The wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari has named a new ship owned by Bonny Gas Transport (BGT), a subsidiary of Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), LNG Abuja II.
The naming of the new ship by Mrs. Buhari was done in her capacity as the vessel’s Godmother.
At a ceremony in Geoje Island, South Korea, Mrs. Buhari with top executives and directors of NLNG and BGT conducted the ceremonial naming of the 175,000m3 ship, which will carry LNG from Bonny Terminal to customers around the world.
The General Manager, External Relations Division of NLNG, Mr. Kudo Eresia-Eke said LNG Abuja II is the fifth ship to be commissioned from the six newly acquired vessels by NLNG. It is also the third ship by Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI). In 2013, BGT signed a contract with SHI and Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) for the construction and delivery of four and two ships.
Mrs. Buhari said: “It was with great delight that I received the invitation of the management of Nigeria LNG Limited to be the God-mother of and commission this magnificent new vessel; one of five recently purchased.
“The new ships, I learnt, are part of a growth programme, which will ensure that NLNG continues to develop its capacity and enhance its reputation as one of the most reliable gas suppliers in the world. I am, therefore, very pleased to be the new ship’s Sponsor Lady and Godmother. By tradition, the Sponsor Lady bestows good luck on the vessel and the crew, and I wish to assure you all, that this vessel will go out into the world, proudly flying Nigeria’s flag and be an enduring symbol of the partnership and cooperation between our two countries for many years to come.”
The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer NLNG, Babs Omotowa said: “As we take possession of this great ship, we can reflect on the double symbolism of today’s event. Our country and the LNG business are both experiencing some difficult times. It is altogether fitting and symbolic that our country and our company are by this ceremony reaffirming our faith and confidence in a bright and prosperous future for our country as well as our industry. This new vessel bearing the name of Nigeria’s capital city is a sign of that confidence and that is what this ceremony represents for us.
“We take pride in the fact that LNG Abuja II is truly Nigerian. Based on Nigeria LNG’s local content aspirations, we have become the first Nigerian company to incorporate unique local content component into the construction of our vessels. Courtesy of this local content programme, over 600 young Nigerians acquired specialised skills in shipbuilding.
-thenationonlineng