Ogbeifun emerges as SOAN’s president again

The Ship Owners Associstion of Nigeria (SOAN) has re-elected Greg Ogbeifun as the President for another term in office.

Ogbeifun, an astute shipowner, was elected alongside Vice President, Mkgeorge Onyung who defeated Alfred Okoigon with nine votes to eight, while Eno William was elected as Financial Secretary/Treasurer.

The Benin born Ogbeifun who was originally trained as a mariner under a scholarship from Shell Petroleum Development Company is now a owner of a fleet of world -class service ships and currently the Chairman Starzs Investment Company.

Speaking shortly after the election, Ogbeifun promised that the association under his watch in the next two years will drive the collaboration with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for the actualization of a Nigerian crude tanker fleet.

This, according to him, will help create the platform to train cadets in international trade adding that the association will also provide its vessels to train cadets in collaboration with NIMASA and the Maritime Academy of Nigeria (MAN), Oron.

Ogbeifun said SOAN will also engage NIMASA on the need to disburse the Cabotage vessel Financing Fund (CVFF) for indigenous shipowners’ to grow their fleet.

“We are going to drive the actualization of the crude tanker fleet vigorously for the benefit of our nation because that will begin to create the platform the country is looking for to train our cadets in the international trade.

“NIMASA on their own cannot act on that fund; they need people who need it for them to be able to release the fund. Almost all our members have contributed to that fund and we think they deserve to be given an opportunity to grow our fleet with that fund. That is going to be our number one assignment for this new executive.

“We are going to continue with the cadetship scheme because without the cadets, there will be no ships and there will be no future of our maritime sector. We are going to articulate a strategy of bringing all our vessels to be available for the training of cadets and working with NIMASA and MAN Oron and other maritime institutions,” he said.

While calling for a review of the Cabotage act, Ogbeifun reiterated the need for NIMASA to help indigenous ship owners grow capacity in the industry.