Firm to unveil new land ship, MV Rivers Pride

Determined to bridge the gap in maritime education and training in the country, an indigenous firm Charkin Maritime and Offshore Safety Centre is set to unveil Nigeria’s land ship, MV Rivers Pride, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Situated at Ozuoba, along the East-West Road, Port Harcourt, the land ship completely built by Charkin comprises full mission navigational bridge simulator; ECDIS Simulation Room; GMDSS (Navigation) Simulation Room which conforms to the 2010 Manila Amendments by the global maritime watchdog, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO); and the basic dynamic positioning class.

Other components of the land ship are advance dynamic positioning and examination class; nautical institute examination room; and the drilling system crane simulator.

The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Charkin Maritime and Offshore Safety Centre, Charles Wami, said besides the unveiling of the MV Rivers Pride, it will also lay the foundation stone for a 200 marine cadets accommodation block early February.

Wami, in a statement said, the Centre is always committed to providing maritime education and training of international repute. Charkin has a trend of rendering and improving on high quality training to guarantee competence in a conducive and friendly environment. It is a one-stop-shop for the marine, oil and gas training.

The centre has the approval of local and international regulatory agencies across the globe. These include the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), OPITO, United Kingdom, and the International Well Control Forum (IWCF), United Kingdom.

Others are the Nautical Institute (NI), Oil and Gas Training Association of Nigeria (OGTAN), International Association of Safety and Survival Training (IASST), United Kingdom, and the Petroleum Technology Association of Nigerian (PETAN).

Besides the fact that it is a member of British Safety Council among others, it is also affiliated to the Regional Maritime University, Accra, Ghana.