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

Malta-flagged ultra large container vessel sails off Algoa Bay as hunt for lost containers continues on South Africa’s east coast: SAMSA

^{Maltese flagged new generation ultra large container vessel, the CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin departed from South Africa on Tuesday night after a weekend of cargo hold examination and strenghtening following to a week of adverse weather at sea and during which dozens of containers were lost overboard in the Indian Ocean.}^{(Photo: SAMSA)}

Pretoria: 18 July 2024

Efforts to locate more than three dozen goods containers that fell off at sea from one of the world’s biggest cargo containerships in the world currently, the CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin, while sailing on the Indian Ocean alongside South Africa a week ago, continue in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape; according to the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA)

That is, even as the new generation ultra large Maltese flagged container vessel has departed from Algoa Bay where it had sought shelter from adverse weather, and to have her cargo hold strengthened for the rest of her journey to western Europe, confirmed SAMSA on Thurssday.

The CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin had anchored in Algoa Bay on Friday last week, after a harrowing bad weather experience on the Indian Ocean along South Africa, and during which she reported a loss of forty-four (44) containers overboard.

According to SAMSA, the incident occurred in the Indian Ocean earlier in the morning of 09 July 2024 and during which she reported a collapsed container stack. The vessel then diverted to Algoa Bay, where she anchored in sheltered waters to undergo a comprehensive damage assessment inclusive of the remaining cargo still onboard.

A ship navigation warning had since been issued by the Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre (MRCC) based at SAMSA’s Centre for Sea Watch & Response in Cape Town, and remains in place.

On Thursday morning, in a statement, SAMSA said: “The ultra-large container vessel, the CMA CGM Benjamin Franklin has left Algoa Bay. She sailed on the evening of Tuesday, 16 July 2024. She had been anchored in sheltered waters in Algoa Bay since last week, undergoing a comprehensive assessment while her cargo was being secured. The vessel had reported a collapsed container stack and the loss of 44 containers at sea.

“The vessel was cleared to sail, after the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) assessed a cargo securing plan that was received from the Owners, to secure the damaged cargo stacks. After the cargo stacks were secured in Algoa Bay, the Owners identified a suitable weather window to conduct the passage around the Cape of Good Hope.

“To ensure that any settling of cargo during the sea passage is dealt with, the Owner has opted to keep a Cargo Securing Specialist and a team of Rope Access Technicians (RATs) on board for the voyage northward.

“By Wednesday, 17 July 2024, at noon, the vessel was reported making good speed towards Cape Agulhas and on Thursday morning she was passing St Helena Bay.

“The next phase of the operation is to understand the fate of the containers that are on the seabed. It is highly probable that these containers are located on the seabed outside of South African waters in depths of more than 500 meters. SAMSA and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) will be working closely with the owner and their insurers to chart a way forward regarding the containers on the seabed.

“A navigation warning to all vessels operating in the area remains active, advising them to navigate with caution. Vessels and the public are urged to report any sightings of the lost containers to the relevant authorities by contacting the Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre (MRCC) on telephone number 021 938 3300 with the position, number, and colour of the containers if observed,” said SAMSA

END

Search for sailor off South African coast called off; SAMSA

Pretoria: 04 March 2024

A search for a foreign seafarer who reportedly fell overboard a container vessel in the Indian Ocean, about 22 nautical miles southeast of Cape Recife near the city of Gqeberha, in the Eastern Cape province at the weekend, has been called off after a thorough situation appraisal; the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) confirmed on Monday.

The seafarer, reportedly a male in his 30s, was not found, said SAMSA, adding that at the time of his disappearance overboard a Denmark flagged container ship, MV Santa Cruz, he was reportedly not wearing a life jacket.

The search for the seafarer, according to SAMSA ensued on Saturday evening shortly after a distress call was received from the vessel, reporting about the incident, and requesting assistance through both the Telkom Maritime Radio and the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre based in Cape Town.

At the time of incident on Saturday evening, the vessel was sailing at approximately 22 nautical miles east of Cape Recife, near Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape province.

“At 18h42 (local time) on Saturday, Telkom Maritime Radio informed the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) that M/V Santa Cruz reported that she had a man overboard.

“MRCC and Telkom Maritime Radio has since issued a call to vessels in the vicinity, the closest of which was a fishing vessel, FV Portunity, to assist with the search while more search and rescue resources were currently being mobilised, inclusive of the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI),” said SAMSA.

Overnight, the containership which was enroute from Durban to Cape Town continued the search and was later joined by as many as six (6) other vessels, as well as by the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) in (Gqeberha), however sadly, all to no avail, confirmed SAMSA.

The vessel is bound for Cape Town and the local SAMSA office will board the vessel for further investigation.

End

Revised SA national oil spill contingency plan on a roadshow for public awareness: IMOrg -SAMSA

Gqeberha. 18 October 2023

After a long delay occasioned by the devastating outbreak of the global Covid-19 pandemic in December 2019 that led to intermittent national shutdowns for over two years, the rollout of a public awareness campaign about South Africa’s national oil spill contingency plan (NOSCP) is finally underway, with the two Indian Ocean commercial ports of Gqeberha, Eastern Cape province being the first to host the rollout.

Conducted by the South Africa Interim Incident Management Organisation (IMorg) the NOSCP roadshow kicked off at the port of Gqurha, in Algoa Bay near Gqeberha (a.k.a Port Elizabeth) on Tuesday and continued on Wednesday.

Attended by more than 80 people on Tuesday, including representatives of key role players such as the Department of Transport (DoT), South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE), the Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), environmental organisations and related, according to IMorg, the purpose of the roadshows is to inform and enhance public awareness about the revised NOSCP for the 2019-2024 period, and attendant response strategies to oil spills and related incidents at South Africa’s oceans.

The IMOrg, a virtual organisation chaired by the DoT and SAMSA as the co-chair and secretariat, is South Africa’s preparedness forum for joint Government and ndustry response to oil spills within South Africa’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of approximately 1.5-million km² across the Atlantic, Southern and Indian Oceans.

Launched in 2017, as a deliverable of the Operation Phakisa Oil and Gas laboratory B1 initiative, for joint Government – industry emergency drills, IMOrg’s membership is drawn broadly from across various sectors of society inclusive of State departments, private sector industries as well as non-governmental institutions.

*_{Capt. Ravi Naicker. SAMSA Centre for Sea Watch & Response and IMOrg senior official}*

According to Capt. Ravi Naicker of the SAMSA Centre for Sea Watch and Response, and the entity’s main representative in IMorg, the DoT has a legal responsibility of providing and fulfilling South Africa’s statutory obligations towards marine pollution prevention response along the country’s coastline of more than 3 000 kilometres. This in terms of powers provided in the Marine Pollution (Control and Civil Liability) Act 6 of 1981, Marine Pollution (Prevention of Pollution from Ships) Act 2 of 1986 and in the Marine Pollution (Intervention) Act 64 of 1987.

“These Acts impose obligations on ships and installations and further give power in respect of pollution casualties in so far as pollution occurs, or threatens to occur within waters under South African jurisdiction, being waters comprising the internal and territorial waters, the exclusive economic zone, etc.

“The International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) is the main international convention covering prevention of pollution of the marine environment by ships from operational or accidental causes.

“Domestically, the Constitution (Act No. 108 of 1996: Section 24 of the Bill of Rights): provides that everyone has a right to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being and to have the environment protected for the benefit of the present and future generations through reasonable legislative and other measures.

“The latter section illustrates clearly that the government has a legal obligation to protect the environment through the development and the implementation of the Plan to fulfil this obligation amongst other statutory legislative measures put in place.

“These rights and obligations are embedded in the supreme law in South Africa, which is the Constitution and affords every citizen access to petition a competent court of law to hear the matter and enforce their rights or perceived violations.

“Furthermore, the 2017 version of the South African Comprehensive Maritime Transport Policy makes provision for the DoT, in co-operation with other Departments and agencies, to maintain a comprehensive Contingency Plan to ensure compliance with the provisions of the International Convention on Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Co-operation, 1990 (OPRC),” he says.

On what the revised NOSCP now entails and why it is important to enhance public awareness about its provisions, Capt. Naicker says the implementation framework is critical for broad public knowledge and understanding.

The framework, he says, outlines a range of issues including the role and responsibilities of the persons and parties involved in a national response to a marine oil spill in South Africa, relevant information and recommended procedures on appropriate action in the event of an oil spill, arrangements allowing for a rapid and co-operative response to marine oil spills within defined areas, and processes related to the provision of national and international support.

“The NOSCP recognizes that no two incidents are ever the same and therefore the level and intensity of a response varies from incident to incident. The plan is complemented by Government and Industry contingency plans prepared at regional, port and facility levels. Matters of detail are contained in local, site specific, contingency plans,” he says.

A most critical aspect of the NOSCP, according to Capt. Naicker, is the adoption, introduction, and application in South Africa of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) endorsed Incident Management System (IMS) and about which, he says; offers “..a well-structured and inclusively accepted offshore oil spill response management system.’

The IMS scope covers incidents management aspects including the setting up of command structures, planning, operations, logistics and finance arrangement. Broken down into two categories, the IMS consists of three modules – IMS 100, 200 and 300 – involving desktop training of participants, and practical on-the-field real time incident management training in simulated oil spill exercises at sea.

To date, more than 50 people have undertaken the training, conducted variously by international experts including the Global Initiative for West, Central and Southern African (GI-WACAF) Project, International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association (IPIECA).

On why the IMorg’s NOSCP roadshow started in the Algoa Bay ports of Ngqurha and Port Elizabeth, Capt. Naicker says this was based on IMOrg’s recommendations that environmentally highly sensitive ports be prioritised, a stance fully supported by especially environmental groups such as the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB).

The Algoa Bay’s high risk profile for oil spill contingency plans is based both on the existence and operations of two major commercial ports and a ship-to-ship bunkering operation in the area and alongside which are a diverse wildlife including bird colonies.

For this blog’s brief chat with Capt. Naicker, click on the video below.

For a brief chat with SANCCOB’s representative at the Ngqurha port leg of the roadshow, Ms Monica Stassen click below.

For a brief chat with DFFE & IMOrg official, Ms Feroza Albertus.

End

Public given second opportunity for comment on revised bunkering Codes: SAMSA

Pretoria: 12 September 2022

Stakeholders in South Africa’s bunkering subsector have been given yet another opportunity to make comments on South Africa’s Codes of Practice for both bunkering and ship-to-ship transfers (cargo transfers), according to a joint statement issued by the State institutions charged with managing the process last week.

The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), the Department of Transport (DoT) and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE) said they jointly issued the public invitation for further comment on South Africa’s set of Codes of Good Practice for Bunkering Services and Ship-To-Ship Transfers (Cargo Transfer) as part of a process towards their finalisation and publication.

The public call is contained in a Marine Information Notice (MIN 10-22) published on the SAMSA website on Thursday, 08 September 2022. The set of Codes of Practice comprise the South African Bunkering Code of Practice, and South African Ship to Ship Code of Practice for Cargo Transfers.

In the Notice, the public entities jointly state that the reason for the further call is to allow stakeholders an opportunity to make further inputs on the amended and consolidated set of draft Codes of Practices for both bunkering and cargo transfers. The sets of Codes have now been expanded to also cover specifically Ship to Ship Cargo Transfers.

In the joint statement on Thursday, the entities state: “A moratorium was put in place on the approval of any new permanent service providers in Algoa Bay and whose lifting would be conditional to the completion of the publication of the Codes of Practice, and the completion of an Environmental Risk Assessment by TNPA for Algoa Bay. The DOT, DFFE, SAMSA and TNPA opted to provide industry a combined code of practice where each entity’s approval requirements are consolidated in one place to allow the industry an easy reference guide for these types of operations.

“The codes also provide references to the various sections of legislation that are applicable for each government department and are aimed to show how the DFFE, TNPA and SAMSA aim to work together to approve these activities to ensure a unified approach. The Codes of Practises are not intended to remove any jurisdiction or duties from either the DFFE, TNPA or SAMSA to regulate the industry,” state the entities in the Notice.

According to the statement by SAMSA, TNPA, DFFE and DoT, stakeholders will have until 22 September 2022 to submit their comments. Stakeholders’ comments can be submitted to tsu@samsa.org.za

The final Codes will be submitted to the Department of Transport once completed, say the entities.

End

South Africa’s budding maritime business chamber formation a vital intervention; industry sector players

Pretoria: 21 July 2022

Current ongoing efforts towards broadening involvement and engagement of business of all sizes in South Africa’s maritime economic sector through a representative national business chamber have received a nod from a number of keyrole players in the sector, among them diverse national institutions as well as industry sector principals.

This emerged this past week during a three (3) days strategy planning session of the budding Maritime Business Chamber (MBC) previously the Eastern Maritime Business Chamber – held at the St Francis Bay Conference Centre in the Eastern Cape province and attended or actively addressed in person or virtually by representatives of several national institutions and businesses across the private and public sectors, including financial institutions.

From the public sector, these included the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), the South African International Maritime Institute (SAIMI), Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board Maritime Centre of Excellence, and the Nelson Mandela Metropolitican Municipality (NMBM).

Financial institutions included the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) and Absa Bank while private sector institutions included FishSA as well as individual company representatives, among them CEO of Algoa Bay based bunkering services firm, Heron Marine SA, Ms Kgomotso Selokane; and Commander Tsietsi Mokhele, group executive of Johannesburg based maritime sector consulting firm, Elekhom Global.

_{Some of the institutional and business representatives physically present during the Maritime Business Chamber three days strategy workshop in St Francis Bay, Eastern Cape on Monday to Wednesday, 11-13 July 2022. Top Left: Mr Vusi September, SAMSA Head of Corporate Affairs. Top Centre Ms Kgomotso Selokane, CEO of Heron Marine SA. Top Right : Mr Khaya Mti of Absa Bank and Bottom right: Mr Xola Mkhontwana of Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) and Bottom Left: Mr Vincent Zulu of KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board Maritime Centre of Excellence}. *_{Three others at DBSA, FishSA and Elekhom participated virtually online}*

The event hosts, the MBC are an upsized version of a small business chamber that started off in Gqeberha (a.k.a Port Elizabeth) in Algoa Bay in 2019 as a small, micro and medium entreprises (SMME) organisation with express interest in involvement and engagement for business and other economic opportunities identification and exploration in the region’s maritime economic sector.

*_{Maritime Business Chamber chairperson, Mr Unathi Sonti}*

According to MBC chairperson, Mr Unathi Sonti last Tuesday in St Francis Bay, through ongoing intense and expansive interaction with various stakeholders in South Africa’s maritime sector mostly across the four coastal provinces (KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Western Cape and Northern Cape), a “clear gap” was identified for an institution of the nature operating at national level, in order to advance the interests of those people and businesses with direct interest but without any formal representation in the sector.

According to Mr Sonti, such business chamber with precise focus on the maritime sector was also vital in terms of the national interest of the country.

The feedback over the past two years culminated in last week’s three days’ strategy session workshop as a formal step towards formal expansion of the maritime business chamber countrywide, he explained. For his full views on the subject, click on the video below.

_{Mr Unathi Sonti, chairperson of Maritime Business Chamber chatting about the development of a national business chamber for the maritime sector in South Africa}

Meanwhile, all the companies and institutions represented at the event at St Francis Bay on Monday to Wednesday last week, expressed a common agreement in terms of their full support of both the idea of a business maritime chamber, as well as the expanse of its reach, domestically and abroad.

In the next three videos below, this blog chatted to at least two of the representatives of five key public sector maritime focused institutions present; SAMSA’s Head for Corporate Affairs and Acting Chief Operations Officer, Mr Vusi September; and SAIMI’s Mr Malwande Nkalitshana.

_{Mr Vusi September, SAMSA Head for Corporate Affairs and acting Chief Operations Officer; sharing the agency viewpoint on its support for the formation of a national maritime business chamber.}

_{Mr Malwande Nkalitshana of the South African Internaitonal Maritime Institute (SAIMI) also weighing on why a national maritime business chamber matters.}

From a private sector business perspective, Ms Selokane, CEO of Heron Marine SA also shared her views.

_{Ms Kgomotso Selokane. CEO of bunkering services firm Heron Marine SA and patron of the Maritime Business Chamber also sharing her own perspective of the importance of such a structure within context of South Africa’s broad economy and people’s interests}

End

Oil spill incident vessels separated as mop up continues in Algoa Bay

Pretoria: 27 May 2022

Two oil tankers involved in an oil spill incident at Algoa Bay on South Africa’s eastern seaboard near Ngqurha have been finally separated, a few days after accidentally spilling oil at sea what conducting a ship-to-ship transfer about midday on Monday this week.

Incident management authorities, the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE) said in a joint statement on Thursday afternoon that the cause of the oil spill was still under investigation.

Initially, the two vessels were kept side-to-side since the incident, in order to contain the spillage in their location, said the authorities. Now, with much of the oil around them collected from the waters, the authorities released the smaller tanker to sail back to the port of Port Elizabeth while the bigger one remained anchored offshore awaiting a berth at the port.

SAMSA, DFFE and Transnet said on Thursday: ” The investigation into the cause of the oil spill on Monday in Algoa Bay is continuing. The clean-up and recovery of the spilled oil continued this morning (Thursday 26 May), (with) the recovery teams also continu(ing) with the aerial surveillance, using a drone and oil recovery boats.

“The two (2) vessels involved were separated yesterday (25 May 2022) and the smaller vessel MT Lefkas has berthed at the port of Port Elizabeth and all the oiled equipment has been removed from the water thus posing no pollution threat to the port and its operations. The motor tanker Umnenga II is not able to enter port yet due to the unavailability of a suitable berth,” said.

According to the authorities, “None of the oil has reached the beaches. Most of the oil was cleaned and there is no oil sheen visible on the waters.

They further indicated that boat patrols by SANParks “revealed no oil near the Algoa Bay Islands and no oiled birds were spotted.”

That nowithstanding, they urged members of the public to report oiled birds and wildlife to SANPARKS or SANCCOB Gqeberha at Cape Recife Nature Reserve on 063 942 4702, “but not to approach or try to capture the affected wildlife. Rangers will continue to monitor the Islands for oiled birds retuning from their feeding grounds in Algoa Bay.”

Meanwhile, their surveillance of the coastal areas as well as the ocean adjacent the oil spill incident was continuing.

“A fixed wing aircraft with the state-of-the-art oil sensing equipment has been charted from Cape Town to conduct a full search for any oil over the entire Algoa Bay area. The aircraft will use high-definition cameras and oil detection systems to complete a full aerial surveillance of the Algoa Bay area.

“If there is any oil spotted the aircraft will also complete live oil spill modelling to determine the direction of oil, however the authorities are optimistic that most of the oil has been recovered and only the vessel hull cleaning needs to be completed. The Environmental Protection Vessel , the Sarah Baartman is on standby in Algoa Bay to assist with the clean-up operations,” they said.

They further confirmed that bunkering operations remain suspended.

End

Ship-to-ship oil transfers remain suspended in Algoa Bay, South Africa; as IMOrg ratchets up oil spill incident management: SAMSA

_{SAMSA File Photo: South Africa’s off-shore bunkering zone in Algoa Bay on the Indian Ocean near Nelson Mandela Bay.}

Pretoria: 25 May 2022

Off shore bunkering services, otherwise known as ship-to-ship oil/fuel transfers remain suspended in Algoa Bay near Ngqurha (a.k.a Port Elizabeth) on South Africa’s eastern seaboard as a national incident management structure strengthens its grip on containment measures of an oil spill at sea that occurred at midday on Monday.

This is according to a joint statement by the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE) and Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) in Pretoria just after lunch hour on Wednesday, this following several measures undertaken to contain the oil spill – including an aerial surveillance of the coastal region to be carried out twice a day until such time that the authorities are satisfied it is no longer necessary.

According to the parties, the oil spill in the ocean occurred while two tanker vessels belonging to the same bunkering services firm, Minerva, were conducting an oil transfer at about midday on Monday. It had not yet been established what led to the incident, they said.

On being alerted, however, according to the authorities; the country’s oil spill incident management structure immediately launched an oil spill containment and extraction process in place, which included a suspension of ship-to-ship transfers in the period until further notice.

In the statement on Wednesday, said SAMSA/DFFE and TNPA: “Five oil recovery boats are being used to collect the oil and by Tuesday afternoon all the visible heavy oil had been collected while large patches of light oil sheen were spotted in Algoa Bay.

“A helicopter was used for aerial surveillance and to assist in directing the boats towards the oil sheen for collection. However due to rough sea conditions, the oil recovery was suspended by 15:35. The removal of the oil (soaked) “oil absorbent material” between the two vessels continued throughout the night.

“Aerial surveillance has been increased to two flights per day from today (Wednesday) with a vessel launched (with a) small drone assisting with the clean-up operations and continuous aerial surveillance in the immediate area around the vessel.

“The DFFE offshore patrol vessel Sarah Baartman will arrive in Algoa Bay tonight and will be available to assist with clean-up operations if need be,” they said.

With regards the expanse of the oil spread on the ocean area affected, the authorities said: “Oil spill modelling provided by the International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation (ITOPF) indicates that the oil will not impact the Swartkops River nor (Nelson Mandela Bay) Metro beaches, but will drift eastward towards the beaches of Woody Cape. Beach inspections were carried out on Tuesday and will continue today.”

On fears about the oil soaking wild sea birds in the area; the authorities said in the statement that: “No oiled birds or wildlife have been spotted so far. However, members of the public are requested to report such (sightings) to SANPARKS or SANCCOB Gqeberha at Cape Recife Nature Reserve on 063 942 4702, but not to approach or try to capture the affected wildlife.

Concerning the immediate fate of the two tankers involved in the oil spill incident, the authorities said the vessels were still alongside each other on location of the incident while a decision was being made on how best to further handle them.

_{SAMSA File Photo: Oil tanker, Umnenga 1 alongside one of its sister ship-to-ship oil transfer tankers at the port of Ngqurha in Nelson Mandela Bay.} ₂₀₁₈

They said: “Although the two tankers are still alongside each other as a preventative measure, the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment are evaluating whether it is safe to bring the bunker tanker, MT Lefkas into port today while the motor tanker Umnenga II remain offshore in the bay until a berth is available in the Port of Ngqura. Both tankers are operated by Minerva Bunkering. The exact quantity of oil spilt is still under investigation.

Occurring just 10 days after the country’s multisectoral Interim Incident Management Organisation (IMOrg) under the Department of Transport (DoT) conducted a five day training and live mock oil spillage management exercise near Robben Island, Western Cape, from May 9-13; SAMSA, DFFE and Transnet said Wednesday the unfortunate incident at Algoa Bay this week could not be more appropriately timed as the country was now properly prepared to handle incidents of the nature.

They said: “It is fortunate that the last full-scale joint industry-government oil spill response deployment exercise was held in Cape Town on 12-13 May where the National Oil Spill Response Plan was tried and tested.

_{SAMSA FILE PHOTO:} _{Some of South Africa’s multisectoral Incident Management Organisation (IMOrg) members with their oil spill containment, extraction and disperal as well as personnel rescue support vessels during a mock oil spill exercise conducted over two days on the coastal corridor between Cape Town and Robben Island on 12-13 May 2022.}

“This exercise helped considerably to ensure that the response for the spill in Algoa Bay was managed in the best possible manner and allowed for the quick deployment of resources to contain the spread of the oil and oil spill modelling. An investigation has commenced to ascertain the cause of the spillage. Bunkering operations remains suspended in Algoa Bay.”

End

Oil spill incident in Algoa Bay under investigation: SAMSA

_{Captain Vernon Keller, SAMSA deputy Chief Operations Officer, reporting on the oil spillage incident in Algoa Bay on Tuesday morning}

Pretoria: 24 May 2022

The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) says it will launch an investigation into an oil spillage incident that occurred on Monday in Algoa Bay near the port of Ngqurha on the eastern seaboard of South Africa.

According to SAMSA, the oil spillage incident occurred during a bunkering service or ‘ship-to-ship’ oil transfer, at about midday on Monday.

The extent of the oil spillage could not be immediately determined, however said SAMSA, the country’s oceans oil spillage incident management structure had been mobilised and had begun on Monday to try and contain the spread of the oil.

Initially deployed by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE) are two anti-pollution craft vessels to assist with containment of the spill, as well patrol boats by South African National Parks (SANParks) along the coastline.

Meanwhile, all bunkering operations were suspended to ensure proper coordination of the spill’s containment effort’s effectiveness and efficiencies.

In a brief statement in Pretoria on Tuesday, said SAMSA: “The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) has initiated all relevant oil spill response teams as per the National Oil Spill Contingency Plan to assist with the containment and cleanup operation following an oil spill In Algoa Bay yesterday.

“The oil spill occurred on the 23rd (Monday) at around midday during a ship-to-ship transfer of oil. All the relevant pollution response units have been activated, and booms deployed to contain the oil around the vessels.

“The collecting of oil continued throughout the night last night (23 May). The 2 vessels will remain attached to help with the containment of the oil. All relevant authorities including the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE) and are supporting the response where possible,” said SAMSA.

Regarding the threat to wild sea birds in the area, SAMSA confirmed that the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) was already on a “high state of readiness to receive oiled birds,” and urged the public to to report any oiled wildlife to SANPARKS.

SAMSA further reported that shortly after the incident was report to authorities; “SAMSA officials boarded the vessels to inspect the extent of the spill.

In addition, SAMSA would further conduct an aerial survey of the coastal area on Tuesday morning and further information would be shared with the public periodically.

End

Bunkering services moratorium re-imposed: SAMSA

Pretoria: 01 pril 2022

A moratorium on the issuing of bunkering licences in the Algoa region of South Africa and due to come to an end on 01 April 2022 has been reimposed, the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) announced in Pretoria on Friday.

In a brief media statement on Friday, SAMSA described the u-turn on the earlier lifting of moratorium as based on outcomes of inter-departmental consultations. Consequently, said SAMSA, a Marine Notice on an interim application process and requirements to conduct ship to ship transfers and bunkering operations outside of a port is being retracted.

Said SAMSA: “The moratorium on the issuing of Bunkering licences in Algoa bay will not be lifted on the 1^st of April 2022 as previously announced. The lifting of the moratorium was suspended following inter-departmental consultations.

“The moratorium was placed on 22 August 2019 pending the finalisation of the Transnet National Port Authority (TNPA) Risk Assessment Study for Algoa Bay.

“Following the suspension of the lifting of the moratorium the Marine Notice (MN 1 of 2022) on the interim application process and requirements to conduct STS or Ship to Ship transfers and Bunkering operations outside of a port will be retracted.

“The application window for Bunkering licences for Algoa Bay will be extended until the finalisation of the Risk assessment Study.

“The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) wishes to apologise for any inconvenience caused by this suspension and will continue to work with stakeholders in the bunkering space to reach a satisfactory conclusion.”

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