The battle for maritime football supremacy is set to explode in Lagos on November 10 as eight organisations prepare to slug it out for honours at the 16th edition of the Ships & Ports Maritime Cup.

Defending champions, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), will take centre stage when they confront 2024 champions Comet Shipping Agencies in the tournament’s opening fixture at The Stable, Bode Thomas, Surulere, Lagos.

The opening encounter, scheduled for 3pm, will officially usher in the competition, which runs until November 26, 2026.

“With the fixtures now released, anticipation is building for what promises to be an exciting contest featuring some of the biggest institutions and operators in Nigeria’s maritime industry,” Maritime Cup Coordinator, Oluwatosin Rotimi, said.

Rotimi said this year’s competition features eight teams divided into two groups of four.

Group A comprises Nigeria Customs Service, Comet Shipping Agencies, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and Nigerian Ports Economic Regulatory Agency (NPERA).

Group B has Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dangote Ports Operation, National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and Apapa Bulk Terminal Ltd (ABTL).

The group-stage battles are expected to produce intense encounters as the participating teams seek to secure places in the semi-finals.

Following the opening clash between Customs and Comet, attention will shift to other teams on November 11, when NIMASA takes on NPERA at 10am, while NPA takes on Dangote at 11:30am.

All matches will be played at The Stable, Bode Thomas, Surulere.

Beyond the opening-day excitement, the spotlight will be firmly on the Nigeria Customs Service as it seeks to defend the title won in 2025.

Customs boasts an impressive record in the competition, having emerged champions in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2025, while Comet won the coveted trophy in 2024.

However, the challenge will not come easy, particularly with the Nigerian Ports Authority equally determined to reassert its dominance. NPA enjoyed a remarkable three-year winning streak, lifting the trophy in 2018, 2022 and 2023.

Other former champions include the Nigerian Navy (2009), Micura Services Limited (2010), National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (2014), Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (2015) and ENL Consortium (2019). The 2020 and 2021 editions were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The group-stage campaign will give way to the semi-finals on November 23. The winner of Group A will face the runner-up in Group B at 10am, while the winner of Group B will battle the runner-up in Group A at 11:30am.

The losing semi-finalists will contest the third-place match on November 26, starting at 1pm.

The grand finale, scheduled for 2:30pm the same day, will determine the 2026 champions.

Beyond the pursuit of silverware, the Ships & Ports Maritime Cup has continued to provide a platform for interaction, networking and relationship-building among stakeholders in Nigeria’s maritime sector.

“The participation of regulatory agencies, government institutions, terminal operators and shipping companies gives the competition a unique industry-wide appeal,” Rotimi said.