About Us
West Africa's Specialist
Vessel Charter Broker
Operated by Calmwaters Shipping Ltd — NPA Licensed Port Agent, Lagos, Nigeria. Connecting charterers and vessel owners across West Africa since 2009.
Our Story
Built in Lagos.
Trusted Across West Africa.
Calmwaters Shipping Ltd was founded in 2009 by Pius Nobei at 38/40 Burma Road, Apapa — the heart of Nigeria's maritime district. From day one, the mission was straightforward: give Nigerian and West African charterers access to the right vessels on internationally standard terms, without the complexity that had historically made the market inaccessible.
Today, operating as West Africa Vessel Charter, we broker tanker charters, offshore support vessel arrangements and port agency services across Nigeria and the wider West African region.
Over 750 successful charters later, the business remains owner-led, Apapa-based and entirely focused on doing one thing exceptionally well: being the most responsive, best-connected maritime broker in West Africa. Recent fixtures include a series of Aframax crude liftings on the Bonny–Northwest Europe trade lane, MR product tanker arrangements for coastal distribution across the Gulf of Guinea, and recurring offshore PSV support for deepwater operations in the Nigerian EEZ.
Our Base Since 2009
38/40 Burma Road, Apapa, Lagos
Leadership
Pius Nobei
CEO & Founder, MBA
Pius Nobei
Chief Executive Officer & Founder — MBA
Pius founded Calmwaters Shipping Ltd in 2009 with a clear mandate: to build a West African maritime brokerage that could stand alongside international operators in terms of professionalism, compliance and responsiveness.
With an MBA and over 15 years of hands-on experience in Nigerian ports and offshore operations, Pius leads every significant charter negotiation personally. His direct involvement is not just a company value — it is the reason clients return for every subsequent charter.
Under his leadership, Calmwaters has obtained NPA Licensed Agent status and is actively pursuing NIMASA registration and BIMCO membership — positioning the company as Nigeria's most credentialed independent vessel charter broker.
The Team
Experienced People.
Reliable Execution.
We keep our team lean and senior. When you work with Calmwaters, you speak directly to the person handling your vessel — not a junior account manager passing messages up a chain.
Pius Nobei
Chief Executive Officer & Founder — MBA
Pius founded Calmwaters in 2009 and leads every significant charter negotiation personally. With over 15 years of hands-on experience across Nigerian ports and offshore operations, his direct involvement in client mandates is both a company value and its greatest commercial advantage.
Oby Ilona
Assistant General Manager — Administration & Finance
Oby oversees the administrative and financial operations of Calmwaters, ensuring that every charter transaction is supported by precise documentation, compliant disbursement accounting, and smooth back-office execution. Her attention to detail and institutional knowledge of Nigerian port compliance procedures are central to the company's operational reliability.
Credentials & Compliance
Recognised. Regulated. Reliable.
Our credentials represent real regulatory obligations that protect our clients from compliance risk on every transaction.
NPA Licensed Port Agent
ActiveNigerian Ports Authority
Active licence — Lagos, Port Harcourt, Warri & Bonny Terminal. Licence details available on request.
CAC Registered Company
ActiveCorporate Affairs Commission Nigeria
Calmwaters Shipping Ltd — CAC registration details available on request.
NIMASA Registration
In ProgressNigerian Maritime Administration & Safety Agency
Application in progress
BIMCO Membership
In ProgressBaltic and International Maritime Council
Pursuing membership — all practices aligned to BIMCO standards
How We Work
Our Values in Practice
01
Integrity
Every charter negotiation, every port call, every client interaction is conducted with full transparency. We say what we will do, and we do what we say.
02
Compliance
NPA Licensed Agent, operating to BIMCO-standard documentation and Nigerian maritime regulatory requirements. We protect our clients from compliance risk.
03
Responsiveness
Maritime windows do not wait. Our team is reachable 24/7 via WhatsApp, phone or email — with real people who know the answer, not call centre scripts.
04
Local Knowledge
15+ years operating inside Nigerian ports gives us relationships, contextual knowledge and practical problem-solving capability that no international broker can replicate.
05
International Standards
We structure all transactions to BIMCO charter parties, proper indemnity practices and professional documentation — a credible counterparty for global owners.
06
Client First
We operate as an extension of our clients' teams — not a vendor they manage. Your cargo, your vessel, your deadline is our priority.
Work With Us
Ready to Charter a Vessel?
Submit your charter request and we will respond within the hour.