The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), in collaboration with the International Maritime Organization (IMO), is proud to announce the National Workshop on Promoting Shipping Decarbonisation and Aligning with the IMO Net-Zero Framework, that will take place on Thursday, 10 July 2025, in Pretoria, South Africa.
This landmark event – the first of its kind following the historic approval of the IMO Net-Zero Framework at MEPC 83 in April 2025 – will bring together maritime industry stakeholders, policymakers, and thought leaders for an in-depth dialogue on: • Understanding the new IMO Net-Zero Framework • Clarifying Member State roles and responsibilities • Strengthening institutional support for shipping decarbonisation • Aligning national and regional goals with global commitments • Preparing strategically for the Framework’s adoption in October 2025
Be part of a catalytic platform that will define Africa’s contribution to global maritime decarbonisation and shape the path forward for a sustainable, future-ready industry.
The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) recently hosted Navy Captain Dr. Kamal-Deen Ali, anewly appointed Director General of the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA), at its Cape Town offices for strategic discussions aimed at deepening maritime cooperation between the two countries.
Attended by Mr. Eugene Alec Rappetti, Executive Manager: Maritime Special Projects, and Captain Lee Michael De La Rue, Senior Examiner, from SAMSA, the meeting focused on exploring shared interests and enhancing collaboration across various maritime domains. SAMSA took the opportunity to provide an in-depth overview of its operations, including its mandate, organisational structure, and regulatory responsibilities within South Africa’s maritime sector.
Key topics covered during the engagement included South Africa’s ship regulatory framework, the organisation of SAMSA’s technical and inspection services, and processes related to the Cabotage Regime, Ship Registry, and Maritime Management.
The meeting culminated with both authorities identifying areas for potential collaboration. Dr. Kamal-Deen Ali expressed strong interest in partnering with SAMSA on matters such as revenue collection models, training and responsibilities of ship surveyors, and the training and certification of seafarers. Additionally, Capt. LM De La Rue shared insights into South Africa’s seafarer examination procedures, maritime training initiatives, and the accreditation of training institutions.
This meeting marks an important step in building closer ties between South Africa and Ghana in the maritime field. Both SAMSA and the GMA affirmed their commitment to promoting maritime safety, regulatory excellence, and skills development in their regions.
The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) ran the Access to Seafaring Careers Survey from September 2024. Please note that the survey is now closed and no new responses are being accepted.
The feedback and results of the survey that were completed by over a 1000 seafarers will be assessed and analysed to determine how to influence regulations that affect seafarers’ unemployment, welfare and gender representation.
The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) thanks all seafarers who took the time to complete the survey and share their views. Results of the survey will be shared in due course.
Work on the removal of the last batch of loosened parts of the wreck of the fishing trawler, FV Elke M, that ran aground near St Francis Bay in the Eastern Cape in January 2024, has resumed, the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) confirmed at the weekend.
According to SAMSA, the removal of the loose steel parts of the vessel began on Thursday last week and continues this week.
Resumption of the work, halted since May 2024 due to a hostile wintry weather characterised by strong winds and huge waves along the Cape of Good Hope Ocean corridor, began last week following the completion an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) under Section 30 of National Environmetral Management Act (NEMA) by an expert environmentalist and scientist, Dr Warwick Sauer, of the faculty of Ichthyology and Fisheries Sciences at Rhodes University.
The EIA findings of Dr. Warwick, as reported by SAMSA, indicated that the reduced steel structural portion of the vessel, which was left on the coastline at Shark Point, near St. Francis Bay, had since firmly settled on the rocky shoreline at a much faster rate than had been anticipated. The steel was divided into three parts.
The grounding incident of FV Elke M, a Port Elizabeth registered 376-ton (gross) fishing trawler, measuring 33 meters in length and eight (8) meters wide, with a deadweight tonnage of some 194 tons, occurred on a late Saturday evening on 06 January 2024, on a rocky coastal area of the Cape coast in the Eastern Cape some two kilometres southeast of St Francis Bay.
Within hours of the incident, the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) assisted in the secure evacuation of all 22 crew members aboard the vessel.
Salvage work was initiated shortly thereafter to reduce and remove the vessel’s 35 tons of marine fuel and approximately 2000 litres of lubricating oil. Subsequently, in May 2024, after additional evaluations of its disfigured and torn bare structure, which was divided into three sections, it was determined to be temporarily safe during the stormy winter months that began that month.
A further EIA was conducted in June 2024, followed by the most recent one on whose basis the first phase of the wreck removal has now started.
Mr Nick Sloane
In the intervening period, according to the vessel owner’s insurance company, P&I representative, Mr Nick Sloane, to ensure safety of life and the nearby environment, a services provider procured by the vessel owner’s insurers remained posted to monitor the vessel remains’ condition.
The monitoring company also collected debris found in the area, and most of which, Mr Sloane said, did not emerge from the bare and broken structure of the FV Elke M. The vigilance would continue through to February 2025 by which period much of what remains of the wreck will possibly have been completely removed.
On Thursday, in the presence of SAMSA Southern Region Principal Officer, Mr Thandimfundo Mehlo, the wreck removal team utilised a helicopter to lift and dispose of loose steel parts of the wreck that were ripped off its skeletal structure by the pounding of sea waves during the winter months.
This blog chatted briefly with Mr Sloane to establish how far the work has gone, the challenges encountered as well as his impression on the state of readiness of South Africa’s maritime community for incidents of this nature. For his views, Click on the video below.
A marine court of enquiry is to be set up by the Department of Transport (DoT) to fully establish the cause/s of the sinking of a Cape Town based South African commercial vessel, the FV Lepanto, earlier in 2024 and whose demise cost the lives of 11 crew, while nine (9) others were successfully rescued; the ministry has announced.
The launch of the enquiry, according to DoT national spokesman, Mr Colleen Msibi in a statement on Wednesday, follow a submission of a draft preliminary enquiry report by the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) to Transport Minister, Ms Barbara Creecy, and deputy Minister of Transport, Mr Mkhuleko Hlengwa this past weekend.
The SAMSA draft report is scheduled to be finalised and released before the end of 2024, said Mr Msibi.
Mr Msibi said: “The Minister of Transport, Ms. Barbara Creecy and the Deputy Minister, Mr Mkhuleko Hlengwa have on Sunday the 10th of November 2024 received a notification from the South African Maritime Authority (SAMSA) indicating that a draft report regarding the tragic sinking of the Fishing Vessel Lepanto, has been completed. The tragic accident happened on 17 May 2024, where eleven lives perished at sea.
“The Minister and Deputy Minister have requested (the) SAMSA board to urgently finalize the report with its legal team. They have also instructed the Department to begin a process of establishing a Marine Court of Enquiry to further pursue an investigation and bring the report to finality.
“Creecy and Hlengwa have expressed their strong desire to release the final preliminary report before the end of the year,” said Mr Msibi.
The sinking in May 2024 of the 38,6-meters long, 63 years old FV Lepanto, resulting in the tragic loss of lives of 11 crew believed to have remained trapped onboard – the vessel reportedly sank rapidly, within about five (5) minutes after a sudden heavy listing – was one of a handful of sea incidents involving commercial fishing vessels during the year and from which approximately 70 crew members in total were successfully rescued and evacuated.
The incidents included a sister commercial vessel to the FV Lepanto, the FV Armana which reportedly had been the first responder to issue a mayday call, as well as rescue and evacuate the nine (9) surviving crew members of the FV Lepanto on 17 May 2024.
Incidentally, five months later, the FV Armana reportedly also caught fire and sank in October 2024 while out at sea in a location some 60 nautical miles offshore from Gansbaai on the Atlantic Ocean. All its 20 crew members on board were successfully rescued and evacuated back to Cape Town.
The two sister commercial fishing vessels’ incidents were interspersed by two others, the grounding of the FV Elke M in January, near St Francis Bay on the Eastern Cape coast (Indian Ocean), and the sinking of the FV Oceana Amethyst approximately 20 nautical miles west north- west of Slangkoppunt on the Altantic Ocean in the Western Cape.
All crew on board both vessels (FV Elke M = 22 and FV Oceana Amethyst = 20) were successfully rescued and evacuated.
The plight of South Africa’s subsistence fishing communities is increasingly receiving due attention from government and its agencies, but particularly with both the allocation of more fish species rights, as well as support in terms of enhancing fishing safety, according to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE).
This emerged this week at a function by the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) to present sets of personal protective and fishing safety gear to members of a rural subsistence cooperative, the Stillcob Joint Primary Corporative in Stilbaai, Western Cape province, on Tuesday.
SAMSA Head of Corporate Social Investment, Ms Mapitso Dlepu
The donation handover was the second of its kind in terms of SAMSA’s Corporate Social Investment and Sustainability project for 2024 – the first having been made a month ago to a Centani, Eastern Cape based 60-member strong rural subsistence fishing cooperative. registered as the Eluthimba Small Scale Fisheries Cooporative.
According to SAMSA head of CSI, Ms Mapitso Dlepu, this year’s corporate social investment shift towards the country’s subsistence fishing community was to galvanise and consolidate state support for sustainable fishing and community development to alleviate poverty and empower subsistence fishing dependent communities.
The subsistence fishing cooperatives selected for support this year – both based in SAMSA’s Southern Region that straddles parts of both the Eastern and Western Cape provinces – she said; were provided with basic fishing safety gear following consultation and a needs identification that was conducted jointly with the DFFE fisheries development division.
Primarily, the donated equipment was intended to enable the fishermen to fish more efficiently while adhering to safety, she said. According to Ms Dlepu, SAMSA is committed to maintaining ongoing focus of its CSI activity on providing support that promotes and enhances safety of subsistence fisher communities countrywide. For her remarks, click on the video below.
SAMSA Mossel Bay area Principal Officer, Capt. Thembela Taboshe also weighed in, restating the significance of the SAMSA gesture from the entity’s operations perspective.
DFFE Fisheries Development Officer, Garden Route, Ms Boitumelo Chakane-Nxusani
In Stilbaai on Tuesday, DFFE Fisheries Development Officer for the Garden Route area of the Western Cape province, Ms Boitumelo Chakane-Nxusani said the country currently has 172 registered subsistence fishing cooperatives, the marjority (92) of them in the Western Cape, and collectively accounting for over 10 000 members.
Significantly though, she said, was that in a decisive break with past practice, the variety of fishing species of allowable catch by subsistence fishers had been increased to include species caught for commercial purposes in addition to those for personal consumption.
Additionally, she said, the department was working diligently to ensure diversity in the subsector by encouraging and promoting the inclusion of both women and youth.
For her full remarks, click on the video below:
Stillcob Joint Primary Cooperative Limited chairperson, Mr Ben Strydom.
In welcoming the fishing safety gear support by SAMSA, the chairperson of the Stillcob Joint Primary Cooperative Limited, Mr Ben Strydom described it as a ‘great relief’ after an eight year struggle to access resources to alleviate the plight of subsistence fishers.
Mr Strydom also indicated his pleasure at the expansion of species that are now going to be allowed for subsistence fishers, thereby allowing them to also contribute to social and economic development through increased production output and commercial markets access that would lead to creation of employment and wider of sharing of income. For his views, click on the video below.
South Africa’s Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Transport has expressed its pleasure and satisfaction with the work of the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), even as the entity is hard pressed to jack up its boots to enhance levels of safety in the country’s waterways for both life and property at sea.
The positive rating on SAMSA’s performance over the past year was expressed by the Committee’s chairperson, Mr Selelo David Selamolelo during a scheduled oversight visit of and meeting with the entity’s management leadership on Saturday, 12 October 2024 in Cape Town.
Said Mr Selamolelo; “The maritime space is very important for economic emancipation, but also for moving, generally, the economy of the country…… emerging from this meeting with SAMSA, we are pleased and happy with the work that they are currently doing, even as there are areas that they must improve on, especially those relating to contracts management, and transformation.”
SAMSA’s management leadership for the occassion comprised members of its Board of non-executive directors led by its chairperson, Mr Mahesh Fakir, SAMSA executive management led by Acting Chief Executive Officer, Ms Mbalenhle Golding; in the presence also of the Deputy Minister of Transport, Mr Mkhuleko Hlengwa.
SAMSA Board Chairperson, Mr Mahesh FakirLeft to Right: Transport Deputy Minister, Mr Mkhuleko Hlengwa with SAMSA Board Chairperson, Mr Mahesh FakirSAMSA Chief Financial Officer and Acting CEO, Ms Mbalenhle Golding
The meeting took place at SAMSA’s Cape Town based Centre for Sea Watch & Response (incorporating the Maritime Rescue Coordinating Centre) and which in 2024 has had to deal with a significantly higher number of maritime incidents compared with recent years, involving both transnational cargo vessels traversing across South Africa’s three oceans along a 3 200km coastline, as well as commercial fishing vessels; and from some of which incidents, in both caterogies, regrettably, life and property were lost at sea.
Regarding cargo vessels, incidents in the 2024 calendar year mostly involved ships losing containers at sea – with one eventually grounded on the west coast – all reportedly due to southern Africa’s adverse weather conditions this year. Among some of the cargo vessels’ incidents, in some instances, loss of crew members overboard were reported.
On the other hand, incidents related to commercial fishing vessels also involved no less than four of these, through either grounding (one in January in South Africa’s south east coast) or sinking (three in South Africa’s south west coast area over the last few months – with one resulting in a loss of 11 seafarers.
The spate of maritime incidents at South Africa’s oceans this year increasingly becoming a concern even at highest government level, five days prior to the portfolio committee on transport’s oversight meeting with SAMSA management leadership on Saturday, deputy Minister of Transport, Mr Hlengwa had also had a special meeting with SAMSA’s executive management, also in Cape Town.
This was for a briefing on among other issues, the progress being achieved in the salvage of the wreck of a general cargo ship, the MV Ultra Galaxy, that’s currently underway on South Africa’s west coast since its grounding in early July.
In Cape Town on Saturday afternoon, emerging from the SAMSA management leadership meeting, and another with South Africa’s Ports Regular management team, Mr Selamolelo said the committee was not merely pleased and happy with SAMSA’s performance for the period under review, but also pledged the committee’s full support for the resourcing of the country’s maritime safety authority.
He said: “Coming out of this meeting is that we, as the Portfolio Committee on Transport, may have to find a way to give more support in terms of resources to SAMSA because they are doing a lot of work in terms of ensuring safety in our waters.”
For his full remarks during a brief interview with this blog, please click on the video below.
Prior to the portfolio committee on transport meeting in Cape Town on Saturday, both the Deputy Minister of Transport, Mr Hlengwa, and SAMSA management leadership, led by Board chairperson, Mr Mahesh Fakir, and Acting CEO, Ms Mbalenhle Golding, paid a courtesy visit to the Nelson Mandela University based South African International Maritime Institute (SAIMI) two days earlier (Thursday, 10 October 2024).
The visit was the new deputy Minister’s first to the institution, for his briefing and an exchange of notes on progress being achieved by the Department of Higher Education funded SAIMI with maritime skills development, as well as about challenges in the training and education sector requiring mutual support, cooperation and collaboration.
VISITING SAIMI: (From Left) SAMSA CFO and Acting CEO, Ms Mbalenhle Golding, SAMSA Board Chairperson, Mr Mahesh Fakir, Transport Deputy Minister, Mr Mkhuleko Hlengwa and SAIMI CEO, Mr Odwa Mtati.
The event, which encompassed a tour of SAIMI partners’ related maritime skills development projects located at the Nelson Mandela University, capped this year’s maritime transport sector focus as part of the annual October Transport Month campaign by the Deparment of Transport nationally.
For a comprehensive coverage, involving both remarks shared by earmarked officials on the stage as well as brief interviews with the Deputy Minister of Transport, Mr Hlengwa and SAIMI chief executive officer, Mr Odwa Mtati, and a brief tour of a maritime related technology skills development facility at the NMU, click on the videos below.
Brief Interview Remarks:
Transport Deputy Minister, Mr Mkhuleko Hlengwa
SA International Maritime Institute (SAIMI) CEO, Mr Odwa Mtati
On Stage Remarks:
Nelson Mandela University Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation & Internationalisation, Prof Azwindi Muronga
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.
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.
Seafarers’ safety and welfare, right along with tight protection of the oceans environment have come under close focus in South Africa in October – a month dedicated annually to transport safety – all in the wake of several vessels incidents this year and during some of which both life and property were lost at sea.
South Africa’s deputy Minister of Transport, Mr Mkhuleko Hlengwa on Tuesday met with the executive management of the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) and members of the SOE’s Board of Directors in Cape Town for a briefing on, among other things; progress with the salvage of the grounded Panama-flagged cargo vessel, the MV Ultra Galaxy, currently underway on South Africa’s west coast.
The grounding of the vessel in early July occured as the southern hemisphere’s wintry weather fully set in, characterised by choppy winds and rough seas, and amidst several other incidents recorded this year occuring along South Africa’s three oceans, from the Atlantic Ocean in the west to the Indian Ocean in the east.
The incidents – about 22 so far this year since January – included the sinking of no less than two fishing vessels, the FV Oceana Amethystone in April and the FV Lepanto in May both on the west coast- the latter with a sad loss of 11 lives.
These were preceded earlier in the year by the grounding of another fishing vessel on the Indian Ocean near St Francis Bay, the Elke M, and also followed by several other incidents involving both a handful of seafarers and more than 200 containers being lost overboard a number of cargo vessels.
In Cape Town on Tuesday, South Africa’s Transport Deputy Minister, Mr Hlengwa briefied by SAMSA management on the progress being achieved with the salvage work of the grounded vessel, the MV Ultra Galaxy and who wreck, now in three parts, is still partly submerged in a coastal area some 300 km north of Cape Town.
Also present for the deputy Minister’s briefing in Cape Town on Tuesday were Mr Michael Heads, MD of 2Opic and P&I Club representative, Mr Matt Moor, Chief Operating Officer and Head of Claims at Asia Pacific North Standard, Dr Sue Ware of ITOPF as well as officials of the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment.
Mr Hlengwa heard that the MV Ultra Galaxy, a 124.56-meter-long general cargo vessel built in 2008, ran aground on the evening of Tuesday, 09 July 2024, off the coast of Duiwegat, just south of Brand se Baai on the West Coast.
This occurred just a day after the vessel, laden with fertiliser cargo from Europe and destined for Dar es Salaam in Tanzania was abandoned by its 18 member Pilipino crew after it had listed heavily while sailing south on the Atlantic Ocean a day before.
On its grounding, the initial effort by South African authorities as constituted by the country’s Incident Management Organisation (IMOrg) under the Department of Transport, focussed primarily on retrieving all cargo on board, consisting of the fertiliser as well as fuel on board.
However, this effort was virtually stillborn since just as soon as salvage started, it was immediately thwarted by extreme wintry weather conditions, leading to the fertiliser dissolving on exposure to sea water, and about 500 metric tons of low sulphur fuel and hydraulic oils spilling out and mostly washed ashore onto nearby beaches.
A clean-up operation that initially began with floating debris, ensued; expanding fully onto the oil and low sulphur fuel spill that was collected successfully for disposal.
Most recently, SAMSA confirmed that a tender process for the retrieval and removal of the wreck was already at an advanced stage of finalisation, after which the preferred services provider will be appointed to formally start with the work.
Ministerial Briefing:Mr Mahesk Fakir, SAMSA Board chairperson (standing) briefing Transport Deputy Minister, Mr Mkhuleko Hlengwa (seated, second from the right) in Cape Town on Tuesday, 08 October 2024, on progress being made with the salvage work of the grounded MV Ultra Galaxy lying in pieces on South Africa’s west coast since early July 2024.
In his briefing of the Deputy Minister of Transport, SAMSA’s Board chairperson, Mr Mahesh Fakir, reiterated the entity’s full commitment to its legislated mandate of ensuring safety of life and property at sea and the protection of the marine environment, with critical focus on its safety mandate.
Crucially however, he said: “As we look into the future, we must ask ourselves, how do we sustainably fund and maintain the capacity to prevent such incidents in the future.” Also important, he said, was greater support and collaboration with both the maritime sector and industry as well as other state departments and entities.
Regarding the salvage of the MV Ultra Galaxy, he said the plan was to have both the wreck and removed and the affected natural environment rehabilitated to its original condition.
In response, Mr Hlengwa thanked both SAMSA, the DFFE and industry principals and experts for their continued keen involvement and contribution to the work of SAMSA, and by extention, that of the Department of Transport and government.
“It is our belief that together, we can promote South Africa’s maritime interests and contribute to a safer, cleaner and more sustainable oceans environment; and I invite you to engage with us with any ideas that you might have in order to take this work forward,” said Mr Hlengwa.
For their brief remarks, click on video below.
Philippines Ambassador visits SAMSA
Prior to the briefing of the South Africa deputy Minister of Transport, Mr Hlengwa on Tuesday, SAMSA’s Southern Region management in Gqeberha also hosted Philippines’ Ambassador to South Africa, Ms Noralyn Jubaira Baja for a courtesy visit that centred on strengthening of relations between the two countries with regards the safety and welfare of seafarers.
All 18 crew members of the MV Ultra Galaxy who were safely evacuated and expatriated were Phillipinos. In a brief interview shortly after the meeting, Ms Baja described the visit and meeting as a routine,intended primarily to firm up relations with SAMSA regional offices spread across South Africa’s coastline from Richards Bay in the east to Port Nolloth in the west, with a view to ensuring the safety and welfare of Philipino seafarers worldwide.
Her schedule in the city would also involve a visit of a vessel at Algoa Bay with Philipino crew members. For her brief chat, click on the video above.
