Deep Blue Project Targets Illegal Fishing, Cargo Violations To Boost Revenue

The Deep Blue Project is expanding its maritime surveillance and intelligence capabilities to tackle illegal fishing, cargo violations and other unlawful activities in Nigerian waters, as part of efforts to improve government revenue and strengthen the country’s maritime economy.

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The Chief Executive Officer of HLS International, Tal Spector, disclosed this while presenting the capabilities of the Deep Blue Project at an international exhibition, where the company showcased new security equipment and technologies deployed to support maritime surveillance and law enforcement in Nigeria.

Spector explained that the project, operated by HLS International in partnership with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and in collaboration with the Ministry of Defence, goes beyond combating piracy, militancy and the trafficking of arms and ammunition.

According to him, the initiative also monitors vessel movements, cargo activities, illegal fishing and environmental violations, including the unauthorised dumping of hazardous waste into the sea.

He said these activities have direct implications for government revenue, the livelihoods of coastal communities, public health and the sustainability of Nigeria’s marine resources.

“The Deep Blue Project is not only about piracy and militancy and arms and ammunition. It is also about illegal fishing activities that are affecting the people of Nigeria. It is also about the income for NIMASA, which affects the financial capabilities of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Spector said.

He added that effective maritime surveillance was necessary to ensure that vessels operating in Nigerian waters complied with applicable laws and regulations, noting that failure to enforce the rules could encourage illegal activities and deprive the country of legitimate revenue.

“One of the things that the Deep Blue Project is doing is to make sure that any vessel that is coming in and out of Nigeria is working according to the law and according to the regulations. Someone needs to enforce those regulations; otherwise, everybody will do whatever they want, and nobody will take responsibility for that. This is exactly what the Deep Blue Project is all about,” he said.

Spector explained that the project’s Command and Control Centre could monitor vessels travelling from different parts of the world towards Nigeria’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), providing intelligence on vessel identities, ownership, International Maritime Organisation (IMO) numbers and Automatic Identification System (AIS) transmissions.

He said the surveillance capability enabled operators to identify vessels and examine their movements, including those that might switch off their AIS transponders, thereby supporting intelligence gathering and enforcement operations.

“As you know already, the Deep Blue Project can watch, see, follow and track any vessel that is coming from any place in the world to the EEZ of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We know the owners of the vessels, we know the IMO numbers, and we know whether a vessel is using AIS or not using AIS. We have all the necessary intelligence and information about any vessel that is coming in and out,” he said.

According to him, the project is also incorporating additional intelligence capabilities to improve its ability to monitor cargo movements and other activities of interest to NIMASA and relevant government agencies.

“Technology is always changing, coming forward and getting better. For us, the C4I system, for example, provides intelligence, including a background of 15 years of history of any vessel that is coming in and out. In the last couple of months, we have integrated additional intelligence into the system that allows us to see exactly what cargoes, dry cargoes and many other things that are of interest to NIMASA and other organisations,” Spector said.

He stressed that continuous investment in technology and operational equipment was necessary to keep pace with criminal networks and ensure that maritime laws were enforced effectively.

“We have to be updated, we have to bring new assets, we have to use new assets, and we have to make sure that we are always on top of whoever is trying to do something else and enforce the law. At the end of the day, this is also about increasing revenue, because the revenues are good for the people of Nigeria,” he said.

Spector further warned that environmental violations at sea could have serious consequences for the country’s marine ecosystem, fishing industry and public health.

He cited the unauthorised dumping of hazardous waste as one of the activities that maritime surveillance could help detect and prevent.

“Environmental issues, like the dropping of nuclear waste or other kinds of waste into the sea without reporting it and without obtaining the necessary licence, affect the fish, the people and the health of Nigerians. The Deep Blue Project is doing so many things that affect the day-to-day lives of ordinary Nigerians without them even knowing it,” he said.

According to him, the impact of maritime security extends beyond the immediate protection of vessels and offshore facilities, as improved security can also support shipping operations and the movement of goods into the country.

He explained that consumers might not directly see the benefits of maritime security interventions, even though the measures could help sustain the conditions necessary for international shipping and maritime trade.

“When you go and buy something in the market, you don’t know that the insurance on the vessel that brought that product was removed because of the Deep Blue Project or any other security project in the EEZ of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. You don’t know, but these things have an impact on the economy and on the people,” Spector said.

The HLS International chief executive also highlighted the importance of cooperation between civilian maritime authorities and the country’s security agencies, describing the Deep Blue Project as an example of a coordinated approach to maritime security.

He said the project brought together NIMASA, the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, the Ministry of Defence and other security agencies to improve surveillance, intelligence sharing and operational response.

“The Deep Blue Project is a great example of how it is possible to have a joint task force between civilian organisations and government organisations, such as the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy under NIMASA, together with other security agencies, all working under the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” he said.

At the exhibition, HLS International showcased a range of equipment supporting the project, including a new light vehicle for land operations by the Maritime Security Unit, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system and a newly delivered armoured vehicle for special forces.

Spector said the UAV system used vertical take-off and landing technology, allowing it to operate from vessels at sea and return to them, while also supporting operations on land during the day and at night.

“The UAV system is VTOL, which means vertical take-off and landing. In other words, we can use the system from a vessel and bring it back to the vessel at sea. We can also land it on land, at any point in time, during the day and during the night, to obtain all the necessary information,” he said.

He added that the armoured vehicle would support special forces during operational activities, noting that unlawful activities at sea could originate from land-based locations.

“You know that any illegal activity at sea will always start from the land. That is why we are presenting the new armoured vehicle for the special forces to operate wherever they need to, during the day and during the night, to execute their operational activities,” Spector said.

He also disclosed that the project would continue to demonstrate the operational capabilities of its special forces and surveillance assets as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s maritime security architecture.

On Nigeria’s international maritime standing, Spector attributed recent gains to joint operations involving the Deep Blue Project, NIMASA, the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy and other security agencies.

He said the country had recorded important international milestones, including its election into Category C of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Council and the reported lifting of a 12-year United States restriction relating to Nigerian ports.

“The Deep Blue Project, together with successful operations involving the necessary forces under the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, has contributed to huge international achievements. Nigeria has been voted to take part as a Category C member after many years, and the sanctions by the American government, after 12 years, were raised and removed,” he said.

Spector said the achievements reflected the importance of sustained collaboration, improved intelligence and investment in maritime security, adding that the project would continue supporting Nigeria’s efforts to strengthen compliance, protect marine resources and improve the operating environment for maritime trade.