The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has established a Situation Monitoring Room and commenced a full-scale investigation following a vessel collision that triggered an oil spill at the Bonny Inner Anchorage in Rivers State.
The incident, which occurred around 11:30 a.m. on May 20, 2026, involved a container vessel, MV Maersk Valparaiso, and an oil tanker, MT Lady Martina. The collision, recorded at Latitude 4.512375 and Longitude 7.189429, resulted in a spill within the affected marine area.
According to NIMASA, the agency’s Deep Blue Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Bonny received a distress call immediately after the incident and deployed 10 armed personnel aboard an interceptor boat, DB 214, to the scene as part of its rapid response under the Deep Blue Project.
Five crew members onboard the MT Lady Martina sustained varying degrees of injuries and were promptly evacuated to the FOB Bonny sickbay for medical attention.
Preliminary findings indicate that the MT Lady Martina drifted ashore and is currently aground along the Bonny Channel, while the MV Maersk Valparaiso also remains grounded at the anchorage pending damage assessment and further investigation.
The management of Maersk has formally reported the incident to the agency.
In response, the Director General of NIMASA, Dr. Dayo Mobereola, ordered an immediate investigation into both the immediate and remote causes of the collision. He also inaugurated a Situation Monitoring Room in Rivers State to coordinate response efforts and track developments.
Mobereola further directed the agency’s Marine Environment Management Department to commence an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the affected area, alongside measures to contain the Tier 1 oil sheen and mitigate environmental damage.
NIMASA assured that further updates, including the outcome of investigations, will be made public as response operations continue.