David Adekunle, Lagos
Nigeria’s Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has dispatched a team of Search and Rescue personnel, as well as marine accident investigation officers, to Ovhor in Warri, Delta State, where the Majestic Rig, owned by Depthwize Nigeria Limited, capsized.
In an official statement released by NIMASA spokesperson, Edward Osagie, it was revealed that the ill-fated rig, operating on Nigerian waters since 2016, is Panama-flagged and had been operating without the necessary approvals from the agency.
The ABS-Classed inland Water Drilling barge, measuring 232 feet in length and with a rated drilling depth of 30,000 feet, collapsed while being towed from N04, 30:34 / E00543:57 en route to Ovhor 21, which belongs to the SEPLAT Oil field in Delta State.
The statement also mentioned that “NIMASA has initiated contact with the Clean Nigerian Associate, a conglomerate of all International Oil Companies (IOCs’) responsible for the cleaning of Tier 2 oil spills, to establish the level of spillage at the scene of the incident”.
In addition, the agency is in communication with officials from SEPLAT Energy Limited, the charterers of the ill-fated rig, who are expected to report the incident within 24 hours in accordance with the provisions of the Merchant Shipping Act 2007.
