick start the necessary arrangements to ensure training begins this year.

According to him, the university is willing and committed to ensure high quality training program that promises to meet international standards.

“We will be working closely with the Abuja MoU to identify specific training needs of Port State Control Officers in the Region and develop training programe to suit their training needs” he opined.

The Abuja MoU, is one of the Nine (9) Regional MoU established pursuant to the International Maritime (IMO) Resolution A.682 (17) of 1991.

It is an intergovernmental  Organization (IGO), comprising the Maritime Administrations of twenty (22) countries from Mauritania to South Atlantic Ocean coast of African and operates under a co-operative Agreement with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) with the aim of complementing the work of flag States and coastal States in eradicating the operation of sub-standard  ship and ensuring safety, security, protection of the marine environment from pollution, and improvement of living and working conditions of the seafarers.