By Mohamed Fofanah.
Sierra Leone Maritime Administration (SLMA) yesterday signed a partnership agreement with a Danish company ‘Sternula’ to protect and strengthen the maritime sector in Sierra Leone.
As per the agreement, Sierra Leone will use the satellite-based VHF Data Exchange System (VDES) for navigational and safety-related purposes, which would enable reliable and accurate maritime navigational warnings to seafarers in the Sierra Leonean waters, the company’s CEO Mr. Lars Moltsen said via Zoom on Wednesday.
This agreement is open for signature by governments for 12 months, said Omar Frits Eriksson, Deputy Secretary-General and Dean of the IALA Wolrd-Wide Academy, which is aimed at ensuring that all coastal states can fulfill the obligations related to Maritime Aids to Navigation placed upon them in SOLAS Chapter V that all coastal states can claim conformance with the relevant standards.
After signing the ‘Letter Of Intent”, the Deputy Executive Director of SLMA noted that this will enable the country to monitor communications, track vessels and maintain security in its territorial waters and exclusive economic zones which are usually threatened by poachers.
Sama Gamanga revealed that Sierra Leone does not have a presence in the high seas to track vessels and prevent poachers from clandestinely coming into the country’s territories to steal within its marine resources.
Gamanga said this agreement will offer Sierra Leone an opportunity to be aware of, and track vessels that enter into its territorial waters through a VHF data communication system. He also revealed that there has not been a monetary involvement at this stage of the agreement.
Sternula is Denmark’s first commercial satellite operator that offers global VDE-SAT connectivity for maritime authorities and industry using its fleet of advanced microsatellites in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) which will be operational from 2022.
Speaking via Zoom at the Maritime House on Wednesday, Mohamed Bankapomah Bangura, the Director of Provisional Security of the Office of National Security, and Secretary to the Joint Maritime Committee said that signing of the letter of intent was a good step for the protection of the country’s territorial waters, considering the enormous problems that it has been confronted with in its maritime domain, including and poaching.
He said the ‘letter of intent’ will considerably help Sierra Leone with the installation of a satellite infrastructure to protect its resources in the maritime domain. He added that signing the letter of intent is expected to salvage situations that the country faces at sea as it will be able to effectively monitor its maritime domain.
