National spotlight turns on Gender-Based Violence at SA’s inaugural maritime sector seminar in Cape Town, Thursday

Pretoria: 23 November 2022

Gender Based Violence (GBV) in South Africa and globally – now declared a ‘second pandemic’ – continues to draw special focus in the coming week, with Friday, 25 November 2022 marking the start of the United Nations (UN) sponsored “16 Days of No Violence Against Women and Children” worldwide.

In South Africa, according to the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) the country’s maritime sector that is a backbone for international trade through shipping transport and related, is a critical economic sector in which thousands of people of all genders work. Yet, even as also known and acknowledged as affected by GBV, it has remained generally quiet about it.

In a statement on Tuesday in Pretoria, SAMSA said that eerie and unjustifiable silence finally gets to an end this year, come Thursday, 24 November 2022 in Cape Town, where the sector will have its inaugural GBV seminar focused specifically on GBV and related relevant sector specific efforts to fight and end it.

SAMSA, a State agency under the Department of Transport is the organiser of the event.

*_{Ms Sindisiwe Chikunga. Deputy Minister of Transport}*

Leading keynote speakers lined up for the industrial sector pioneering event include Deputy Minister of Transport, Ms Sindisiwe Chikunga, World Maritime University President, Dr Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, Ms Lena Dyring of the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) as well as maritime academic and veteran female seafarer, Dr Momoko Kitada of the World Maritime University.

According to SAMSA, the purpose of the first-of-its-kind sector-wide seminar is to provide opportunity to the country’s maritime to lay bare publicly the challenges of GBV it is confronted with, and to also outline measures current, or planned towards its stemming and eventually eradication.

“Statistics from various studies conducted so far locally and globally paint a horrific picture of a maritime industry in South Africa and elsewhere, that is rife with deep-seated and widespread GBV and which unsurprisingly, impact negatively particularly women.

“A 2014 survey led by International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) and its partners revealed that 17% of women seafarers reported sexual harassment as an issue. The survey report further indicated that women with less power (lower rank) in the workplace were more vulnerable to sexual harassment. This was in line with previous studies done on the subject. Cases of sexual harassment continue to grow worldwide, and South Africa is no exception.

“In yet another most recent study on GBV in the maritime sector whose outcome was shared publicly at end October 2022 in Geneva, from a group of 1128 women interviewed WISTA in 78 countries including 51 in South Africa, as many 60% of the women had encountered gender-based discrimination at work, while 66% of these concurred that their male counterparts resorted to harassing and intimidating female co-workers,” says SAMSA.

The agency further says, with South Africa being a Member State of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), the country is among eight (8) Member States tasked by a joint working group involving the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and IMO to not only identify solutions to address seafarers’ issues and the human element, but also to focus specifically on strategies and tactics aimed at addressing sexual assault and harassment in the maritime sector.

The approach is by no means divorced from this year’s national Government’s theme for the 16 Days campaign. The theme for the 16 Days of Activism Campaign for 2022 is: “Socio-Economic Rights and Empowerment to build Women’s Resilience against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide: Connect, Collaborate, Contract!”

SAMSA says: “Thursday’s seminar in Cape Town, therefore, will serve as a launchpad for the SAMSA Maritime GBV Programme now embedded in its five (5) year Strategic and Annual Performance Plan for 2022-25, to effectively raise awareness and promote the mainstreaming of GBV issues within the maritime industry. Stakeholders engaged and involved in the seminar include, maritime welfare community, manning organisations, ship owners and seafarers,” says SAMSA

The seminar will have two parts: the main event taking place on 24 November 2022, with a participation of approximately 100 people in the room and a possibly wider audience both in South Africa and globally to be engaged through livestreaming of the event on several online social media platforms including Facebook and YouTube.

On the following day, Friday 25 November 2022, SAMSA will conduct a GBV educational material distribution to seafarers within the port of Cape Town. The walk-about and engagement with seafarers at the port will involve some of SAMSA’s Executive Management members and selected guests.

End

DoT/SAMSA embark on national stakeholder consultations over raft of new gazetted amendments to Merchant Shipping Act.

Pretoria: 27 October 2022

With proposed changes as well introduction of new regulations numbering no less than five (5) all relating to the administration of certain key aspects of the country’s maritime economic space, most under Merchant Shipping Act, the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) is to embark on an extensive national consultation with relevant stakeholders.

The idea is to ensure broader and closer interactive reach to stakeholders for their views and inputs during November 2022, the Department of Transport (DoT) agency announced in Pretoria on Tuesday.

The announcement in a Maritime Information Notice (MIN14-22) published on its website just before lunch on Tuesday, states that: “The Minister of Transport intends, in terms of section 356(2)(a) of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1951 (Act No. 57 of 1951) and on the recommendation of the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) to amend (certain) Regulations.

“SAMSA has, in the process, issued a Notice in Government Gazette Number 47300 issued on 14 October 2022, calling for public comments on the draft Regulations.

“These include:

The Merchant Shipping (Safety of Navigation) Amendment Regulations, 1968;
The Merchant Shipping (Dangerous Goods) Amendment Regulations, 1997;
The Draft MS (Crew Accommodation) Regulations, 2023 which seeks to repeal the 1961 Regulations;
The Draft Merchant Shipping (Construction and Equipment of Fishing Vessels of 24 Metres in Length and Over) Regulations, 2022; and
The Draft Merchant Shipping (Construction and Equipment of Fishing Vessels of Less Than 24 Metres in Length and Equal to or More Than 25 Gt.) Regulations, 2022.

According to SAMSA, electronic copies of the Draft Regulations are available on its website at https://www.samsa.org.za/Pages/SAMSADraftRegulation.aspx and may also be requested from two SAMSA officials, Messrs Bulelani Ncanywa at bncanywa@samsa.org.za or Crispen Camp at ccamp@samsa.org.za

SAMSA says: “ Interested persons are hereby invited to submit written comments on these Draft Amendment Regulations on or before the 15 November 2022 to the Chief Executive Officer.” Specific address details for the submissions are given on the MIN which may also be obtained through the following link on the SAMSA website

Meanwhile however, in order to facilitate personal stakeholder engagement on the Draft Amendment Regulations, the agency says it will conduct various workshops around the country, beginning with Cape Town on 09 November, followed by Gqeberha (previously Port Elizabeth) on 16 November and Durban on 23 November 2022.

In Cape Town, SAMSA will utilise its Cape Town office training centre as a venue for the stakeholder consultation in its Western Region, while venues for the rest of the consultative meetings for the Southern Region (Mossel Bay/Gqeberha/East London) and Eastern Region (Durban/Richards Bay) will be confirmed and announced in due course.

Once the consultation have been completed, a report will be filed with the DoT, says SAMSA

End

South Africa, Ghana and Panama find mutual agreement on seafarers certification.

_{Panama and South Africa maritime authorities officials during the signing of an MoU on seafarers certificates in Durban}

Pretoria: 26 October 2022

Panama and Ghana have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with South Africa that will for the first time, allow the countries to formerly recognise each other’s seafarers’ certificates under the same condition within which the countries accept all other foreign certificates.

The arrangement signed into operation by South Africa with each of the two countries separately on the sidelines of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) World Maritime Day Parallel Event (WMDPE) in Durban recently, is in terms of provisions of Regulation I/10 of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978 (STCW Convention).

From Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA), the agency’s Director-General, Mr Thomas Alonsi, led the delegation that included Mr Nana Bokkye-Boampong, acting director of marines services; Dr Richard Lartey, deputy director, planning, monitoring and evaluation; Capt. Clifford Kodjo Adjarko Osei, deputy director of technical services as well as Ms Barbara Oforiwaa Darko, the deputy director of maritime services.

On the Panama bilateral agreement, representing the Panama Maritime Authority were the Director of the General Directorate of Seafarers, Captain Juan Maltez and Panama’s Ambassador and Consul to South Africa, Mr Jorge Ricardo Silen. For South Africa was acting Chief Executive Officer of the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA, Ms Zamachonco Chonco.

The signing of the bilateral agreement between the PMA and SAMSA – the South African authority for seafarers’ certification – occurred following representations by the Panama maritime authorities earlier this year calling on South Africa to recognise seafarers’ certificates issued by both countries. Both are members of the IMO as is Ghana.

The basis of the request, according to SAMSA; was that there are over 3000 South African seafarers (certificate and uncertificated) serving on Panamanian ships in various roles.

_{Mr Thomas K. Alonsi. Diector-General: Ghana Maritime Authority}

“Panama Maritime Authority thus requested that there be formal recognition of certificates as required by the STCW Convention, such that those performing functions requiring Certificates of Competencies may be formally accepted on ships flying the flag of both parties.

This led to an interim arrangement being agreed to earlier in the year that allowed seafarers holding certificates issued by Panama Maritime Authority to serve on the South African ships.

_{From Left: Capt. Juan Maltex, Panama Maritime Authority’s director of the General Directorate of Seafarers and Ms Zamachonco Chonco during the signing of an MoU on seafarers certification in Durban recently. Looking on (standing) is Mr Vusi September, Head of SAMSA’s Centre for Corporate Affairs.}

At the Durban International Convention Centre during the signing of the agreement , Captain Maltez described it as “… a clear and concrete manifestation of the commitment of each of the Administrations, to continue strengthening ties, promoting collaboration and guiding future efforts, to work on improving the training of the levels of competence and the certification processes of seafarers, seeking to guarantee the safety of human life and property at sea, maritime protection and the protection of the marine environment.

“On the other hand, the Agreement will facilitate the embarking or contracting of Panamanian seafarers, promoting national labor, so that they can work on board the vessels of the South African Registry,” he said.

In terms of the agreements with both Panama and Ghana, according to SAMSA; the new arrangement is that a holder of a South African Certificates of Competency

May now have their certificates recognised and able to find employment on ships from those flags (and vice versa)
May now work on ships flying the Ghanaian flag,
Seafarers trained at Regional Maritime University (RMU) – one of Africa’s largest maritime universities will have access to employment in Africa’s most technologically advanced economy
Have access to employment on one of the biggest Merchant Fleet in the world (Panama)

The MoUs between South Africa, Ghana and Panama are the latest addition in a list of similar agreements now topping just over 30 countries. The list includes Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominica, Hong Kong, Iran, Ireland, Isle of Man, Jordan, Kuwait, Liberia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Marshall Islands, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Singapore, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Tanzania, United Kingdom and Vanuatu.

End

IMO World Maritime Day Parallel Event: South Africa brings the shine

Pretoria: 21 October 2022

Seafarers’ working conditions and welfare, advancement of technologies to combat shipping transport carbon emissions, sustained closer collaboration among maritime countries, clear strategies and standards on management and combating of the spread of communicable diseases; were among topics featuring prominently during the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) World Maritime Day Parallel Event held in Durban, South Africa over four days a week ago.

*_{IMO World Maritime Day Parallel Event opening day in Durban, with South Africa Transport Minister, Mr Fikile Mbalula and IMO Secretary General, Mr Kitack Lim}*

The event, involving delegates of the IMO’s 175 Member States globally – albeit, held all of two years past its initial due date due to postponement attributed to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in late 2019 – flagged its significance for South Africa in not only being the first “in-person” IMO standing global event of its kind.

But it glittered also on the fact that it was also the first time it was hosted in an African country, thereby creating a historical milestone for both the country and the continent.

With the event’s theme for 2022 being: “New Technologies for Greener Shipping”, the obvious focus was on a global maritime sector strategies to contribute to the reduction and eventual elimination of gaseous carbon emissions by shipping transport and related in the world’s maritime space.

Officially attended to and led by IMO Secretary General, Mr Kitack Lim, several IMO senior officials, as well as South African government officials and attaching institutions led by Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula and his deputy, Ms Sindisiwe Chikunga, over four days, delegates dug deep into the subject, and to which attached the formal launch of the Norway and IMO sponsored Green Voyage 2050 Project for South Africa.

The Association of African Maritime Administrations (AAMA) whose chairmanship hitherto was held by Nigeria and secretariat by South Africa, also aligned the holding of its delayed 5^th Elective Conference with the event – thereby taking advantage of the global maritime representatives’ all at once huge turnout and sojourn onto African soil for the first time.

Several Memoranda of Understanding ( MoUs)were also signed between organisations and, in some cases governments, including two between the South African Maritime Safety Authority and its counter-part institutions in Ghana and Panama, as well as between AAMA and fraternal institutions in Africa.

Below is a select group of presentations and official speeches captured by this SAMSA blog during the week. They include in a descending order:

DAY ONE: IMO Secretary General, Mr Kitack Lim and South Africa deputy Transport Minister, Ms Sindisiwe Chikunga’s speeches on the first evening cocktail event to welcome delegates to South Africa, hosted jointly by the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) and the Moses Kotane Institute

DAY TWO: South Africa Transport Minister, Mr Fikile Mbalula’s opening address of the WMD Parallel Event to officially welcome international delegates.

DAY THREE: Some visuals of a “Kasi Style” evening entertainment and exhibitors’ awards held at the MSC Cruise Vessels Passenger Terminal at the Durban port.

DAY FOUR: IMO Secretary General, Mr Kitack Lim’s closing address and handover of the IMO WMDPE event flag to the Islamic Republic of Iran officials on account of that country being the next in line to host the IMO event in 2023; Dr Majid Ali Nazi, Iran’s Maritime Affairs, Ports and Maritime Transport agency representative’s acceptance speech of the flag had over, and South Africa deputy Minister of Transport, Ms Sindisiwe Chikunga’s event closing speech.

We also present coverage of AAMA’s 5^th elective conference on Monday, 10 October 2022 as well as highlights of the launch of the Norway-IMO Green Voyage 2050 Project for South Africa, inclusive of an extensive interview with officials of the Department of Transport and the South African Maritime Safety Authority directly involved in the project from inception, Mr Metse Ralepenya and Mr Tebogo Mojafi.

Kenya takes over AAMA leadership at 5th elective conference in Durban.

*_{Some of the Association of African Maritime Administrations (AAMA) delegates with Department of Transport officials during the body’s 5th elective conference in Durban on 10 October 2022}*

The optimal functionality of the African Association of Maritime Administrations (AAMA) remains pivotal as a vital cog in the global wheel driving ongoing development of the maritime economic sector both in Africa and globally, according to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO)

That is why the African body’s one-day 5^th elective conference in Durban last week, held on the sidelines of the four-days World Maritime Day Parallel Event (WMDPE) – attended by hundreds of delegates of the international maritime body’s 175 Member States – received more than mere lip-service support from the IMO.

Mr William Azuh, the IMO’s Head of Africa section technical cooperation division, revealed that the London based IMO actually funded the costs of attendance of at least one official of the AAMA member countries that attended, this to ensure that the body continued to pursue for fulfilment of its mandate.

By the end of the day conference last Monday (10 October 2022), a new leadership comprising the chairmanship and secretariat had been mutually agreed upon, with Kenya succeeding Nigeria in being entrusted with the stewardship of AAMA over the next year, while the secretarial service remains with South Africa – as has been the case for the last few years since founding of the body.

With an attendance of just over 30 delegates from AAMA member countries predominantly from sub-Saharan Africa, Mr Azuh (whose brief interview with this blog is provided herein below) was full of praise not only of the turnout but also for the quality of content.

The high turnout was befitting the IMO’s staging of the WMDPE in South Africa, the first time such the event was hosted by an African country since its launch in early 2000.

Both South Africa and Nigeria received commendations for their steadfastness in ensuring continuity of functionality of the body, while pledges of ongoing IMO support went to Kenya as it embarks on leadership of AAMA over the next year.

For Mr Azuh’s remarks on AAMA, click on the video below.

South Africa, as represented by the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) and outgoing Nigerian chairmanship, also had views to share on the necessity of continued efforts by AAMA to shore up support not just for Africa but the entire global maritime economic domain.

For both SAMSA’s perspective given during opening of the AAMA elective conference and Nigeria’s view as provided by Nigeria’s Alternate Permanent Representative at the IMO, Mr Abdul Dirisu, click on the videos below.

NORWAY-IMO GREEN VOYAGE PROJECT 2050: South Africa goes all green for shipping transport

South Africa’s voluntary engagement in the Norwegian sponsored Green Voyage 2050 Project in collaboration with the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), this in support of the latter’s Greenhouse Gas (GHG) shipping transport emissions elimination strategy, is indicative of the African country commitment and sheer determination to even punch above its weight in support of maritime sector development goals.

That is at least the view of government officials running with the initiative and through whose involvement with the project, saw South Africa becoming one of 10 countries globally in 2021 that volunteered to pilot the Green Voyage 2050 Project.

*_{Mr Mthunzi Madiya. Department of Transport deputy Director-General: Maritime Directorate}*

The Department of Transport working jointly with the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), are behind the country’s involvement in the project whose formal launch in the country took place during the IMO’s World Maritime Day Parallel Event at the Durban International Convention Centre last week.

The launch on Tuesday, 11 October 2022 – also attended physically and online by Norwegian and IMO officials – took the form of a round table discussion involving a contingent of delegates from both South Africa’s private maritime economic sector as well as public representatives from various government departments and societal groups with justifiable interest.

Mr Mthunzi Madiya, the national Department of Transport’s deputy Director-General for the maritime directorate, spelt out and contextualised South Africa’s keen participation in the project, even as the country’s contribution to global GHG, he said; amounted to no more than one percent of maritime transport emissions.

“The international shipping industry is a fundamental aspect of our global trade and without it, the possibilities to conduct intra-continental trade – which entails the transportation of bulk raw material, as well as import and export of affordable goods and manufactured goods – would be minimal, if not impossible.

“South Africa is at a critical juncture in its history in which it has to find ways to deliver on its developmental objectives within a world that is trending towards low carbon emissions,” said Mr Madiya.

Summarily, he said, the uptake of new technologies to advance the reduction and eventually elimination of carbon emissions was essential for the country.

To this end, Mr Madiya further confirmed that enabling legislation and regulations to facilitate further implementation of the Marpol Convention (Annexure 6) were before lawmakers in South Africa’s parliament for consideration and possible ratification. This he said, could be expected to occur before year end.

Meanwhile, during the event, South Africa was the recipient of heaps of praise for its pioneering spirit in the regard from the IMO’s head of partnerships and projects, Dr Jose Matheickal.

For their full respective views during delivery of opening remarks of the round table on the Green Voyage 2050 Project launch last Tuesday, click on the videos below.

To round off the coverage of the launch event, this blog further spoke to two officials closely involved with both the conception of and South Africa’s early involvement in the project, Mr Metse Ralephenya of the Department of Transport (maritime divison) and Mr Tegobo Mojafi, senior manager for maritime research at the South African Maritime Safety Authority. For their views, click on the video below.

End

Boating safety campaign underway nationally on Transport Month: SAMSA

_{Two of several passenger water vessels inspected by SAMSA surveyors during launch of the Gauteng leg of the National Small Vessels Concentrated Inspection Campaign by SAMSA at the Vaal River on Saturday 01 October 2022}

Pretoria: 06 October 2022

Efforts by the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) and partners to spread countrywide the promotion of small vessels safety on all South Africa’s water spaces, at sea and inland, continues at pace this month, with focus on Gauteng’s major dams, including the Vaal and Haartebeespoort.

According to SAMSA, the Concentrated Inspections Campaign for small vessels safety promotion in the region, scheduled to coincide with the country’s Transport Month – an initiative of the Department of Transport (Dot) – kicked off this past weeked, beginning at the Vaal Dam area adjacent Vanderbylpark in Gauteng.

_{SAMSA Acting CEO, Ms Zamachonco Chonc (front, second from Right) with SAMSA contingent of ship and small vessels surveyors, headed by deputy Chief Operations Officer, Capt. Vernon Keller (backrow, Right) SAMSA regional manager Capt. Thobela Gqabu (backrow, second from Right) and SAMSA Boating Centre manager, Ms Debbie James (backrow, third from Left).}

As an indication of the importance and seriousness of the campaign, at the Stonehaven-On-Vaal in Vereeniging where the campaign kicked off for Gauteng on Saturday, accompaning the contigent of SAMSA’s ship and small vessels surveyors from across the country were the top brass of the entity.

It included the Acting CEO, Ms Zamachonco Chonco; Acting Chief Operations Officer, Mr Vusi September; deputy Chief Operations Officer, Capt. Vernon Keller; SAMSA Boating Centre manager, Ms Debbie James; Regional Manager (Eastern Region), Capt. Thobela Gqabu and Principal Officer for Inland (northern) Region, Mr Imraan Davis.

The Stonehaven-on-Vaal, owned by Ms Rosemary Anderson, is one of major tourism attraction facilities in the area, with several small to medium size passenger water vessels offering cruises on the Vaal River. Incidentally, the chosen venue for the launch of the Gauteng leg of the Concentrated Inspection Campaign is only a stone’s throw way from Lake Deneys Yacht Club – the venue of the launch of the country’s Inland Water Strategy by SAMSA and the Department of Transport this time a year ago.

In a statement on Saturday, SAMSA explained: “In this specific campaign, SAMSA’s focus is to promote maritime safety and maritime interest through engagement with the public, particularly maritime community members such as vessel skippers and owners operating passenger vessels.

_{SAMSA Acting CEO, Ms Zamacchonco Chonco explaining the rationale for the nationwide small vessels concentrated inspection campaign at the Vaa;l River of Saturday, 01 October 2022}

_{A brief outline by SAMSA deputy Chief Operations Officer: Capt. Vernon Keller}

_{An overview by SAMSA’s Regional Manager (Eastern and Inland Region) Capt. Thobela Gqabu}

_{A perspective on SAMSA boating seafety camapign by small vessels owner and operator, Ms Rosemary Anderson of Stonehaven-On-Vaal}

“SAMSA’s mandate has been extended to cover inland waters, which are composed of freshwater. Therefore, SAMSA has an enormous task to ensure that small boats operating in inland waters are safe and operate efficiently as a large percentage of SAMSA’s clientele are small boats.

“Some of the inland passenger vessels can carry as much as 200 Passengers, therefore it is absolutely essential that SAMSA maintains a watchful eye on these vessels to ensure that they are operated to the highest standards.”

On the significance of the SAMSA small vessels safety promotion campaign relative to the Inland Water Strategy, and the critical need for greater cooperation and collaboration with other State as well as private sectors entities in the sector; SAMSA said: “Our organisation s delighted that the strategy was approved, implemented, and launched last year.

External collaboration

“To date, SAMSA has appointed at least 45 enforcement officers nationally in cooperation with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE), municipal officials, and law enforcement agencies. SAMSA appoints these appointees to monitor and enforce compliance on waterways or slips throughout the country.

“SAMSA is also glad to report that we are continually training external safety officers and external SAMSA small vessel surveyors to ensure compliance of the SAMSA Regulations. SAMSA has recently initiated a compulsory refresher built in buoyancy, passenger boat, pontoon boat and small vessel surveying training course for all surveyors and safety officers to attend.

“With less than 40 SAMSA full time SAMSA surveyors employed, and inland waters being one of the largest areas to cover with the limited resources and capacity, it is essential that the entity ropes in private organisations and other government entities to assist SAMSA to give full and complete effect to the regulations to ensure the safety of people and boats on our inland and coastal waters.

“It was also for that reason the Department of Transport also stated that the only practical way to control boating would be to share responsibility with local authorities and authorized agencies since they are given jurisdiction over specific demarcated section of inland waters

Next up; Free State, Mpumalanga, and Limpopo

“It is a continuous process to train and appoint enforcement officers. As there are quite a lot of small boat activities taking place in the inland region, SAMSA will soon roll out training and appointment for enforcement officers in Gauteng, Free State, Mpumalanga, and Limpopo,” said SAMSA.

This blog also caught up briefly with two of the small vessels surveyors, Mr Vusimuzi Dube and Mr Neerish Sinath; for their views on the campaign in the two videos below.

_{SAMSA Inland Region small vessels surveyor, Mr Vusimuzi Dube}

_{SAMSA Inland Region small vessels Surveyor, Mr Neeresh Sinath}

Battle against forced labour in fishing entering a sharp-edged phase in South Africa: SAMSA

Pretoria: 26 September 2022

South Africa’s fight against forced labour in the country’s fishing sector is entering an entirely new sharp-edged phase, featuring a broad front of several government departments, all with the goal of eliminating poor employment practices that denude fishermen of their basic right to dignity of employment.

This is according to the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) on review of its performance to date with the implementation of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Work-In-Fishing Convention, 2007 (C188) which South Africa ratified in 2013 and put into effect eight years later – in the process becoming the first country globally to implement the convention.

The news comes in the wake of a recent meeting and training session in Cape Town involving SAMSA, the ILO, several South African State departments and other agencies, as well as private sector law practitioners.

The meeting was to both evaluate the country’s progress and discuss challenges associated with the implementation of the C188 convention, as well as extend ILO training to both SAMSA surveyors and other State officials on identification of forced labour practices in the fishing sector.

*_{An onboard fishing vessel C188 convention inspection being conducted by SAMSA surveyors on a foreign vessel in Cape Town. (SAMSA File Photo)}*

According to SAMSA this past week, now with an army of about a dozen fully trained surveyors on Port State Control and the ILO C188 convention’s Forced Labour Indicators, as well as a set of three new regulations about to be passed, to bring to full effect related domestic legislation, the fight is shaping up neatly for a broad sweep in the country’s commercial fishing sector to spot and eliminate poor labour practicies, but particularly forced labour.

In sharpening the edge of the weaponry in the battle against forced labour, SAMSA is being joined by several other State departments, among them the Department of Employment and Labour, the Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Environment, Home Affairs (Immigration), the South African Revenue Services and other agencies.

The battle is focused on not only South African fishing vessels, as international vessels operating on South African waters will also be thoroughly scanned and inspected consistent with the ILO C188 convention and related international and domestic instruments.

For a full outline of the assessment of South Africa’s progress in the implementation of the ILO C188 convention and related matters, inclusive of the country’s pioneering role in assisting other countries in ratifying and implementing the convention, this blog conducted a brief interview (15 minutes max), with one of SAMSA’s lead ship surveyors with vast knowledge and experience on the subject, Mr Selywn Bailey.

To view and listen, click on the video below.

Meanwhile, in a different but related environment, a set of South Africa twin architects, both females; are set to make it to South Africa’s maritime history arsenal next month in Durban, where the General Secretary of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Mr Kitack Lim is scheduled to unveil a new statue the pair were selected earlier this year to draw and erect.

*_{Twin architects of Sesana Studio (from Left), Ms Letlhogonolo and Tlhologelo Sesana}*

The statue is part of features to mark South Africa’s inaugural hosting of the IMO’s World Maritime Day Parallel Event (WMDPE) over four (4) days in Durban’s International Convention Centre, attended by hundreds of representatives of its 175 Member States, as well as those of the Association of African Maritime Administrators (AAMA), the latter which will also hold a one day conference a day ahead of the IMO event.

The two events take place in Durban from 11-14 October 2022.

Twin architects, Ms Letlhogonolo and Tlhologelo Sesana of Sesana Sesana Studio in Pretoria were formally appointed by the Department of Transport (DoT) in June this year to design as well as have erected their design of the statue which they have named ‘Ukuhlangana‘.

Their appointment was formally announced in June 2022 Gazette Notice 1133 of 2022 published on 04 June, and confirmed once more publicly, during the launch of the country’s Maritime Industry Development Task Force Network in Durban in August 2022.

To get a sense of what the twin architect were embarking upon, this blog caught with and chatted briefly with the pair.

Click on the video below to view and listen to them.

End

SA maritime industry network launch just the tool for sector’s much needed rapid development: Govt, business.

_{Leadership of South Africa’s newly established Maritime Industry Development Task Force Network (MIDTSN) during formal launch of the private sector initiated formation in Durban on Thursday, 11 August 2022. (Photo: SAMSA File)}

Pretoria: 20 August 2022

The launch in South Africa of a private-sector driven Maritime Industry Development Task Force Network (MIDTFN) could prove to be just the most appropriate step needed currently to inject much desired positive impetus on the country’s blue economy strategy outlined through the Operation Phakisa (Oceans Economy) government programme launched all of eight years ago.

Precisely, the country’s Comprehensive Maritime Transport Policy (CMTP) implementation by the Department of Transport and through which as much as R177-billion in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contribution could be unlocked in the maritime sector alone, and with it, the creation of close on a million jobs in the next decade, will need it.

At least that is the view of the more than three dozen maritime industry practitioners, business leaders and related whose ‘task forces’ representatives graced the launch event at Durban port’s upmarket MSC cruiseliner passenger terminal, along with senior officials of the Department of Transport and others a week ago.

*_{Top leadership the MIDTFN (From Left) Capt. Makhosi Mbokwazi (Second deputy President), Mr Prasheen Maharaj (President) and Mr Lindani Mchunu (First deputy President).}*

Leading the private sector task forces grouping under the MIDFT Network umbrella body was its first president, Mr Prasheen Maharaj (Sandock Austral), deputies Mr Lindani Mchunu (V&A Waterfront) and Capt. Makhosi Mbokazi (Transnet National Ports Authority), along with Department of Transport (DoT) Chief Director for Maritime Policy and Legislation, Mr Dumisani Ntuli.

*_{Mr Dumisani Ntuli, Chief Director: Maritime Policy & Legislation. Department of Transport}*

The goal of the formation of the network, according to both the network and the DoT is to provide a platform upon which the country’s maritime economic sector can combine seamlessly to form a social compact in execution of efforts towards rapid development of the country’s maritime industry which, by their own admission; lacks desired progress.

To ensure appropriate, equitable representation of all involved and interested, according to Mr Maharaj, the Network is a collective of work streams or ‘task forces’ representative of several subsectors for each of private sector identified priority investment and development areas in the country’s maritime industry.

During launch of the network in Durban on Thursday, 11 August 2022; six of these task forces – all led by private sector appointed representatives – were already in existence and operational.

Collectively, the network will serve as a conduit for joint effort and collaboration with Government and other maritime economic sector stakeholders in South Africa and abroad to drive investment and business development while contributing to resolution of the country’s triple challenges of inequality, unemployment and poverty.

The six streams so far comprise;

a Maritime Industry Value Chain Task Force championeed by Mr Durand Naidoo, chief executive officer of Lisen Nambi Group of Companies,
a Maritime Industry Space Solutions Task Force championed by Ms Nokwanda Mkhize (researcher at Saldanha Bay Industrial Development Zone) and Mr Imraan Saloojee (executive director of The Research Institute for Innovation and Sustainability [RIIS]),
a Maritime Industry Ship Repair Hub Task Force championed by Mr Karl Wiesner (Managing Director of the Sandock Austral Defense Engineering System [SADES]),
a Maritime Industry Human Resources Task Force championed by Mr Nceba Mfini (Human Resources Executive at AMSOL),
a Maritime Industry Scaling Up through industry-wide collaborations Task Force (MSuC-TF) championed by Dr. Nandipha Siwahla-Madiba (Non Executive Director of Freight Logistics South Africa), and
a Maritime Industry Decarbonisation through Renewable Energy Task Force (MDtRE)-TF championed by Mr Thomas Roos (Senior Research Engineer at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research [CSIR])

In addition, the network works closely with a Maritime Industry Communication Forum.

In order to preserve clarity of messaging, in addition to capturinng the network launch proceedings as best as ambience conditions allowed in the huge cruiseliners’ passenger terminal hall, this blog also conducted interviews with both Mr Ntuli (DoT) as well as Mr Maharaj.

In the seperate interviews, they fully outlined both the purpose of the network and its anticipated impact on the Operation Phakisa (Oceans Economy) programme as well as its underlying policy framework under the DoT’s Comprehensive Maritime Transport Policy.

Curiously, what came out of both was a common message that neither government nor the private sector can do it alone. The country’s ailing maritime economic sector needs both to realise meaningful development through increased investment.

To listen to the interviews click on the videos below.

_{Mr Dumisani Ntuli. Chief Director: Maritime Policy & Legislation. Department of Transport}

_{Mr Prasheen Maharaj, SA Maritime Industry Development Task Force Network president.}

For each of the respective officials (Mr Ntuli and Mr Maharaj’s on stage presentations, click on the videos below.

_{Mr Dumisani Ntuli’s main address}

_{Mr Prasheed Maharaj’s main address}

_{Network First Deputy President Mr Lindani Mchunu’s address unpacking the composition of the Task Forces}

The four Task Forces champions present at the launch event, also shared a few insights. To view and listen, click on the respective videos below.

_{Mr Thomas Roo}s

_{Mr Karl Wiesner}

_{Mr Nceba Mfini}

_{Dr Nandipha Siwahla-Madiba}

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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.

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Maritime world’s eyes on seafarers globally this weekend for celebration in recognition of their immense role in oceans transportation!

Pretoria: 24 June 2022

Once more, the world’s maritime sector will have its eyes squarely on seafarers globally this weekend to celebrate them in recognition of their incredible role in sea trade transport and related 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

June 25 is the officially appointed Day of the Seafarer celebrated annually each year since its establishment just over a decade ago by a resolution of a Conference of Parties to the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW), 1978, held in Manila, Philippines, in June 2010.

It has since been followed by the establishment of the International Day for Women in Maritime, celebrated on 18 May for the first time this year.

Twelve years on, the Day of the Seafarers however, remains the most important annual calendar event to date for many maritime countries that are Member States of International Maritime Organisation (IMO) which leads it by coordinating and deciding the theme for each of the June 25 annual events.

According to the IMO, “The Day of the Seafarer provides an opportunity to pay tribute to the world’s 1.5 million seafarers (risen to 1,89-million by 2015 in 74 000 merchant vessels) for the unique and all-too-often overlooked contribution to the well-being of the general public, and we would like to do it using as many social media networks as possible.

“The Day of the Seafarer is also an opportunity to educate the public about issues facing the modern-day seafarer – issues such as piracy. But, most importantly, it is the occasion for us, the world, to say ‘Thank you, seafarers.’

This year’s theme picked by the IMO is: “Your voyage – then and now, share your journey” with its choice and significance explained thus: “Every seafarer’s journey is different, but they all face similar challenges.

“For 2022, the campaign of the Day of the Seafarers, with the theme ‘Your voyage – then and now share your journey’, look at seafarer voyages, what it includes and how has it evolved over time and what remains at the heart of seafarers’ reality. This campaign gives seafarers a chance to share what resonates with them currently, whether it’s the crew change crisis being unresolved or the future of technology.”

With June 25 falling on a Saturday this year, South Africa, one 175 Member States of the IMO; will celebrate the day on Monday, 27 June 2022 with the ceremony marked simultaneously at the same time in three coastal cities; Cape Town, Gqeberha (a.k.a Port Elizabeth) and Durban, the latter city being where the Minister of Transport, Mr Fikile Mbalula or his deputy, Ms Sindisiwe Chikunga is currently earmarked to deliver the main address.

The live staging of the event next Monday will mark the first time in two years that the Day of Seafarers is celebrated in the traditional ‘town hall’ setting since being disrupted and forced to online platforms by the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in early 2020.

This passing week, the country’s maritime sector joined the pre-event activity attaching to this year’s theme, with several companies and entities calling on South Africa’s seafarers to share their career journey stories, notable among these being SAMSA, the South African International Maritime Institute (SAIMI), Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), Amsol and others and using their social media platforms to publicly share the stories.

While no official word had come forth from either the DoT or SAMSA about Monday’s event prior to publication of this article, nevertheless this blog understands that the Durban leg of it will feature a discussion session involving Government, its agencies as well representatives of the maritime sector inclusive of educational institutions as well as seafarers, all focusing precisely on seafarers’ experiences and anticipations.

A preliminary draft list of likely participants in the session includes Dr Langa Dlamini, Executive Manager: Economics and Statistical Services at the Durban based Moses Kotane Institute, Mr Sibusiso Rantsoabe, Manager: OHS & Maritime Welfare at SAMSA; Mr Nkosinathi Manqele, HoD for Maritime Studies Department, Durban University of Technology; Mr Ross Volk, Managing Director of MSC Cruises, South Africa; Mr Durand Naidoo, Chief Executive Officer: Linsen Nambi; Ms Pinky Zungu, Deputy Harbour Master, Durban (TNPA), Captain Thobela Gqabu, SAMSA Regional Manager: Eastern Region, and a set of yet to be confirmed seafarers’ representative.

Anticipated topics for exploration through discussion include; Government’s role and commitment to South African seafarers, and individual institutional perspectives one the subject from the Maritime Regulator (SAMSA – the Registrar of Seafarers and Custodian of Seafarer Welfare), Maritime Education, Training and Research, Employers of Seafarers and perspectives of Seafarers themselves inclusive of their gender-specific related experiences and future expectations.

Also in the preliminary list of speakers on the day, in addition to the Minister or his Deputy, are KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Ms Peggy Nkonyeni or DoT Chief Director: Maritime Policy and Legislation Mr Dumisani Ntuli, Mr Bheka Zulu who is both a SAMSA and Moses Kotane Institute Board Member, Ms Zamachonco Chonco, SAMSA Acting CEO; Dr Thandeka Ellenson CEO of the Moses Kotane Institute and Mr William Azuh Head: Africa Section, Subdivision for Maritime Development, Technical Cooperation Division, IMO.

As per tradition, a recorded video message about this year’s event theme by IMO Secretary General Mr Kitack Lim will also be shared.

Monday’s event in all three cities is currently scheduled to begin at 9am through to 2pm

As usual, this blog will attempt to capture such visuals of any of the events as shall be possible during the day.

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South Africa’s state of readiness for oil and related spills disasters in its oceans environment up to scratch; Govt, industry, NGOs agree.

Pretoria 23 May 2022

More than 100 participants and observers in South Africa and two neighbouring maritime countries, Namibia and Angola; at this year’s Interim Incident Management Organisation (IMOrg) training and live deployment exercise in Cape Town a week ago, left with unanimity in their view that the country’s state of readiness for oil and related pollution disasters is on the ready, notwithstanding notable gaps in terms of some necessary additional resources and equipment.

The Interim IMOrg arranged training in Cape Town, involving about 50 delegates on the IMS 100, 200 and 300 modules over three days, followed by two days live off and onshore mock oil spill incident management exercise involving an additional 50 people manning sea vessels, aircraft and onshore equipment; took place in Cape Town from Monday, (09 May 2022) to Friday, (13 May 2022).

It was the first exercise of its kind, in grand scale, since before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic two years ago, and drew the direct contribution of the Benguela Current Convention (BCC) and active participation of delegates from the two other members to the convention, Namibia and Angola.

The Interim IMOrg, under the Department of Transport, is South Africa’s joint Government and Industry preparedness forum for oil spills launched in 2017. Its membership is drawn broadly from across various sectors of society inclusive of State departments, private sector industries as well as non-governmental institutions. The current focus of the Interim IMOrg is on oil spills but in the future it will ramp up to an all hazard approach.

According to Captain Ravi Naicker, SAMSA Senior Manager and co-chair of the Interim IMOrg; the structure identifies primary roles of Government and industry contributing towards preparedness of the country with effective and efficient management of maritime incidents such as oil spills offshore.

Its specific objective involves the staging of joint emergency response drills to prepare the country for a variety of incidents and uses the Incident Management System (IMS) as its preferred response model “for effective and efficient use and deployment of the available resources, both human and equipment, for all types of incidents including marine pollution

In Cape Town a week ago, this blog spoke to some of the government, business and nongovernmental institutions represented at the event to establish their views during the IMS training as well on the last day of the live mock oil spillage management exercise to solicit their views on the real state of South Africa’s readiness for off shore oil spill disasters and related.

Among these were an official of Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) incorporating the Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre (MRCC), the South African International Maritime Institute (SAIMI), South African Police Services (SAPS), Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB), African Marine Solutions (AMSOL), Resolve Marine Group, SMIT Salvage, Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA), as well a representative from the Angolan government.

Notable among the views was tacit agreement on the usefulness of the exercise and the general enthusiasm and keen interest shown by all stakeholders, the advantages to be derived from a unified command, the enhanced greater understanding derived by each of the key role players, the usefulness of expansion of the training as well as exercise to include neighbouring countries, the need for regular periodic exercises as well as an evident lack of adequate resources to provide protection for the country’s entire 3200 kilometre coastline

For their full responses (averaging three (3) to six (6) minutes each), click on the videos below.

_{Remarks by Ms Feroza Albertus-Stanley (Department of Foresty, Fisheries & Environment)}

_{Remarks by Mr Estanislav Gaspar (Department of Mineral Resources, Oil & Gas.Angola)}

_{Remarks by Captain Pretty Molefe (SAMSA Centre for Sea Watch & Response)}

_{Remarks by Mr Richard Robertson (SMIT-Salvage)}

_{Remarks by Ms Nickie Stander (SANCCOB)}

_{Remarks by Mr Odwa Mtati (SAIMI)}

_{Remarks by Mr Musa Mbakaza (AMSOL)}

_{Remarks by Colonel Alan Strydom (South African Police Services)}

_{Remarks by Captain Naresh Sewnath (Transnet National Ports Authority)}

The Benguela Current Convention (BCC), contributors and financial sponsors of the IMOrg exercise also shared its viewpoint about the significance of both its direct involvement for the first time as well as its own objectives. In the video below, BCC Compliance Officer, Mr Xolela Wellem, gives an extensive background and programs of the BCC which make the case for the Atlantic Ocean coastline convention’s direct interest in the work of the IMOrg.

To listen to interview click on the video below.

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