Maritime Training and Safety: NLNG Teams up with UK Academy

In a bid to ensure an efficient training and safety consciousness of its personnel, the Nigeria Liquefied Natural NG Limited (NLNG) has joined forces with a maritime training institution in the United Kingdom.

To this end, it has commissioned a manned model of its new dual fuel diesel electric (DFDE) vessels at Southampton Solent University’s Warsash Maritime Academy, Southampton.

The partnership is meant to contribute to the training and development of mariners across the globe.

The outgoing Managing Director and Chief Executive officer (CEO) of NLNG, Mr. Babs Omotowa who dropped the hint in a ceremony to kick off the programme said the introduction of the manned model was “a deliberate strategy to upscale NLNG’s world-class safety and operations records and achievements.”

NLNG General Manager, External Affairs, Mr. Kudo Eresia-Eke in a statement said the manned model will join other model used by Warsash Maritime Academy, a world leading marine technology and training academy, to provide training, consultancy and research to NLNG and help develop mariners in the art of handling a ship.

The models are tools of simulation and are built to the correct power to weight ratio as its full sized counterpart. It was built to the 1:25 scale after one of the six DFDE vessels recently commissioned by Bonny Gas Transport (BGT), a subsidiary of NLNG.

THISDAY had reported that the company in 2013, signed $1.6 billion deal with Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) and Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) to build six vessels.

Omotoba stated that NLNG’s current goal is to sustain growth and build upon it, safely. And that is precisely why we are here today. NLNG’s partnership with Warsash Maritime Academy helped us to obtain the required design specification for the manned model, which was delivered from South Korea last month.

His words: “The partnership will also deliver the highest quality ship handling training for NLNG fleet officers and authorized third-party personnel. This is in addition to specialized consultancy services required for the planned NLNG Marine Resource Centre at Bonny Island. Our two companies may be separated by the oceans and great distances. But I have no doubt that we are united in our joint ambition to be the very best at what we do. It is no big surprise therefore that Nigeria LNG and Warsash have a relationship dating back many years.”