AN ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY OF SHIPPING OPERATIONS AT APAPA PORT LAGOS, NIGERIA.

Abstract

The assessment of environmental safety of shipping operation is imperative in checking the menace of pollution emanating from shipping and adopting correction measures to ensuring a sustainable marine environment. The major environmental impact arising from shipping operations is reflected in reduced air quality (greenhouse effect), oil spillage, pollution from bilge, grey water, sludge, anti-fouling paints, dredging, garbage, sewage, noise and accident. This study assessed the safety standards implementation, adequacy of port reception facilities and the compliance of maritime stakeholders to safety at Apapa Port. Both secondary and primary data were collected from staff of Nigerian Port Authority, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), African Circle Limited (ACL) and ship captains. Simple random sampling method was employed for the study and a total of 175 respondents were selected from the population. Factor analysis, mean ranking, paired t-test and correlation were employed to achieve the objectives. The study revealed that equipment efficiency, enforcement of Marpol convention, marine environmental safety, inspection conducts, provision of port reception, inadequacies report and state collaboration were germane factors in controlling pollution in the port. Also, the least ranked of the variables considered for safety standards implementation to control pollution at port were ‘investigation of infringement, encouragement of research and development, adequate prosecution of offenders and sufficiency of evidences for prosecution’. The examination of port adequacy with respect to port reception facilities revealed that the port reception facilities were performing and at good operational services, meanwhile the paired t- test on the MARPOL waste category revealed that oily bilge water (0.044), sludge (0.004), slops (0.000), scale and sludge from tank cleaning (0.000), sewage (0.012), plastic (0.05), operational waste (0.000) and cargo waste (0.000) were efficiently handled with significance level less than 0.05 (critical region). Correlation analysis on the compliance of maritime stakeholders to safety in Apapa port is considered to be medium. The correlation coefficient of 0.489 gives numerical evidence that an increase in number of vessels that discharge waste has corresponding effect on the increase in number of vessels inspected which denotes safety consciousness. This study concludes that effort put in place by port authorities to strengthen safety of shipping environment is sabotaged by the incapacitated enforcement of Marpol 73/78 convention in the National legislation and thus recommended proper legislation and thorough enforcement of Marpol 73/78. Further recommendations includes enhancement of scientific knowledge of marine environment; provision of ballast water reception and acquisition of modern equipment to test and detect pollution.