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

15 Crew members of off-shore supply vessel on fire, successfully rescued off South Africa’s southern sea: SAMSA

Pretoria: 12 September 2024

A total 15-member crew were successfully rescued off South Africa’s southern Cape seas on Thursday afternoon after their vessel, an offshore supply vessel caught on fire and had to be abandoned, according to the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) on Thursday.

The OSV, named the AM PRIDE and measuring 66.6 meters long and 16 meters wide, sailing under the flag of Marshall Island, reportedly caught on fire early on Thursday, in an ocean area approximately 48.5 nautical miles south of Mossel Bay in the Western Cape province.

According to SAMSA, the casualty vessel’s dangerous situation surfaced at about 10.30am on Thursday after the Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre (MRCC) at the SAMSA Centre for Sea Watch and Response in Cape Town received a call from the Petroleum Oil and Gas Corporation of South Africa (PetroSA), advising that the MV AM Pride had fire onboard, close to a FA Platform, and required immediate assistance.

PetroSA’s report to the MRCC at the time, said the statement; was that the fire was located in the ship’s messroom and that it was out of control. Weather conditions prevailing in the area at the time were described as ‘poor’ to ‘bad’ as characterised by a south easterly wind gusting at up to 30 knots per hour, and a swell of between 3.5-5 meters, with a visibility of just seven (7) nautical miles.

The immediate and primary concern was the rescue and evacuation of the 15-member crew onboard, said SAMSA.

Towards this goal, the MRCC said: “A MayDay relay was immediately requested via Telkom Maritime Services for vessels in the area to render assistance. Two vessels identified as in proximity with the casualty vessel, the MV Angelic Peace and MV Thunderbird requested to proceed to assist.”

Ultimately however, a PetroSA helicopter was sent through to assist and was able to retrieve the first group of eight (8) seafarers from a life-raft and onto the FA platform.

The helicopter, said SAMSA, next fetched the seven (7) remaining crew member on the life-raft who where then safely flown to George.

“They will be flown to Cape Town on Friday, joining the eight (8) others scheduled to spend the night on the FA platform prior to being transferred also to Cape Town on Friday morning.

In the meantime, an Emergency Towing Vessel, the Mkhuseli, from African Marine Solution (AMSOL) is on its way to rendezvous with the casualty vessel, scheduled for about 07.30am on Friday,” said SAMSA.

The Amsol owned ETV, according to SAMSA, will retrieve the casualty vessel to a place of refuge, as agreed with the owners.

End.

A search for a seafarer reportedly gone overboard a trade vessel in Indian Ocean continues: SAMSA.

*_{Photo image, courtesy of Marine Traffic website.}*

Pretoria: 16 April 2024

A desperate sea search for a seafarer believed to have gone overboard off a trade vessel in the Mozambique channel continued overnight on Monday, the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) reported on Tuesday.

According to the Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre (MRCC) based at the SAMSA Centre for Sea Watch and Response in Cape Town, the search for the seafarer, a crew member of a bulk carrier named KAVO PERDIKA, ensued early on Monday after the vessel reported the crew member as missing and suspected to have gone overboard.

Shortly thereafter, two other vessels sailing in the vicinity were summoned for assistance and soon joined the search, but without success, and had since been released to continue with their respective journeys, while the casualty vessels remains in search of the crew member.

Said SAMSA: “MRCC Cape Town was notified by Telkom Maritime Radio around 10am of a Man Overboard (MOB) distress alert received from the Bulk Carrier KAVO PERDIKA and that the MV MEGHNA PRESTIGE was assisting with search efforts.

“The vessel was reported to be in a position approximately 300km north-east from Inhambane in the Mozambican channel. It was reported to MRCC Cape Town that the 37-year-old Ukrainian was last seen around 5am, not wearing a life jacket. Shortly thereafter only his slippers and cigarettes were found where he was last seen.

“A MAYDAY Relay, being a RCC request for immediate SAR assistance, was issued on the request of MRCC Cape Town through Telkom Maritime Services.

“The casualty vessel, KAVO PERDIKA, had reverted back to the position where it was reported to the captain, that the crewman was missing. This position, being approximately 300km north-east from Inhambane in the Mozambican channel, was approximately three (3) hours’s sailing from the position where the crewman was last seen.”

The MRCC said due to the MAYDAY Relay, the MV UMM AL AMAD, responded and diverted to assist in the search efforts.

“After evaluating the facts, factors, possibilities, and probabilities, considering the environmental factors of south-easterly winds at approximately 40km/h, a south-south-easterly sea swell of up to 3m and a strong south-westerly sea current, search patterns were assigned to three (3) different search craft.

“By sunset today (Monday), all the craft had completed their assigned search patterns without the crewman being found. The casualty vessel KAVO PERDIKA, had been given another search pattern whilst the UMM AL AMAD and the MEGHNA PRESTIGE were released by the SAR Mission Coordinator to continue with normal operations.

“The SAR response shall be evaluated when the KAVO PERDIKA completed the latest search pattern. MRCC Cape Town requested an urgency message requesting vessels to recover and report the crewman if sighted along the predicted search track. This urgency message shall remain affective until 16:00 after which all search efforts shall be discontinued, pending additional information to motive the continuing of the search efforts.”

According to SAMSA, the MRCC Cape Town having also noted the proximity of the sea area of the incident to neighbouring Mozambique, “…. attempted to hand over the Search and Rescue coordination for the MOB to MRCC Maputo without success.

“Thus, MRCC Cape Town continued coordinating the SAR response as a Regional MRCC South Africa aligned with the multi-lateral SAR agreement.”

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

Climate change, future of sea transportation come under focus at Southern Africa Transport Conference 2022 in Pretoria next week

Pretoria: 30 June 2022

Southern Africa’s transport sector across all modes – on land, sea and the air – will have its eye turned onto this year’s Southern Africa Transport Conference (SATC) scheduled for the CSIR International Convention Centre (CSIR ICC) in Pretoria over four days, from Monday to Thursday next week.

Arranged as a hybrid event to facilitate greater participation, the SATC’s 40^th event for 2022, under the theme ‘addressing the new normal and the future of transport’ is billed as providing an “excellent platform” for the transport industry to exchange ideas and insights, as well as engage in discussions on a wide range of topics that are of immediate and direct interest, or with impact to the transportation sector in general.

_{South Africa Transport Minister, Mr Fikile Mbalula}

For the maritime sector, however, focus on sea transportation contemporary trends onshore and offshore is slotted for the third day of the SACT, Wednesday (06 July 2022) wherein the session will provide for a mix of domestic and international presenters, sharing ideas and guidelines on the future of maritime transport.

According to a preliminary programme shared by the organisers, among the contributors during this session will be Mr Moses Ramakulukusha Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE) who will be sharing notes on developments in the Marine Spatial Planning for South Africa, which has been developed through the Operations Phakisa ‘Oceans Economy’.

With climate change being a global topical issue, and with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) having adopted the Initial Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Strategy, focus will also be on shipping and ports stakeholders on account of their responsibility to ensure that they contribute to mitigating and decarbonising shipping.

Further insights on the subject of sea transportation will be shared by Ms Katrina Abhold, from the Global Maritime Forum. Ms Abhold, the lead author of the recently published paper “Shipping’s Energy Transition: Strategic Opportunities in South Africa”, is expected to highlight the opportunities for decarbonising shipping in Southern Africa.

More on the topic is expected also from Ms Lydia Ngugi, the Africa Head of the Region’s Maritime Technology Co-operation Centres headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya; and whose specific focus will be on greenhouse gas emissions and the role played by MTCCs in helping countries transition to a decarbonised future.

On the specific topic of GHG emissions, a case study with focus on Madagascar is expected to feature in a presentation by Miora Rabemiafara of the Agence Portuaire Maritime et Fluviale, who will look at how maritime sectors in least developing island states can be addressed.

It will be within that slot also that Dr Leticia Grimmet of the Moses Kotane Institute will also share her views on whether the Southern African Development Community (SADC) is positioned to transition into smart ports. Specific focus is expected to be on freight forwarders’ role in enabling efficient ports systems, with Ms Sibongile Mokoena and Ms Cashandra Mara of the University of Johannesburg weighing in onto the subject.

Sea transport security and related contingency measures will also feature, with Captain Ravi Naicker of the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) Centre for Sea Watch and Response billed to share insights on the Incident Management System (IMS) with precise focus on how it prepares countries on how to respond to maritime incidents.

_{Captain Ravi Naicker. Senior Manager, Navigation, Security and Environment. SAMSA}

Capt. Naicker’s insights will also reflect on the country’s recent staging of its IMS training as well as a live mock oil spill incident management exercise held at sea near Cape Town, with participation of Angola and Namibia, which along with South Africa, are member states of the Benguela Current Convention.

Also contributing to the maritime sector transport session on Wednesday will be Mr Omar Eriksson of the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) whose presentation will feature insights on future trends or the ‘new normal’ for Coastal States.

Other sessions billed over the 4 days include amongst others, freight logistics, aviation, disruptive women forging a new normal in the transport sector, and public private partnerships.

South Africa’s Department of Transport, led by Minister Fikile Mbalula and deputy Minister, Ms Sindisiwe Chikunga, is also expected to feature prominently on all sessions of SATC 2022, with the event billed to be formally opened by Mr Mbalula on Monday, 04 July 2022.

End

COSPAS SARSAT satellite technology deployment for enhanced maritime sector rescue under focus in South Africa this week.

Pretoria: 12 April 2022

South Africa and its member group of countries in the COSPAS SARSAT Programme, among them Australia; will have their gaze up in the skies above Africa for three full days this week, beginning on Tuesday, focussed on latest developments in satellite technology for the enhancement of maritime safety globally and in the southern hemisphere.

The virtual meeting of the South West Pacific Data Distribution Region (SWPDDR) through which the group of countries subscribe to the COSPAS SARSAT Programme, is being hosted by South Africa through the Department of Transport (DoT), ably assisted by the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA)

The international COSPAS-SARSAT Programme is a satellite-based search and rescue (SAR) distress-alert detection system made up of satellites in space and infrastructure to receive signals on the ground. Its main function is to facilitate distress transmissions from vessels, aircraft and persons via satellites to activate life-saving emergency support from government authorities.

Since its launch in the early 80s, the system described as providing “accurate, timely and reliable alert and location data to search and rescue authorities who assist persons in distress, even in the world’s most remote areas….” has been credited with saving the lives of tens of thousands of people particularly at seas worldwide.

Mr Jared Blows, Chief of MRCC at the SAMSA Centre for Sea Watch & Response in Cape Town

Speaking ahead of the start of the meeting in Pretoria on Tuesday, Mr Jared Blows, Chief of SAMSA Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) located at the Centre for Sea Watch and Response in Cape Town, described the gathering in Hillcrest this week as a highly significant event for South Africa both as host country as well as for critical role players in oceans and air safety in the southern tip of the African continent.

According to Mr Blows, the SWPDDR meeting in South Africa is only taking place in Pretoria this year after it was postponed for over two years due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic worldwide during latter half of 2019.

He said: “South Africa via the SASAR Organisation of the Department of Transport is a member of the COSPAS SARSAT Programme. The programme assists world search and rescue organisations by supplying both space and ground segment satellite systems for the detection of emergency location beacons used in the maritime and aeronautical domain along with beacons used by persons on land who find themselves in need of the services of a search and rescue organisation.

“The system detects beacons approved for use and operating on the 406Mhz frequency band. The world is divided into various data distribution regions and South Africa falls within the SWPDDR. The DDR is a sub section of the larger COSPAS SARSAT Joint Committee and the COSPAS SARSAT Council.

“The various DDRs meet regularly to discuss matters specifically associated with their regions and to look at improving the system. These proposals and recommendations are submitted to the Joint Committee for further deliberations and then to the Council should approvals be required.

“The SWPDDR has for many years held the meeting in the various members Countries. South Africa was to host the meeting in 2020. However, with COVID creating havoc worldwide the meeting was postponed to April 12th to 14th 2022. South Africa, specifically the Department of Transport, is the host for the meeting this year.

“A working group set up from within the SASAR Executive was tasked to arrange such meeting. With travel restrictions and COVID related matters still a challenge the decision was taken not to postpone any longer but to host the meeting virtually,” said Mr Blows

For his full remarks on these and related matters, click on the video clip below. (+-5 minutes).

End

UK Space Agency-SAMSA partnership ups the ante against fishermen deaths in SA.

Pretoria: 02 October 2019

The reduction and prevention of deaths of fishermen along South Africa’s coastal area is among key priorities of the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) and efforts towards this goal are beginning to pay off, thanks in part to strategic partnerships forged with like-minded institutions domestically and abroad.

One such partnership is that with the United Kingdom Space Agency (UKSA) which has over the past year seen more than 1 000 small high tech vessel tracking devices acquired and distributed among particularly artisanal or subsistence fishermen across the Northern, Western and Eastern Cape provinces in order to enable them to quickly and seamlessly request for assistance whenever in trouble while out fishing at sea or on inland waterways.

PLOTTING SUBSISTENCE FISHERMEN SAFETY: United Kingdom Space Agency (UKSA) officials (seated Centre and Right), Ms Athene Gadsby, and Mr Tim Hayward during their first visit to South Africa in July 2019 to meet with SAMSA’s team of fishermen safety officials based in Cape Town led by Captain Karl Otto (third from Left), as well as officials of the NSIR (last two on the right) for an assessment of Project Oasis, aimed at curbing the deaths of fishermen by enhancing their safety through a satellite based tracking and identifying device now being distributed for free to subsistence fishermen across South Africa’s coastal areas.

The project known as ‘Project Oasis”, the first of its kind aimed subsistence fishermen, is being funded to the tune of R10-million by the UKSA and is operated by SAMSA. The UKSA is also working closely with the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) in the distribution of the device.

A UKSA team of officials, senior director of UKSA’s Caribou Space programme, Mr Tim Hayward and UKSA’s International Partnership Programme Director, Ms Athene Gadsby, visited South Africa recently to meet in Cape Town with SAMSA and the NSRI as well as a community of fishermen in Lamberts’ Bay on the Atlantic Ocean coastline north west of Cape Town to conduct an assessment of the impact of the project so far.

It was UKSA’s first visit of the region since launch of the project.

Outlining UKSA’s involvement in the project, according to the officials, the South Africa project is among 33 other worldwide project (37 countries) funded through the agency’s International Partnership Programme’s UK£30-million annual funding for developmental projects.

They said the ‘Project Oasis’ focus was in the distribution of a satellite technology based identifying and tracking devices known as the ‘SAT-AIS em-Trak I100 identifier trackers’ for small boats (less than 10 meters long). The target group for distribution and utilization of the device were artisanal fishermen – most of whom were generally poor.

CONDUCTING PROJECT OASIS ASSESSMENT: (From Left) Ms Athene Gadsby, UK Space Agency’s International Partnership Programme Manager and Mr Tim Hayward, UK Space Agency’s Caribou Space senior manager during a meeting with SAMSA in Cape Town.

The aim, they said, was to support SAMSA’s efforts in reducing casualties among the country’s subsistence fishing communities and reduction in exorbitant expenses incurred during rescue efforts.

While statistics of casualties shared with the agency by SAMSA reflected a significant decline in the number of fishermen dying at sea over the past decade, they also showed that the most at risk category of people at sea were subsistence fishermen who generally did not have the safety and communication equipment necessary to summon assistance and be located quickly when needed. They are generally poor and with only small boats that were hard to locate when in difficulties.

Explaining the exact functionality of the fishing boat tracking and identifier units, the UKSA officials said the devices were designed to be tracked in near real time using a set of exactEarth’s constellation of polar and equatorial orbiting AIS satellites, thereby allowing SAMSA to gain an up-to-date location of the small boats with an up-to-date last known position.

The devices also provide an SOS button that transmits a distress signal when an incident has occurred thereby enabling rescuers access to accurate information about the location and situation of a small fishing vessel.

The device which has since evolved to include a locally manufactured solar powered one, at an estimated cost of about R5 000 per unit, is distributed to small vessel fishermen in South Africa for free.

In a three minutes video interview, Ms Gadsby spoke more on the project. Click below.

Meanwhile according to SAMSA’s head of the Sea and Rescue Centre in Cape Town, Captain Karl Otto who led a SAMSA team of officials in welcoming and meeting with the UKSA officials, revealed that the project had been beneficial not only to South Africa but also five other neighboring countries; Namibia, Mozambique, Kenya, Mauritius and the Comoros.

Captain Karl Otto. Head: SAMSA Centre for Sea Search and Rescue.

He acknowledged that the project was still at its infancy and was encountering challenges,d among which was resistance by some subsistence fishermen based on apparent suspicion that the tracking device was also being used to police their activity.

“The true and sole objective to is enhance their safety and in the process also reduce the huge costs involved during search and rescue. We’d rather rescue fast than spend more time search, and the devices addresses exactly that need,” said Captain Otto.

In a 22 minutes in-video chat at his office shortly after the meeting with the UKSA officials, Captain Otto explained fully about the project: Click Here;

End

South Africa’s maritime risks come under scrutiny in Durban this week: SAMSA

20170419_101108 Durban: 26 March 2019

The safety of oceans around South Africa along with the country’s level of preparedness for maritime risks come under the spotlight at a two-day sector workshop in Durban this week.

Organized by the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), the two-day workshop on Wednesday and Thursday is scheduled to explore a variety of maritime risks issues ranging from an overview of the country’s maritime risk profile involving case studies, the country’s legislative framework and institutional responsibilities, third parties dependencies, to maritime domain awareness, pollution monitoring and combating, the country’s response capability as well as funding.

As many as 20 participants inclusive of experts in specialized fields of the maritime time sector drawn from industry as well as SAMSA, Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) and the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) are lined up for contribution and discussions over the two days.

A tug under construction at a sea site in Durban in 2017. (SAMSA File Photo)

The event comes at a time when ship traffic volumes are reportedly on a steady increase around South Africa over the last few years leading to economic opportunities that include the recent establishment of a bunkering services in Port Elizabeth, one of South Africa’s nine commercial ports and reputably the most secure for the service.

There is also a notable increase in oil and gas exploration and related activities in the country’s oceans opening to unique opportunities and risks that the country must prepare for.

SAMSA, a State owned entity established 20 years ago and operating under the guidance of Department of Transport, is the country’s dedicated authority responsible for ensuring the safety of property and people at sea, the combating of pollution of the oceans’ environment by sea traffic as well as promoting South Africa’s maritime interests domestically and globally.

Among processes involved in monitoring activity across the three oceans surrounding South Africa, SAMSA operates a Centre for Sea Watch and Response (CSWR) based in Cape Town. SAMSA’s CSWR is responsible for carrying out search and rescue functions over a 27-million km² oceans area abutting the country’s 1 300km coastline, the Atlantic Ocean in the west, the Southern Oceans in the south and the Indian Ocean to the east.

SAMSA’s CSWR is also charged with implementing systems for surveillance of the maritime domain, inclusive of vessels safety, vessel security, oil pollution prevention, detection and combating, maintenance of the maritime domain awareness as well as monitoring coastal and offshore maritime activities.

Saldanha Oil & Gas — An artist’s impression of the new facilities to be developed for the oil & gas subsector at the port of Saldanha

Tools in place include terrestrial and satellite automatic identification systems involving both long range identification, tracking and monitoring of ships and other vessels within South African territorial waters (a 200 nautical miles area within the country’s exclusive economic zone) and beyond, in order to maintain safety and security to navigation threats, marine environmental threats and assistance with search and rescue.

In pursuing these activities, SAMSA’s CSWR collaborates with a range of entities both in the private and public sectors inclusive of the South African National Defense Force, the SA Navy, the State Security Agency, the Department of Transport, Border Management Agency and others.

The Cargo Bridge – an old vessel whose interior has been converted into a quaint restaurant is one of Durban’s landmarks venues and which recently hosted delegates to IMO Djibouti Code of Conduct Three Day Workshop in the city in November 2018.

In Durban on Wednesday, the two days workshop’s programme on South African maritime risks is scheduled to kickoff at 9am with an outline and analysis of the country’s maritime risk profile by Mr Brian Blackbeard of the Atlantis Consulting group and involving a feasibility study on of the country’s emergency towing vessels.

He will be followed by SAMSA acting CEO, Mr Sobantu Tilayi’s overview of the weather incident that rocked the Durban port a year ago and during which extensive damage to ships as well as pollution ensued.

Next in line with a review of current legislation related to maritime risks by Captain Gustav Louw (SAMSA) and exploration of vulnerabilities of the South African Maritime Risk System) by Messrs Mike Heads and Nick Sloane.

In the discussion on third party dependencies, Mr Andrew Pike and Mr Dave Main are scheduled to share insights gleaned during the incident of the sinking in 1991 of the Oceanos, a French-built and Greek-owned cruise ship due reportedly to uncontrolled flooding while sailing off the Wild Coast (Indian Ocean), as well as a look at costs of maritime risks management involving the exposure of the State to uninsured rogue ships transiting South Africa’s coasts.

The rest of the discussions involving Messrs Lauren Williams, Captain Theo Oakes, Dr Stander, Gavin Fitzmaurice, Terence Mabuela and Captain Ravi Naicker will look at maritime domain awareness issues including oceans and coastal management information management systems capabilities and usage, South Africa’s weather services capabilities, completeness and key challenges relating to provision of services in the maritime sector.

They will also discuss the country’s hydrography in relation to current incidents and the country’s maritime risk profile. They will also share insights into hindrances to successful maritime prosecutions, incident management organization as well as existing capabilities related to sea watch and rescue.

This SAMSA blog will carry updates on the discussions over the next few days.

End

World oceans are drowning in plastic waste, the shipping industry is not the culprit: SAMSA

ships at sea.jpg

Pretoria: 28 July 2017

The world’s oceans may be drowning fast in a mess of global plastic waste – estimated currently at some 275 million metric tons and in its wake, threatening all life on earth – but the shipping industry on which close on 90% of world trade depends, is not the culprit. Well, not quite.

That is because global shipping practices at sea are highly guarded through a number of international regulations, otherwise known as conventions, and closely monitored by member states of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) including South Africa, the latter through the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA).

IMG_6581 (2) — Captain Ravi Naicker, South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) Centre for Sea Watch and Rescue national operations manager. Cape Town

This was revealed by SAMSA’s Centre for Sea Watch and Response (CSWR) during a mini conference hosted jointly by the SAMSA, United States Consulate, the International Ocean Institute and the V&A Waterfront held at the Two Oceans Acquarium at Cape Town’s Waterfront recently.

The mini conference occurred within a week of the wrap up of an even bigger oceans plastic waste gathering, the Africa Marine Waste Conference, held over five days in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape in early July, attended by about 250 delegates including a high contingent of scientists from Africa, the US, and Asia Pacific countries.

At the Cape Town event, keynote speakers included Dr Jenna Jambeck, an associate professor of Environmental Engineering at the University of Georgia, United States, and director of the Center for Circular Materials Management at New Materials Institute; John Duncan of the World Wildlife Fund and Dr Anthony Ribbink, CE of Sustainable Seas Trust.

SAMSACSWR national operations manager, Captain Ravi Naicker, explained that global shipping involving millions of trade cargo vessels at sea daily – and therefore the most potential culprits for massive plastic and related waste pollution of the oceans – were actually not the culprits.

The revelation came against the backdrop of statistics showing that South Africa ranked No.11 in the world for waste management production and that the country alone was responsible for 12% of global plastic waste and about 2% of total mismanaged plastic waste, leading to between 0.9-0.25 megatons of it ending as marine plastic waste annually.

img_3102-722017 With an estimated population of some 12.9-million people occupying the coastal line of South Africa, this amounted to about two kilograms of plastic waste per person per annum.

Globally, the world’s 192 countries situated along oceans and seas across the globe were said to generate as much as 2.5-billion metric tons of solid waste, of which 275-million metric tons was plastic waste and an estimated 8-million metric tons of mismanaged plastic waste ended up in the seas in 2010, according to statistics by Dr Jenna Jambeck.

Just over 6-million metric tons of the global (coastal countries) mismanaged plastic waste dumped at seas was currently still floating freely at the surface of global oceans waters, in the process, placing all life both in the oceans as well as on land, at extremely high risk.

According to Dr Jambeck, one of the contributing factors to widespread distribution of plastic waste is that: “In use – (plastic) items that are designed to last forever are only used a short period of time. 40% of plastic production is for packaging – and there are packaging needs for essential foods and things, but I will argue that we should rethink our systems and designs to meet those needs”

a-2 Captain Naicker said ocean going vessels globally in South Africa’s oceans space contributed very little to this as waste management on ships was highly regulated.

He said the Africa region alone had about 18 000 vessels traversing its waters annually, with just over 3 000 of these sailing through South Africa’s oceans space equivalent some 1.5-million square kilometers of an Economic Exclusive Zone, from the Atlantic, the Southern Ocean through to the Indian Ocean.

Yet, of 1469 vessels randomly stopped for inspection over a six year period between 2011 and 2017, only 2.5% were detained for violation of environmental management protocols at sea, and only about 0.1% were responsible for garbage and record keeping violations.

SAMSA is the country’s State agency tasked through legislation (the SAMSA Act 1998) with responsibility for ensuring safety of life and property at sea, the combating and prevention of pollution of the marine environment by ships, and promoting South Africa’s maritime interests.

Guiding the agency’s activities with regards the first two objectives relating specifically to safety of life and property as well as sound integrity of the marine environment, were six (6) International Conventions for the Prevention of Pollution by Ships (MARPOL Annextures) pieces of legislation binding member port states of the IMO for strict implementation in their respective ocean spaces.

In addition all trade vessels registered (flagged) in countries that are signatories to MARPOL are subject to the legislation and associated regulations regardless of where they sail in the world.

“These clearly state that ships using South African waters have no right to pollute seas while sailing here and that we are entitled to take action against should they fail to observe the law.

“However, member states are also required to provide facilities that enable ships to dispose of waste they cannot manage responsibly on board the vessels.” said Capt Naicker.

For his full presentation (about nine [9] minutes) Click on the video.

To read more on Dr Jambeck’s work, Click Here, and Here

End.