(2^nd Left) Abdulkadir Ahmed, NLNG Shipping and Marine Servies Limited (NSML) MD/CEO and Andy Odeh (2^nd right), NLNG’s GM, External Relations & Sustainable Development, during a visit to AKTORAS, NLNG’s chartered newbuild and energy-efficient vessel, during her first voyage to NLNG’s Bonny Terminal, Rivers State. The vessel is by managed by NSML

A new state-of-the-art and energy-efficient vessel, AKTORAS, recently chartered by Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), has arrived at the Company’s Bonny Terminal for its maiden loading of LNG.

The charter of the vessel by NLNG’s shipping subsidiary, Bonny Gas Transport Limited (BGT), was a strategic move to diversify and reduce the carbon footprint of the Company’s shipping portfolio. The vessel is equipped with MEGA propulsion system, which uses advanced technologies and cutting-edge design to reduce emissions and increase efficiency. It is a 174,000 m3 capacity LNG carrier, with a length of 299.6 metres, breadth (moulded) of 46.40 metres and deadweight of 81,194 tons.

The arrival at the Bonny Terminal followed a vessel-naming ceremony at the Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries shipyard in Mokpo, South Korea, by the vessel’s Sponsor Lady and Godmother, Mrs. Olu Verheijen, Special Adviser to the Nigerian President on Energy.

The vessel is managed by another NLNG subsidiary, NLNG Shipping and Marine Services Limited (NSML), which took over the technical management and operation of the vessel after construction, marking a new phase in vessel management for the company. NSML currently manages BGT-owned LNG vessels within the NLNG fleet, providing comprehensive vessel technical management services to ensure that managed vessels are sea and cargo-worthy in line with international standards.

At a brief ceremony to welcome the vessel and her crew to Bonny, Mr. Olakunle Osobu NLNG’s Deputy Managing Director, represented by Mr. Andy Odeh, General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, emphasised the significance of AKTORAS in the company’s evolution towards sustainability and a net-zero future.

“AKTORAS is not just a vessel; it is a symbol of our steady evolution, our commitment to sustainability, and our preparedness for a net-zero future. AKTORAS is simply the beginning of the positive changes to come. The significance of this investment extends far beyond the present moment. In an era where the global LNG industry is navigating uncertainties amidst the Energy Transition, our ability to remain agile and future-ready is paramount. AKTORAS, equipped with MEGA propulsion systems, is the most eco-friendly vessel in our fleet today, and I welcome her and her crew to Bonny Island,” he stated.

In his remarks, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NSML, Mr. Abdulkadir K. Ahmed, noted that managing this new, modern vessel will support the decarbonisation and net zero emission objectives of the NLNG group, symbolising NSML’s commitment to efficient and sustainable operations as well as a future-focused outlook. He reiterated NSML’s alignment with the purpose and philosophy behind AKTORAS, which was an investment in preparation for a net-zero future.

He emphasised the importance of the company’s ability to remain agile and future-ready in an industry characterised by rapid change and uncertainty.

“We embrace the challenges and opportunities ahead as we navigate the seas of change with agility and foresight. With AKTORAS in our fleet, we are poised to enhance our capabilities and further strengthen our position as a leading player in the maritime industry,” he stated.

He added that management of AKTORAS underscores the trust and confidence placed in NSML by BGT and the owners of the vessel, Taurus Gas Carrier Corp. (Capital Gas). He assured that the highest standards of maintenance, safety, and operational efficiency would be upheld throughout the duration of the charter.

After loading her first cargo at Bonny Terminal, AKTORAS proceeds to Sines LNG Terminal, Portugal, for her first discharge operation.

The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, has assured Nigerian oil and gas service companies of continued support to sustain the impressive growth in local content and to boost their production operations.

Speaking during a facility tour of the 10,000-square-metre fabrication yard of Lee Engineering and Construction Company Limited, Warri, Delta State on Friday, he recalled similar visits he had made to other service companies across the country, stating that he was highly impressed with facilities and competencies acquired in the pursuit of local content development.

Amazed at the assortment of top-grade engineering equipment and industrial machinery parts in the expansive operational base of the company along N.P.A. Expressway, he exclaimed, “Seeing is believing, I’ve come, have seen!” Commenting further, he said, “Am so impressed with your facilities.”

Engr. Ogbe congratulated Lee Engineering on its 34 years of active engagement in engineering, construction, operations, and maintenance (EPCOM) services with major oil and gas industry players, such as Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCO), Chevron Nigeria Limited, ExxonMobil, and TotalEnergies Limited, among others, as clients.

He noted with pleasure that the company has successfully undertaken over 350 major projects in the industry and has an excellent record of “zero incident, zero downtime” in its decades of operations.

“I will collaborate with your company and ensure that jobs you can do will come here,” he declared, adding, “We are here as enablers to business…[and] I will work with any company that can increase production in the country.” He also expressed interest in the company’s solar technology, which he said would be required “to provide electricity to ICT [Information and Communication Technology] Centres” established by the NCDMB in several secondary schools across the Niger Delta and other parts of the country.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lee Engineering and Construction Company, Chief (Dr.) Leemon Ikpea, thanked the Executive Secretary and his entourage for the facility visit.

He said the company, whose corporate headquarters is in Ikoyi, Lagos, was incorporated in 1991, and currently has several subsidiaries operating in Warri, Port Harcourt, as well as in Europe and the United States.

Recalling the state of the oil and gas industry in Nigeria in the early 1990s, he noted that the dominance of foreign companies and production inputs, and the attendant massive capital flight, was exceedingly disturbing and ruinous to the Nigerian economy and that Nigerian engineers in the sector like him became agitated and initiated the push for local content.

According to him, the enactment of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD] Act, 2010, marked a turning point for the industry and the nation as indigenous oil and gas companies were thus enabled to vie for and execute projects.

Arguing that “Foreign companies cannot transfer technology to us,” he said it is only indigenous companies that could and have demonstrated such potential through intensive capacity building programmes, acquisition and deployment of hi-tech operational equipment and actual execution of projects.

He drew attention to the company’s feats in industrial equipment manufacture, the over 350 projects executed by Lee Engineering thus far, -including the Utorogu Gas Plant and the 150,000-barrel-per day Odidi Flow Station, and a workforce of 3,500 Nigerians to buttress his claim regarding the remarkable success achieved by indigenous companies.

According to him, “This is a sign that local content is working.” He thanked the NCDMB for living up to the billing as an enabler of businesses.

On the team of the NCDMB team to Lee Engineering were the General Manager, Corporate Communications and Zonal Coordination, Esueme Dan Kikile, Esq., Senior Technical Assistant to the Executive Secretary, Engr. Mofe Megbele, Zonal Coodinator, Delta and Edo States, Engr. James Eyetigha, and others.

The annual science quiz competition sponsored by Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) in Rivers State concluded on Saturday with Government Secondary School Oyigbo emerging as the champions in the senior secondary school S.S. 2 category.

This year’s contest centred on the theme “Artificial Intelligence (AI): Innovating the Future.” The quiz was open to students in S.S. 1 and S.S. 2 across secondary schools in Rivers State. Government Secondary School Oyigbo triumphed over six other finalists in the grand finale. Bonny National Grammar School and Niger Delta Science School, Captain Elechi Amadi Polytechnic, Port Harcourt, secured second and third places, respectively. The remaining finalists were Birabi Memorial Grammar School, Bori (4th place); Community secondary school oroworukwo (5th place); Community secondary school Ogbogbo, Okrika (6th place); and Enitonna High School Borikiri, Port Harcourt. (7th place).

The competition unfolded in three phases: the Olympiad, the Championship, and the Grand Finale.

In the S.S. 1 category, the competition ended at the Championship stage with Community Secondary School IgboEtche, claiming the top prize. Niger Delta Science School, and Nigerian Navy Secondary School, Borikiri earned second and third places, respectively.

“We are exceptionally proud of the students who participated in this competition,” stated Andy Odeh, NLNG’s General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development. “Their enthusiasm and knowledge are commendable, and they bring honour to their schools and Rivers State. We aspire that this competition will motivate other young individuals to delve into science and pursue careers in science-related fields,” he remarked.

Reflecting on the theme in his welcome remarks, Mr. Odeh emphasised, ” “There is no better time to expose our children and youths to these advancements than now. AI has become so integral to our lives that everyone, in some way, relies on it. From healthcare professionals using AI for precise diagnoses and treatments to students, utilising AI-powered tools for their studies, technology is enhancing our lives in countless ways. The train of progress has left the station, and we must catch up quickly if we want to be significant players in the future.”

Addressing NLNG’s commitment to education, Mr. Odeh stated, “We are proud of initiatives like the NLNG University Support Programme, where we constructed, renovated, and equipped engineering laboratories in six universities across Nigeria’s geo-political zones. We have also supported infrastructural development in host communities, renovating schools, and equipping libraries and science laboratories. Our scholarship programs—Post-Primary, Undergraduate, and Post-Graduate—continue to support students, particularly in our host communities in Rivers State.”

Representing Dr Ovy Chinedum Chukwuma, the Rivers State Commissioner of Education, Mrs Ebere Dennis-Emenike, the Permanent Secretary of the Rivers State Ministry of Education, emphasised that NLNG has exposed children and youths to the future through the competition. She added that the children and youths are being equipped with skills to think-out-the-box and fend for themselves.

Dr Peters Nwagor, the chairman of the Rivers State Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN), stressed that the quiz has consciously and significantly promoted critical thinking and knowledge, problem solving skill, the development of time management and pressure handling skills, and interdepent and interdisplinary connection among the students. The quiz has also fostered teamwork, collaboration and healthy competition among the students, he said.

The competition was organised by Dragnet Solutions Limited in collaboration with the Rivers State Ministry of Education and the Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN), Rivers State Chapter.

The NLNG Science Quiz Competition provides children and youths an interactive way to learn about science, raising awareness of its importance in society.