By Harriet Tornguvan
Nigeria Ship Management Limited (NSML), a subsidiary of Nigeria LNG Limited, signed an agreement with Temile Development Company Limited, in Abuja On June 11, 2024 to manage the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) vessel Alfred Temile 10. The vessel, which has a capacity of 23,000 cubic meters, is owned by Temile Development Company Limited and will be technically managed by NSML.
This significant agreement between two indigenous companies aims to enhance maritime operations within Nigeria's petroleum industry.
During the signing ceremony, Alfred Temile, CEO of Temile Development Company Limited, highlighted the company's commitment to advancing in the gas sector. He emphasized that their decision to acquire the first Alfred Temile vessel was driven by ambition rather than commercial interests.
Temile further revealed that the company is close to making additional investment decisions, including the acquisition of another LPG tanker, as part of its strategy to deepen its involvement in the gas industry.
Olalekan Ogunleye, the Executive Vice President of Gas, Power, and New Energy at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), and Chairman of the NSML Board, assured Alfred Temile of NSML's capabilities.
Ogunleye, represented by Dr. Salihu Jamari, Chief Investment Officer of NNPC Gas and Power Investment Services, stated that the board fully supports NSML's management and aims to establish the company as a leading marine services provider in Africa. He called on stakeholders to support NSML's regional operations, emphasizing the board's commitment to providing the necessary resources for manpower development and vessel management.
Andy Odey, General Manager of External Relations and Sustainability Development at NLNG, praised NSML's achievements over its 19-year history. He highlighted NSML's crucial role in NLNG's transportation value chain, noting that the company manages 11 NLNG vessels. Odey also pointed out that Temile Development Company's contribution is vital to domestic LPG distribution in Nigeria, supplying about 40 percent of the country's LPG.
NSML, a private limited liability company, offers shipping services including training, manning, fleet management, and consultancy to NLNG, Bonny Gas Transport, and the sub-Saharan African maritime sector. Established in response to industry challenges and a global shortage of skilled shipboard personnel, NSML commenced full operations in August 2010 after its incorporation in October 2008.
In addition to this agreement, NNPC has signed a Project Development Agreement with Golar LNG of Norway to construct a Floating Liquefied Natural Gas (FLNG) plant off the coast of the Niger Delta. This project aligns with NNPC's commitment to monetizing Nigeria's substantial natural gas reserves, which currently stand at approximately 209.26 trillion cubic feet.
NLNG's External Relations Manager, Mr. Andy Odeh, expressed pride in the performance of both NSML and Temile Development Company, underscoring the integral role of Temile in NLNG's domestic gas operations. He noted that the story of NLNG's domestic LPG initiatives cannot be told without acknowledging Alfred Temile's contributions.
