Maritime
FORMER Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, says green maritime practices are now a competitive advantage, beyond being a regulatory obligation.
Peterside spoke as keynote speaker at a webinar organised by Naturehedge in collaboration with the West Africa Green Economic Development Institute (WAGEDI), Gregory University, SSA Hub and the Sustainable Energy Practitioners Association of Nigeria (SEPAN).
He described decarbonisation and green maritime as critical to reducing operational costs, improving profitability, attracting investment and securing operators’ licence to operate.
According to him, green maritime encompasses environmentally sustainable practices, technologies and policies that reduce the industry’s impact on the environment.
“The future belongs to organisations that combine decarbonisation, digitalisation, innovation and operational excellence,” Peterside said.
He urged industry players to move beyond symbolism and embed sustainability into daily operations to build resilience and long-term competitiveness.
Peterside said evolving global regulations, including stricter International Maritime Organization carbon-intensity rules and expanded European Union Emissions Trading System requirements, demanded practical operational responses.
He identified voyage optimisation, just-in-time port arrivals, alternative fuels, digital technologies and safety-focused workforce training as key strategies for compliance and efficiency.
The webinar attracted shipowners, operators, port authorities, financiers, regulators and energy sector stakeholders from across the region.
Also speaking, Prof. Magnus Onuoha, President of the Governing Council of REEEAA and Board of Trustees Chairman of SEPAN, announced a strategic pan-regional workshop in Accra, Ghana.
Onuoha said the workshop, scheduled for Aug. 5, would build on discussions from the webinar and advance Africa’s maritime decarbonisation agenda.
Managing Director of Damen Shipyards South Africa, Madam Hermione Manuel, highlighted hybrid vessel initiatives, describing green maritime as a combination of sustainability, compliance and competitive advantage.
Organisers announced that the webinar series would continue, with the Accra workshop featuring Dr. Felicia Mogo, the first African woman appointed to the United Nations group of experts on Marine Environment and Socio-Economics.
Mogo is expected to speak on “Navigating Sustainable Growth: Business Model Innovation and ESG in the Maritime Sector and Blue Economy.”
The organisers said the initiative aims to strengthen Africa’s strategic and operational capacity for maritime decarbonisation and sustainable shipping development.
F.O
Tags: Comparative advantage Dakuku Peterside Green Maritime