with the name MV King of Calabar. The  building of the ship will no longer be in India because the Indian  company has agreed on a deal to replicate its  shipyard in  Nigeria and in the Niger Delta to be specific.

Speaking at the ceremony,Governor Imoke  said the event was particularly important  to his administration because it  was  kick-starting a process which would contribute to the actualization  of the economic vision of his administration. “It is another  milestone in our drive to better the lot of our people”, he noted.

Adding, “the collaborative effort arising from the technical  partnership between the state government on the one hand and  ABG Shipyard, which is the largest private shipbuilding yard in  india, together with Jones-Tech/Nkrah on the other hand would hopefully result in the setting up  of a shipbuilding yard, off the Atlantic Coastline by Efut Abua in  Calabar South Local Government area.”

Already, the state government in partial fulfillment of its own  equity stake has granted 250 hectares of land by the Efut Abua  Coastline lying just before the high sea of Calabar. The choice of  the site was reached through a geographic study. The location is  open to many advantages. When completed the shipyard will be a  possible beneficiary of the Nigerian Gas pipeline project.  Alternatively, the National Independent Power Plant station  located at Odukpani is just a few kilometers away. The Nigerian  Marine College in Oron Akwa Ibom State is just 15 minutes away  by sea.
Lead promoters of the shipyard building project, Jones-Tech International , Nkrah  Investment, Calabar,  and BGL Private  Equity Limited in their address delivered by Eno Williams  disclosed that Calabar shipyard would, among other  things, have technological capabilities to build modern and  sophisticated vessels of up to 20, 000 tons deadweight in the first  phase. Such vessels include offshore support vessels such as MV  King of Calabar, construction of full- fledged oil drilling rigs,  building of support and offloading vessels, Liquefied Natural Gas  Carrier  vessels, container carriers, patrol vessels and military  equipment for the Navy.

Besides vessels building, the proposed shipyard would also undertake vessel docking/maintenance services. There shall be a tools fabrication workshop and training academy for development of indigenous manpower in marine technology, naval architecture,  ship designing building technology and marine operations.
The economic impact of the investment which is estimated at about $1billion USD on the catchment area of the Niger Delta, particularly the host community of Cross River State is better imagined.
The Chairman of Calabar South Local Government, Hon. Ekeng Henshaw has also  pledged support to see the investment to a grant success.

Besides the capacity of the investment to engage over 7, 000 youths  of the Niger Delta both directly and through allied services, a new  7 kilometre road is to be constructed on to the coastline. The  benefit of the new roads is already exciting the people by the mere  news of it. The only fear being nursed by the people over the new road is  whether the Cross River State  Government can fund the project. Others have thought of pleading with Niger Delta Development Commission to fund it.

Speaking with newsmen, one of the  promoters of the investment, Captain Patrick Kekong of Nkrah  Investment limited based in Calabar said shareholding in Calabar  Shipbuilding Yard will be made public for interested investors and  members of the public.

The total estimated project cost is between $800m to $1billion USD. The Nigerian partners are expected to put down $500m USD while the foreign partners shall put down $400m USD.

Maritime activities in Nigeria revealed no significant progress in the  area of ship building and or establishment of shipyard facilities.  The few existing shipyard such as Nigerdock Plc, Continental  Shipyard, Naval Dockyard, Wilmot Point etc. do not have new  shipbuilding capacities, rather they are operating and earning  revenue mainly from ship repairs and minimal fabrication works,  while the Naval Dockyard handles  minor repairs on smaller Naval  patrol boats.
Interestingly, the success of the Calabar shipyard can be a catalyst for a turn-around of Calabar Seaport and  the edifying Tinapa Business and leisure resort.

So, let the celebration of the arrival of MV King of Calabar vessel on   the shores of Nigeria continue until the main one arrives, that is,  the shipyard designated for the Atlantic coastline of Efut  Abua in Calabar South, Cross River State; it will be the first of its  kind in the West African sub-region.