West Africa
Zeal Global Maritime Solutions
West Africa Services
We are a performance-driven company
To ensure this complex environment was experienced and understood, Zeal CEO spent several years based in Nigeria visiting neighbouring countries across the Gulf of Guinea building relationships, and conducting audits/sea trails on assets where necessary. Having now operated across West Africa for over 7 years, Partnerships with local suppliers, government agencies, and Navies are growing from strength to strength, and Zeal is recognised as one of the leading and most active security providers across the region.
Prior to actively operating in West Africa, we engaged with many potential clients to understand their experiences and the positives and negatives they may have first-hand witnessed. It was commonly reported that their biggest frustration when operating in this region was the lack of reliability and timekeeping from other security providers. Whether security vessels wouldn’t arrive at agreed RVPs at times or the provided security vessels would not be able to maintain the agreed contractual escort speed.
Due to our assets and relationships reacting quickly is something which Zeal does very well and has been one of the factors to our rapid growth.
Security Escort Vessels
Our fleet of Security Escort Vessels (SEV) is capable of supporting client voyages at 10kts to 15kts. Prior to a client vessel entering the High-Risk Area, Zeal Operations along with the Ships Master and CSO will discuss and agree on an RVP for the SEV Pick up Point along with an ETA. It is the SEVs standard procedure to arrive at the agreed RVP at least 1-2 hours ahead of the client vessel to observe and secure the area ahead of the client vessel arriving.
Upon safely linking up, VHF communications will be established, and the escort will commence to the agreed disengaging position. During the security escort Zeal’s Maritime Security Officer onboard the SEV will provide 4-6hrly situation reports along with performing regular VHF checks with the client vessel bridge team. Zeal’s operational managers will be tracking both the client vessel and SEV during the voyage to ensure there is no presence of abnormality such as rapid speed changes, evasive manoeuvring, etc.
Local National Guards
Upon arriving at the vessel’s destination across the Gulf of Guinea, it is possible to place armed guards onboard whilst the vessel is at anchorage, conducting STS or whilst in Port. The Armed Guards will be active serving members of the military from the country which the client vessel is visiting. It should be noted that Navies from one country cannot remain onboard a client vessel when the vessel is calling other countries. It is a regular trading pattern for vessels to call multiple countries in quick succession. Should clients wish for a non-stop security service this can be tailor-made via multiple security escorts and armed guards onboard where applicable.
Operational Hubs in the Gulf of Guinea
- Conakry
- Ivory Coast
- Ghana
- Togo
- Benin
- Nigeria
- Malabo
- Cameroon
- Gabon