Subsistence fishers boosted with safety gear in Eastern and Western Cape regions: SAMSA

Stilbaai: 31 October 2024

The plight of South Africa’s subsistence fishing communities is increasingly receiving due attention from government and its agencies, but particularly with both the allocation of more fish species rights, as well as support in terms of enhancing fishing safety, according to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE).

This emerged this week at a function by the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) to present sets of personal protective and fishing safety gear to members of a rural subsistence cooperative, the Stillcob Joint Primary Corporative in Stilbaai, Western Cape province, on Tuesday.

_{SAMSA Head of Corporate Social Investment, Ms Mapitso Dlepu}

The donation handover was the second of its kind in terms of SAMSA’s Corporate Social Investment and Sustainability project for 2024 – the first having been made a month ago to a Centani, Eastern Cape based 60-member strong rural subsistence fishing cooperative. registered as the Eluthimba Small Scale Fisheries Cooporative.

According to SAMSA head of CSI, Ms Mapitso Dlepu, this year’s corporate social investment shift towards the country’s subsistence fishing community was to galvanise and consolidate state support for sustainable fishing and community development to alleviate poverty and empower subsistence fishing dependent communities.

The subsistence fishing cooperatives selected for support this year – both based in SAMSA’s Southern Region that straddles parts of both the Eastern and Western Cape provinces – she said; were provided with basic fishing safety gear following consultation and a needs identification that was conducted jointly with the DFFE fisheries development division.

Primarily, the donated equipment was intended to enable the fishermen to fish more efficiently while adhering to safety, she said. According to Ms Dlepu, SAMSA is committed to maintaining ongoing focus of its CSI activity on providing support that promotes and enhances safety of subsistence fisher communities countrywide. For her remarks, click on the video below.

SAMSA Mossel Bay area Principal Officer, Capt. Thembela Taboshe also weighed in, restating the significance of the SAMSA gesture from the entity’s operations perspective.

*_{DFFE Fisheries Development Officer, Garden Route, Ms Boitumelo Chakane-Nxusani}*

In Stilbaai on Tuesday, DFFE Fisheries Development Officer for the Garden Route area of the Western Cape province, Ms Boitumelo Chakane-Nxusani said the country currently has 172 registered subsistence fishing cooperatives, the marjority (92) of them in the Western Cape, and collectively accounting for over 10 000 members.

Significantly though, she said, was that in a decisive break with past practice, the variety of fishing species of allowable catch by subsistence fishers had been increased to include species caught for commercial purposes in addition to those for personal consumption.

Additionally, she said, the department was working diligently to ensure diversity in the subsector by encouraging and promoting the inclusion of both women and youth.

For her full remarks, click on the video below:

*_{Stillcob Joint Primary Cooperative Limited chairperson, Mr Ben Strydom.}*

In welcoming the fishing safety gear support by SAMSA, the chairperson of the Stillcob Joint Primary Cooperative Limited, Mr Ben Strydom described it as a ‘great relief’ after an eight year struggle to access resources to alleviate the plight of subsistence fishers.

Mr Strydom also indicated his pleasure at the expansion of species that are now going to be allowed for subsistence fishers, thereby allowing them to also contribute to social and economic development through increased production output and commercial markets access that would lead to creation of employment and wider of sharing of income. For his views, click on the video below.

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South Africa’s Parliament ‘pleased’ by SAMSA’s work, and pledges more resources’ support.

Cape Town: 18 October 2024

South Africa’s Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport has expressed its pleasure and satisfaction with the work of the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), even as the entity is hard pressed to jack up its boots to enhance levels of safety in the country’s waterways for both life and property at sea.

The positive rating on SAMSA’s performance over the past year was expressed by the Committee’s chairperson, Mr Selelo David Selamolelo during a scheduled oversight visit of and meeting with the entity’s management leadership on Saturday, 12 October 2024 in Cape Town.

Said Mr Selamolelo; “The maritime space is very important for economic emancipation, but also for moving, generally, the economy of the country…… emerging from this meeting with SAMSA, we are pleased and happy with the work that they are currently doing, even as there are areas that they must improve on, especially those relating to contracts management, and transformation.”

SAMSA’s management leadership for the occassion comprised members of its Board of non-executive directors led by its chairperson, Mr Mahesh Fakir, SAMSA executive management led by Acting Chief Executive Officer, Ms Mbalenhle Golding; in the presence also of the Deputy Minister of Transport, Mr Mkhuleko Hlengwa.

*_{SAMSA Board Chairperson, Mr Mahesh Fakir}*

The meeting took place at SAMSA’s Cape Town based Centre for Sea Watch & Response (incorporating the Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre) and which in 2024 has had to deal with a significantly higher number of maritime incidents compared with recent years, involving both transnational cargo vessels traversing across South Africa’s three oceans along a 3 200km coastline, as well as commercial fishing vessels; and from some of which incidents, in both caterogies, regrettably, life and property were lost at sea.

Regarding cargo vessels, incidents in the 2024 calendar year mostly involved ships losing containers at sea – with one eventually grounded on the west coast – all reportedly due to southern Africa’s adverse weather conditions this year. Among some of the cargo vessels’ incidents, in some instances, loss of crew members overboard were reported.

On the other hand, incidents related to commercial fishing vessels also involved no less than four of these, through either grounding (one in January in South Africa’s south east coast) or sinking (three in South Africa’s south west coast area over the last few months – with one resulting in a loss of 11 seafarers.

The spate of maritime incidents at South Africa’s oceans this year increasingly becoming a concern even at highest government level, five days prior to the portfolio committee on transport’s oversight meeting with SAMSA management leadership on Saturday, deputy Minister of Transport, Mr Hlengwa had also had a special meeting with SAMSA’s executive management, also in Cape Town.

This was for a briefing on among other issues, the progress being achieved in the salvage of the wreck of a general cargo ship, the MV Ultra Galaxy, that’s currently underway on South Africa’s west coast since its grounding in early July.

In Cape Town on Saturday afternoon, emerging from the SAMSA management leadership meeting, and another with South Africa’s Ports Regular management team, Mr Selamolelo said the committee was not merely pleased and happy with SAMSA’s performance for the period under review, but also pledged the committee’s full support for the resourcing of the country’s maritime safety authority.

He said: “Coming out of this meeting is that we, as the Portfolio Committee on Transport, may have to find a way to give more support in terms of resources to SAMSA because they are doing a lot of work in terms of ensuring safety in our waters.”

For his full remarks during a brief interview with this blog, please click on the video below.

Prior to the portfolio committee on transport meeting in Cape Town on Saturday, both the Deputy Minister of Transport, Mr Hlengwa, and SAMSA management leadership, led by Board chairperson, Mr Mahesh Fakir, and Acting CEO, Ms Mbalenhle Golding, paid a courtesy visit to the Nelson Mandela University based South African International Maritime Institute (SAIMI) two days earlier (Thursday, 10 October 2024).

The visit was the new deputy Minister’s first to the institution, for his briefing and an exchange of notes on progress being achieved by the Department of Higher Education funded SAIMI with maritime skills development, as well as about challenges in the training and education sector requiring mutual support, cooperation and collaboration.

_{VISITING SAIMI:}*_{(From Left) SAMSA CFO and Acting CEO, Ms Mbalenhle Golding, SAMSA Board Chairperson, Mr Mahesh Fakir, Transport Deputy Minister, Mr Mkhuleko Hlengwa and SAIMI CEO, Mr Odwa Mtati.}*

The event, which encompassed a tour of SAIMI partners’ related maritime skills development projects located at the Nelson Mandela University, capped this year’s maritime transport sector focus as part of the annual October Transport Month campaign by the Deparment of Transport nationally.

For a comprehensive coverage, involving both remarks shared by earmarked officials on the stage as well as brief interviews with the Deputy Minister of Transport, Mr Hlengwa and SAIMI chief executive officer, Mr Odwa Mtati, and a brief tour of a maritime related technology skills development facility at the NMU, click on the videos below.

Brief Interview Remarks:

_{Transport Deputy Minister, Mr Mkhuleko Hlengwa}

_{SA International Maritime Institute (SAIMI) CEO, Mr Odwa Mtati}

On Stage Remarks:

_{Nelson Mandela University Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation & Internationalisation, Prof Azwindi Muronga}

_{SAMSA Board Chairperson, Mr Mahesh Fakir}

^{Transport Deputy Minister, Mr Mkhuleko Hlengwa}

Closing Remaks

End

Crew members of casualty fishing vessel, MFV Armana safely back in Cape Town; but vessel missing and presumed sunken: SAMSA

_{The casualty fishing vessel, MFV Armana photographed while drifting after it was abandoned by its 20 member crew on discovery of fire on board on Sunday and before it vanished during the early hours of Monday morning in an ocean location some 57 nautical miles south of Gansbaai in South Africa’s Western Cape province. (Photo: Supplied)}

Cape Town: 14 October 2024

Twenty crew members of a casualty fishing vessel abandoned at sea on Sunday after it caught fire arrived safely and were disembarked in Cape on Sunday night, the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) confirmed on Monday.

However, a search for the vessel had since been called off on Monday afternoon after sight of her was lost after midnight on Sunday, and was now presumed sunken, reported SAMSA.

The fiery incident involving the 62 year old MVF Armana and which led to her abandonment by her crew after a fire onboard occurred early on Sunday (13 October 2024) while she was located approximately 60 Nautical Miles offshore from Gansbaai.

_{Crew members of the casualty MFV Armana being rescued on Sunday after their fishing vessel had caught fire and had to be abandoned. They arrived safely in Cape Town on Sunday evening. (Photo: Supplied)}

In a statement, SAMSA said: “The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) herewith confirms the safe arrival and disembarkation of all 20 crew members of the abandoned fishing vessel, MFV Armana, at the port of Cape Town last night, as well as the discontinuation of a search for the vessel after sight was lost of it early on Monday.

“The 20 member crew of the vessel arrived safely at 19h45 (local time) in Cape Town on Sunday night (13 October) aboard the MFV Ludwani, another of the Sea Harvest Group’s vessels, which had been mobilised to assist with the rescue after the crew of the MFV Armana had to abandon the fishing vessel due to a fire on board.

“Soon after the crew had abandoned the vessel and rescued by the MFV Ludwani, with assistance coordinated by the Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre (MRCC) at the SAMSA Centre for Sea Watch and Response in Cape Town, measures were taken to both monitor the MFV Armana where it had initially remained adrift at a location approximately 57 Nautical Miles south of Gansbaai, as well as to arrange salvage of the MVF Armana.

“These measures involved the deployment of the MFV Harvest Saldanha for monitoring, as well as the dispatch of the Emergency Towing Vessel (ETV) Umkhuseli, to tow the stricken vessel to a safe place of refuge.

“However, regrettably, sight was eventually lost of the MVF Armana in the early hours of Monday (14 October 2024). A search for the vessel was conducted for several hours early Monday without success, and a decision was taken to call it off at 13h00 on Monday as the vessel is now presumed sunk,” said SAMSA.

SAMSA added that a safety navigational warning was issued to all vessels located in or near the last known ocean position of the casualty fishing vessel, as well as to report any sightings of the MFV Armana. SAMSA said an Incident Management Team remain in constant contact with the owners and all parties concerned.

SAMSA confirmed that it will be investigating the cause of the fire on the casualty fishing vessel, MFV Armana.

Meanwhile, SAMSA further said it had taken note of the Minister of Transport, Ms Barbara Creecy’s directive to the entity on Sunday to conduct an urgent safety inspections of all commercial fishing vessels operating in South African waters.

“SAMSA acknowledges and has taken note of the Minister of Transport, Ms Barbara Creecy’s directive to SAMSA on Sunday to implement a program to develop a more comprehensive fishing vessel safety improvement plan and is committed to work with all fishing industry stakeholders to ensure that we achieve this end goal,” said SAMSA.

End.

20 seafarers safely evacuated from fishing vessel on fire: SAMSA

_{Crew members of a Sea Harvest fishing vessel, the MFV Armana, that caught on fire early on Sunday at sea being transferred from their life raft onto another vessel, the MFV Ludwani, for transportation back to Cape Town . (Photo supplied)}

Pretoria: 13 October 2024

Twenty crew members of a fishing vessel that caught on fire while out at sea some 60 nautical miles offshore from Gansbaai in the Western Cape were safely rescued and currently on their way to Cape Town, according to the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA).

According to SAMSA, the fiery incident on board a Sea Harvest fishing vessel, the MVF Armana, occured early on Sunday while the vessel, described as 62 years old, was out at sea for its usual fishing expedition.

In a statement on Sunday afternoon, SAMSA reported: “The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) confirms that the 62 year old MVF Armana had a fire onboard around 60 nautical miles offshore from Gansbaai during the early hours of Sunday, 13 October 2024.

“Initial indications were that the vessel was sinking but subsequent information received by Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre (MRCC) located at the SAMSA Centre for Sea Watch and Response in Cape Town indicated that the 20 crew had to abandon the fishing vessel due to a fire on board.

“Fortunately, all 20 crew members of the vessel have been rescued, are confirmed unharmed, and are on their way back to Cape Town aboard the MFV Ludwani – another of the Sea Harvest Group’s vessels that was in the area at the time of the call. She is estimated to arrive at 20:00 (local time) tonight, and will be met by SAMSA on arrival.

“The families of the rescued crew have been informed and the company is keeping them up to date accordingly.

“The MFV Armana is currently adrift 57 nautical miles south of Gansbaai, and being monitored by the MFV Harvest Saldanha. SAMSA have instructed the owner to secure the services of a tug to tow the stricken vessel to a safe place of refuge and to appoint a salvor.

“The SAMSA Incident Management Team is in contact with the owners and all parties concerned. Further information will be released as soon as it becomes available,” said SAMSA.

End

Seafarers safety and marine environmental protection under focus on ‘Transport Month’ in South Africa.

Pretoria: 08 October 2024

Seafarers’ safety and welfare, right along with tight protection of the oceans environment have come under close focus in South Africa in October – a month dedicated annually to transport safety – all in the wake of several vessels incidents this year and during some of which both life and property were lost at sea.

South Africa’s deputy Minister of Transport, Mr Mkhuleko Hlengwa on Tuesday met with the executive management of the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) and members of the SOE’s Board of Directors in Cape Town for a briefing on, among other things; progress with the salvage of the grounded Panama-flagged cargo vessel, the MV Ultra Galaxy, currently underway on South Africa’s west coast.

The grounding of the vessel in early July occured as the southern hemisphere’s wintry weather fully set in, characterised by choppy winds and rough seas, and amidst several other incidents recorded this year occuring along South Africa’s three oceans, from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Indian Ocean in the east.

The incidents – about 22 so far this year since January – included the sinking of no less than two fishing vessels, the FV Oceana Amethystone in April and the FV Lepanto in May both on the west coast- the latter with a sad loss of 11 lives.

These were preceded earlier in the year by the grounding of another fishing vessel on the Indian Ocean near St Francis Bay, the Elke M, and also followed by several other incidents involving both a handful of seafarers and more than 200 containers being lost overboard a number of cargo vessels.

In Cape Town on Tuesday, South Africa’s Transport Deputy Minister, Mr Hlengwa briefied by SAMSA management on the progress being achieved with the salvage work of the grounded vessel, the MV Ultra Galaxy and who wreck, now in three parts, is still partly submerged in a coastal area some 300 km north of Cape Town.

Also present for the deputy Minister’s briefing in Cape Town on Tuesday were Mr Michael Heads, MD of 2Opic and P&I Club representative, Mr Matt Moor, Chief Operating Officer and Head of Claims at Asia Pacific North Standard, Dr Sue Ware of ITOPF as well as officials of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment.

Mr Hlengwa heard that the MV Ultra Galaxy, a 124.56-meter-long general cargo vessel built in 2008, ran aground on the evening of Tuesday, 09 July 2024, off the coast of Duiwegat, just south of Brand se Baai on the West Coast.

This occurred just a day after the vessel, laden with fertiliser cargo from Europe and destined for Dar es Salaam in Tanzania was abandoned by its 18 member Pilipino crew after it had listed heavily while sailing south on the Atlantic Ocean a day before.

On its grounding, the initial effort by South African authorities as constituted by the country’s Incident Management Organisation (IMOrg) under the Department of Transport, focussed primarily on retrieving all cargo on board, consisting of the fertiliser as well as fuel on board.

However, this effort was virtually stillborn since just as soon as salvage started, it was immediately thwarted by extreme wintry weather conditions, leading to the fertiliser dissolving on exposure to sea water, and about 500 metric tons of low sulphur fuel and hydraulic oils spilling out and mostly washed ashore onto nearby beaches.

A clean-up operation that initially began with floating debris, ensued; expanding fully onto the oil and low sulphur fuel spill that was collected successfully for disposal.

Most recently, SAMSA confirmed that a tender process for the retrieval and removal of the wreck was already at an advanced stage of finalisation, after which the preferred services provider will be appointed to formally start with the work.

_{Ministerial Briefing: Mr Mahesk Fakir, SAMSA Board chairperson (standing) briefing Transport Deputy Minister, Mr Mkhuleko Hlengwa (seated, second from the right) in Cape Town on Tuesday, 08 October 2024, on progress being made with the salvage work of the grounded MV Ultra Galaxy lying in pieces on South Africa’s west coast since early July 2024.}

In his briefing of the Deputy Minister of Transport, SAMSA’s Board chairperson, Mr Mahesh Fakir, reiterated the entity’s full commitment to its legislated mandate of ensuring safety of life and property at sea and the protection of the marine environment, with critical focus on its safety mandate.

Crucially however, he said: “As we look into the future, we must ask ourselves, how do we sustainably fund and maintain the capacity to prevent such incidents in the future.” Also important, he said, was greater support and collaboration with both the maritime sector and industry as well as other state departments and entities.

Regarding the salvage of the MV Ultra Galaxy, he said the plan was to have both the wreck and removed and the affected natural environment rehabilitated to its original condition.

In response, Mr Hlengwa thanked both SAMSA, the DFFE and industry principals and experts for their continued keen involvement and contribution to the work of SAMSA, and by extention, that of the Department of Transport and government.

“It is our belief that together, we can promote South Africa’s maritime interests and contribute to a safer, cleaner and more sustainable oceans environment; and I invite you to engage with us with any ideas that you might have in order to take this work forward,” said Mr Hlengwa.

For their brief remarks, click on video below.

Philippines Ambassador visits SAMSA

Prior to the briefing of the South Africa deputy Minister of Transport, Mr Hlengwa on Tuesday, SAMSA’s Southern Region management in Gqeberha also hosted Philippines’ Ambassador to South Africa, Ms Noralyn Jubaira Baja for a courtesy visit that centred on strengthening of relations between the two countries with regards the safety and welfare of seafarers.

All 18 crew members of the MV Ultra Galaxy who were safely evacuated and expatriated were Phillipinos. In a brief interview shortly after the meeting, Ms Baja described the visit and meeting as a routine,intended primarily to firm up relations with SAMSA regional offices spread across South Africa’s coastline from Richards Bay in the east to Port Nolloth in the west, with a view to ensuring the safety and welfare of Philipino seafarers worldwide.

Her schedule in the city would also involve a visit of a vessel at Algoa Bay with Philipino crew members. For her brief chat, click on the video above.

End.

Search on for more containers fallen off a cargo vessel sailing past South Africa this week: SAMSA

Pretoria: 04 October 2024

The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) says it has embarked on yet another search for a set of containers lost overboard by an international cargo vessel while sailing along the country’s oceans earlier this week.

However, the set of containers lost overboard by a Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) vessel, the MV MSC Taranto, while sailing past South Africa, are empty. In the wake of the incident, SAMSA has issued a navigational warning to vessels traversing the oceans nearby to be on the look-out, and to report any sightings.

In a statement in Pretoria on Friday, SAMSA said: “The South African Maritime Safety Authority has been alerted to the loss of five empty containers from the MV MSC Taranto, which occurred between 01:00 and 04:00 local time on the 2nd of October 2024.

“The vessel, which is currently en-route to Colombo, Sri Lanka, reported that the containers – two (2) yellow and three (3) red -were lost at sea. The exact location of the containers is reported to be have been along the west coast between Mossel Bay and stillbaai.

“SAMSA, in collaboration with other relevant authorities, is actively working on locating and recovering the containers. A navigational warning has been issued to all vessels traversing the west coast of South Africa to be on alert for the floating containers, which pose a potential hazard to maritime navigation.

“Mariners and the public are urged to immediately report any sightings of the containers to local authorities or the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) on 021 938 3300.

Further updates will be provided as recovery efforts continue.

MV MSC Apollo released

Meanwhile, SAMSA also confirmed the official release of another MSC vessel, the MV MSC Apollo that had been berthed in Algoa Bay for more than a week following an oil spill incident which since been contained.

Said SAMSA: “The MV MSC Apollo has been allowed to depart from Algoa Bay anchorage after she was detained following an oil spill in the bay on the 7^th of September. A root cause investigation was completed by the vessel’s owners in conjunction with the Classification Society and endorsed by the vessel’s Flag State.

“This investigation resulted in one of the overboard discharges being blanked off and the sea chest strainer cleaned by a local dive company, in difficult conditions at the anchorage. No other damages have been found on the ship’s side structure during the diving inspection.

“The vessel will proceed to her next port of call, where a more thorough internal inspection of the sea chests can be conducted, while in port, by her owners,” said SAMSA.

Regarding the impacts of the oil spill in Algoa Bay, SAMSA said: “The oil spill affected the penguin population on St Croix Island and 13 oiled penguins were captured on the island by SANPARKS rangers and transported to the local SANCOBB rehabilitation facility.

“Very early in the incident one (1) penguin had died due to being in poor condition. The staff at SANCOBB have washed nine (9) penguins to date [with] two (2) more needing additional care before being washed.

“A lightly oiled penguin did not need washing but is being kept with the other penguins and these birds are expected to be released within the next two (2) weeks provided that they pass all their health checks,” said SAMSA.

“The SANPARKS rangers are scheduled to conduct a final inspection of St Croix Island on Saturday to check for any oiled penguins that may have been missed during their visits to the island group” said SAMSA.

Meanwhile, SAMSA also confirmed that the vessel owners had co-operated with the Authorities by paying the fines that were issued and provided a letter of undertaking to cover all reasonable cost of the clean up and penguin rehabilitation.

“These costs are being monitored by ITOPF (International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Limited) to ensure fairness,” said SAMSA.

End

Sea future safety vested on youth; South Africa’s focus on World Maritime Day 2024

Durban: 01 October 2024

In marking World Maritime Day 2024, under the theme: ‘Navigating the Future: Safety First’, South Africa – with an event held in Durban a week ago – literally took the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) chosen subject for this year by the scruff of the neck, by devoting the entire event to school children’s maritime awareness elevation and exposure to careers in the sector.

No less than 500 pupils from as many as 10 high schools in KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape provinces filled the popular Transnet N-Shed adjacent the port of Durban’s Cruise Passenger Terminal on Thursday last week, for this year’s WMD domestic celebration.

The hosts were the provincial Department of Transport and Human Settlements, under the leadership of MEC, Mr Siboniso Duma, and the Ethekwini Maritime Clusture jointly with the Transnet National Port Authority (TNPA) and the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA).

Mr Duma, flanked by the Mayor of Durban, Mr Cyril Xaba, was joined also by officials of the Port of Natal Maritime Museum, Life Saving SA, as well as education and training institutions and private sector companies’ representatives as exhibitors.

These included Amsol, the Durban University of Technology, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Moses Kotane Institute, national Department of Transport, Ethekwini Biodiversity, Lifesavers Association, Ethekwini Natural Resource Development, Go Digital South Africa, Sharks Board, and others.

The invitation and hosting of school children during celebration of the WMD in South Africa, or any other of the IMO’s global calendar events – including Day of the Seafarers, held annually also on June 25 – is not uncommon nor their participation often limited.

However, for this year’s WMD celebration in Durban, their presence and being the central focal point of the event was as readily noticeable as it tied neatly with the year’s IMO chosen theme.

*_{Mr Nkumbuzo Ben-Mazwi, Acting Port Manager; Port of Durban}*

According to TNPA’s port of Durban Acting Port Manager, Mr Nkumbuzo Ben-Mazwi: “This year’s theme says ‘Navigating the Future; Safety First‘ and so it is that by focusing on school children we are navigating the future through the young people in order to ensure that when we are no longer here, they will be able to run these ports even better than we have done.”

Towards this end, the event approach was to devote it wholesome to raising awareness of as many youths as possible on the day about the country and world’s maritime sector, inclusive of their exposure to the numerous career opportunities therein. That way, said Mr Ben-Mazwi, South Africa would secure the future safety and sustainability of the country maritime sector, and by extension the safety of the sea.

For his full remarks, click on the video below.

Meanwhile, during a chance, albeit, brief interview with Dr Dusty-Lee Donnelly, Director of Law and Maritime Studies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, this blog established that the university – one of a handful of this country’s institutions of higher learning with dedicated faculties on maritime studies – was already at an advanced stage of further engaging more youth in maritime education and training through deliberate linkages sought to be established with the country’s +50 Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges.

*_{Dr Dusty-Lee Donnelly, Director of Law and Maritime Studies, KwaZulu-Natal University}*

“We want to put South Africa on the world map in all aspects of the maritime sphere….” quipped Dr Donnelly, revealing that beginning next year (2025) the university will be spreading its offerings.

This would involve among other initiatives; the launch of a specialised post-graduate certificate of education (PGCE) course, as well as an advanced diploma programme for TVET colleges lectures keen on acquiring or increasing their knowledge and practice to various branches of maritime studies.

The initiative, she said, was being pursued in collaboration with the Nelson Mandela University based South African International Maritime Institute (SAIMI) and the Durban Maritime Cluster – a key local business grouping with interest in maritime sector activities in the KwaZulu-Natal province.

For her full remarks on this and related, click on the video below.

Also present was Department of Transport deputy director for Maritime Industry Development, Ms Lindiwe Mawowa who also weighed on the significance of the approach to the WMD 2024 celebration by South Africa, restating the singular importance of the deliberate focus on youth.

For her full views, click on the video below.

Marking WMD 2024: On stage presentations.

For the event presentations on stage, inclusive of the Opening Remarks (TNPA), Welcome Address (SAMSA) and Keynote Speech (KwaZulu-Natal provincial MEC for Transport & Human Settlements), click on the videos below.

More content to follow.

End.