Nigeria: Court Orders End of LNG Blockade

July 9, 2013

A Nigerian Federal High Court on Monday again backed NLNG against the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) by ordering the agency to end a blockade of NLNG’s vessels.

On 21st June, two NIMASA boats, with 15 naval officers on board, ordered that one NLNG vessel, LNG Imo, and one chartered vessel, Torm Thames, remain at NLNG’s loading bay, whilst another NLNG Vessel, LNG Oyo, remains outside the Bonny Channel until further notice.

NLNG’s lawyer Tola Oshobi told Reuters that the blockade was costing the company an estimated $22 million a day.

“The court has refused the application of the defendant and the order barring NIMASA and Global West from interfering in the operations of LNG stays,” Oshobi said.

It is unclear what difference the court ruling will make, since NIMASA ignored the last one issued in June.

NLNG is owned by four shareholders, namely, the Federal Government of Nigeria, represented by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC (49%), Shell Gas BV, SGBV, (25.6%), Total LNG Nigeria Limited (15%), and Eni International (N.A.) N. V. S. a. r. l (10.4%).

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LNG World News Staff, July 9, 2013; Image: Daewoo E&C