By Olusegun Olanrewaju
The Nigerian Navy has begun a systematic study of the physical properties of the Nigerian maritime environment to survey the nation’s coastal resources.

Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Zubairu Gambo, disclosed this yesterday at the Naval Dockyard, Victoria Island, Lagos, while declaring open World Hydrography Day.

Hydrographic survey is the science of measurement and description of features that affect maritime navigation, marine construction, dredging, offshore oil exploration/offshore oil drilling, and related activities.

With the theme, ‘Hydrography: Contributing to the United Nations Ocean Decade’, the CNS thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for supporting the Nigerian Navy to ‘detonate’ the drive of hydrography in the capacity to take the force to the next level.

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According to Gambo, the navy has contributed greatly to national development by providing a statutory platform for statutory strategies and growing the navy to do more in upgrading its hydrographic resources.

The CNS also assured that, at a time the world is focused on appreciating the collective spirit of the hydrographer in all areas, the Nigerian navy has become the first in the maritime environment system to survey the nation’s coastal line for safety and other issues.

Also speaking at the ceremony, the Minister of transportation, Gbemisola Saraki, noted that the navy enjoys active collaboration with the geographical business rooted in science, ecology, and tradition.

She noted that the ministry of transportation has established the fact that Nigeria can generate more data to secure the future of the oceans.

According to the minister, adequate research findings that would form the basis of strategic ventures could pilot maritime safety in the environment, as well as improve the physical nature of the oceans.

Saraki also promised that the ministry would initiate actions to improve hydrographic agents to synchronize with assets.

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She said the Federal Government had set up a committee for a ‘modern survey’ to improve the nation’s capacity to steady the nation’s maritime sector.

The highlights of the occasion were a slideshow to depict the navy’s contributions to the hydrological survey, as well as the launch of three publications on hydrography by the CNS.

It involved a brief on the properties of the new hydrographic ship, NNS Lana, Recce survey on Horizontal control and calibration of areas on the coast; discovery of more than 40 wrecks, completion of the sealing of Bathymetric survey on approaches to Lagos, and surveys of cross-sections of sea bed topography.

Another achievement, according to the CNS, was the arrest of drug traffickers (with an estimated street value of N200 billion. On this, the navy said the suspects had been handed over to the police for prosecution.

The navy, the CNS added, also improved on collaborative efforts with other navies, with a recent joint exercise with the French hydrographic ship, BORDA.