…As Female shippers get seat in IMO council***

General cargo ship HAO XIANG 19 in stormy weather ran aground on a reef off Luxi island, east of Wenzhou in Zhejiang province, China, East China sea, issuing distress signal at around 0300 Beijing time Sep 25.

The ship loaded with steel, with 13 crew, was en route from Taizhou to Wenzhou. SAR ships were sent, meanwhile the ship developed heavy starboard list caused by hold flooding.

2 of the crew managed to abandon ship in life raft, the rest were trapped on board because all life boats and rafts were were not accessible. By 0530 SAR rescue boats managed to take all 11 crew from the ship, later were rescued 2 crew from life raft. The ship reportedly, capsized.

In the meantime, Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) said, it had secured a seat at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), the apex regulatory body for maritime activities globally.

The President of WISTA Nigeria, Mrs Mary Hamman, told The Nation on the sideline of the association’s 2018 annual business luncheon in Lagos.

Hamman said that WISTA’s consultative status at the IMO would avail the association the opportunity to promote diversity, inclusion and women’s empowerment in the global body.

“WISTA can now formally contribute to the discussion for increasing capacity in the maritime industry; both shore side and onboard ships.

“The association’s efforts are to support the overarching principles in IMO’s strategic plan, especially the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women,” she said.

The Chairman of the occasion, Capt. Emmanuel Ihenacho, urged the association to play more active role in the World Trade Organisation (WTO), noting that the organisation was critical in the affairs of global trade.

Ihenacho, who is also the Chairman of Intergrated Oil and Gas Limited, urged the association to take steps that would give the association more significant representation at the IMO Council.Also speaking, a veteran Master Mariner, Capt. Adewale Ishola, praised WISTA Nigeria for sponsoring the nation’s first female Master Mariner.

Ishola also lauded the association for empowering women groups with the purchase of fishing boats, fishing nets, boat engines for women in various parts of the country.

He gave kudos to the association for sponsoring female cadets which had led to the emergence of the first female Nigerian Master Mariner currently employed with oil giant, Shell.

The Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Peterside, also commended the association for its contribution to the growth and development of the nation’s maritime industry.

Peterside, who was represented by the Director, Special Duties Hajia Lami Tumaka, praised the association for its contribution to the growth and development of the nation’s maritime industry.

He noted that several female cadets have graduated with First Class honours in the ongoing Nigerian Seafarers Development Programme (NSDP).

Peterside assured the association that the agency was passionate about developing the female brand at the agency and the entire maritime sector.

The event also featured the launch of a WISTA magazine which was used in celebrating the Managing Director, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), MS Hadiza Bala-Usman, for her dedication to her duties.

The Acting General Manager, Corporate and Communication Strategic of NPA, Mr Isah Suwaid, represented the NPA boss at the occasion.

Fleetmon with additional report from The Nation