Steve Agbota

After a Federal High Court in Lagos granted an interim injunction stopping the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) from terminating the role of Intels Nigeria Limited as manning agent in the Pilotage Districts of Lagos, Warri, Bonny/Port Harcourt and Calabar, the management of NPA issued a marine notice yesterday that it has terminated its boats pilotage monitoring and supervision agreement with Integrated Logistics Services Nigeria Limited owned by Intels.

The company provides comprehensive integrated logistics services for the Nigerian oil and gas sectors of the economy.

A statement by Capt. Daniel Hosea, Harbour Master, the Lagos Pilotage District, NPA, said: “This is to inform our numerous stakeholders in Nigeria and abroad that the Service Boats operation, hitherto handled by a third-party company, the Integrated Logistics Services (Intels) Nigeria Limited, has been terminated.”

According to him, all service boat owners and operators are to do transactions directly in each of the port complexes at the Nigerian Ports Authority.

“Every boat service movement must be reported and booked at the office of the Harbour Master of the district, where pilotage chits and master declaration forms will be issued and returned after every movement.

“Every inquiry on service boat movement should be directed to the office of the port manager of the port/harbormaster pilotage district,” he added.

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However, Intels, in an official statement, dismissed the notice, saying it is illegal for NPA to issue such notice to terminate its contract even after a Federal High Court has granted an interim injunction stopping NPA from terminating the role of its company as manning agent in the Pilotage Districts of Lagos, Warri, Bonny/Port Harcourt and Calabar.

The judge, Hon. Justice R.M. Aikawa, granted the interim injunction in the suit number FHC/L/CS/1058/2020 based on an application filed by IntelsNigeria Limited and Deep Offshore Service Nigeria Limited against the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).

Intels and Deep Offhore had requested the court to restrain NPA from preventing them from performing their duties as managing agent, pending the determination of ongoing arbitration proceedings.

The court order, which was issued on Friday August 28, 2020, read: “That an order is granted restraining the respondent, its servants, agents, and/or privies from giving effect for the purported notice of expiration issued on August 5, 2020, or taking any other step to prevent the parties from performing their duties and obligations under the agreements between the 1st applicant and respondent dated February 11, 2011, and August 24, 2018, pending the determination of the originating motion dated August 12, 2020, seeking for interim measures of protection in support of the pending arbitration between the parties therein.”

The court adjourned the matter to September 15, 2020 for the originating motion on notice.

Consequent upon the court order, the management of Intels, in a statement issued on Thursday, asked the shipping community to disregard a marine information issued by NPA purportedly terminating its operation, as it was issued in contempt of court.