The Federal High Court in the recent case of NOBLE DRILLING (NIGERIA) LIMITED V THE NIGERIAN MARITIME ADMINISTRATION AND SAFETY AGENCY (NIMASA) & THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORTATION1 provides clarity on Sections 2, 5 and 22(5) of the Coastal and Inland Shipping (Cabotage) Act, Cap. C51, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 (Cabotage Act).

This paper considers the recent developments in Nigerian Ship Arrest Law – the Admiralty Jurisdiction Procedure Rules (AJPR) 2011 for the Federal High Court of Nigeria (FHC), and its effect on ship arrest practice.