SOMALIA: The Operation Commander of the European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) Operation ATALANTA paid a three-day visit to Somalia last week with the aim of improving maritime security in the region.

SOUTH AFRICA: International entrepreneurs, investors, scientists, businesses and leaders that are working towards creating a positive impact on our oceans will converge in Cape Town next month for the 2024 edition of Ocean Innovation Africa.

SOUTH AFRICA: The R965 million intended acquisition of Terrasan Group Limited’s subsidiaries in the catching, processing, and sale of pelagic fish, and 63.07% of their subsidiaries in the farming, processing and sale of abalone by Sea Harvest Group Limited will substantially boost the fishing company’s growth ambitions.

SOUTH AFRICA: The Coastal Waters Discharge Permits issued to fish processing facilities operating within St Helena Bay in the Western Cape are under review and the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment has extended the deadline for public comment to the end of February.

A new product to provide cover for vessels entering a War & Piracy ‘breach’ area, such as the Gulf of Aden or the Gulf of Guinea, where there is a heightened risk of vessels being seized was launched today by West P&I Club.

SOUTH AFRICA: Sobantu Tilayi, COO of the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) admits that the sudden closure of the offshore bunkering operations in Algoa Bay could have been avoided if the relevant government departments had worked more closely with one another.

SOUTH AFRICA: The current salvage and wreck removal of a fishing vessel that grounded at St Francis Bay earlier this month is putting the South African incident response team through its paces and helping to highlight gaps that may exist within the country’s emergency maritime support structures.

MAURITIUS: The Mauritius Port Authority has launched a new digitised system aimed to eliminate the current administrative burden that requires local shipping agents to submit around 57 documents per ship call.