MOWCA signs MoU with Singapore for enhanced port infrastructure, expertise in London

From left: Technical Advisor to SG MOWCA, Col Mamadou Mariko; Chief Executive; Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, Mr. Ang Wee Keong; Secretary General, Maritime Organization of West and Central Africa (MOWCA), Dr. Paul Adalikwu, Chief Marine Officer/Senior Advisor, Mr. Mohammed Segar, and, Assistant Chief Executive Corporate & Strategy Officer, Mr. Tan Hoe Soon, at the bilateral meeting in Singapore recently.

Stanley Ihedigbo

Secretary General, Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa (MOWCA), Dr. Paul Adalikwu, has engaged with Chief Executive Officer, Singaporean Maritime and Port Authority, Mr Ang Wee Keong, seeking to boost port development and green shipping initiatives in West and Central Africa.

At a recently held bilateral meeting in Singapore, Adalikwu called for technical collaboration with Singaporean authorities, known for their efficient and modernised port system, while seeking that such standards be replicated in MOWCA member countries.

Specifically, the MOWCA SG called for closer working ties and requested expertise of the Singaporean authorities in areas of human capital development, infrastructural upgrade and maintenance and cargo handling.

Dr Adalikwu, who also spoke on the importance of a maritime single window and digitalization of port processes, harped on the need for harmonization and single document submission for seamless end-to-end processing of import and export procedures in ports.

Speaking on environment-friendly shipping, specifically addressing Green House Gas(GHG), Dr Adalikwu told Keong that MOWCA fully aligns with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) policy to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from shipping by or around 2050,

He added that MOWCA is setting target timelines as advisory to member states to gravitate towards the target, like planning to reduce emissions by at least 20% before 2030.

According to the MOWCA SG, a technical collaboration with the Singaporean Maritime and Ports Authority would help achieve compliance with the IMO target by MOWCA states.

Adalikwu also stated that a modernised port system, delivering efficient services, makes a great contribution to the development and sustenance of the blue economy at the countries and sub-regional levels

Keong thanked Adalikwu for the visit and expressed the Singaporean government’s willingness to collaborate with MOWCA on all areas requested. He also stated his country’s optimism for the rapid maritime development of partnering MOWCA countries

Both parties agreed to meet in London later this year for a formal signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that would define the modalities of the technical collaboration. Adalikwu equally pledged support of MOWCA’s member states towards Singapore’s IMO Council seat in the upcoming elections.