Pretoria: 27 October 2022
With proposed changes as well introduction of new regulations numbering no less than five (5) all relating to the administration of certain key aspects of the country’s maritime economic space, most under Merchant Shipping Act, the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) is to embark on an extensive national consultation with relevant stakeholders.
The idea is to ensure broader and closer interactive reach to stakeholders for their views and inputs during November 2022, the Department of Transport (DoT) agency announced in Pretoria on Tuesday.
The announcement in a Maritime Information Notice (MIN14-22) published on its website just before lunch on Tuesday, states that: “The Minister of Transport intends, in terms of section 356(2)(a) of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1951 (Act No. 57 of 1951) and on the recommendation of the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) to amend (certain) Regulations.
“SAMSA has, in the process, issued a Notice in Government Gazette Number 47300 issued on 14 October 2022, calling for public comments on the draft Regulations.
“These include:
- The Merchant Shipping (Safety of Navigation) Amendment Regulations, 1968;
- The Merchant Shipping (Dangerous Goods) Amendment Regulations, 1997;
- The Draft MS (Crew Accommodation) Regulations, 2023 which seeks to repeal the 1961 Regulations;
- The Draft Merchant Shipping (Construction and Equipment of Fishing Vessels of 24 Metres in Length and Over) Regulations, 2022; and
- The Draft Merchant Shipping (Construction and Equipment of Fishing Vessels of Less Than 24 Metres in Length and Equal to or More Than 25 Gt.) Regulations, 2022.
According to SAMSA, electronic copies of the Draft Regulations are available on its website at https://www.samsa.org.za/Pages/SAMSADraftRegulation.aspx and may also be requested from two SAMSA officials, Messrs Bulelani Ncanywa at bncanywa@samsa.org.za or Crispen Camp at ccamp@samsa.org.za
SAMSA says: “ Interested persons are hereby invited to submit written comments on these Draft Amendment Regulations on or before the 15 November 2022 to the Chief Executive Officer.” Specific address details for the submissions are given on the MIN which may also be obtained through the following link on the SAMSA website
Meanwhile however, in order to facilitate personal stakeholder engagement on the Draft Amendment Regulations, the agency says it will conduct various workshops around the country, beginning with Cape Town on 09 November, followed by Gqeberha (previously Port Elizabeth) on 16 November and Durban on 23 November 2022.
In Cape Town, SAMSA will utilise its Cape Town office training centre as a venue for the stakeholder consultation in its Western Region, while venues for the rest of the consultative meetings for the Southern Region (Mossel Bay/Gqeberha/East London) and Eastern Region (Durban/Richards Bay) will be confirmed and announced in due course.
Once the consultation have been completed, a report will be filed with the DoT, says SAMSA
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