SOUTH AFRICA: An initiative to address critical knowledge deficits in the fishing sector has been launched that will fund the development of an accredited course for improving expertise amongst local maritime professionals through the delivery of abbreviated naval architecture training.

SOUTH AFRICA: Only 13 members of an 18 crew have been accounted for following an incident involving the offshore supply vessel, Leo, that transmitted a mayday last night.

SOUTH AFRICA: A new panel, appointed by the President, will see the inquiry into the circumstances that saw the Iranian Navy participation in a recent naval exercise move from the Ministry of Defence and Military Veterans to the Presidency.

Tanzania has called on the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to strengthen technical cooperation and capacity-building to help developing countries participate more effectively in the review and validation of IMO model courses, arguing that broader representation is necessary for consistent global implementation of seafarer training standards.

SOUTH AFRICA: South African National Parks (SANParks) has launched a R10.8 million Marine Economy Small-Scale Fisheries Support Programme aimed at strengthening sustainable livelihoods while safeguarding marine ecosystems for future generations.

The 2012 Cape Town Agreement has met the requirements for entry into force and will enter into force in February 2027, closing a longstanding gap in the global maritime safety framework.  

SOUTH AFRICA: With allocations due to expire at the end of the month and the deadline for appeals set for the 2^nd of March, the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment has announced that all appeals from small scale fishers relating to the traditional linefish sector will be prioritised for finalisation no later than 5 March.

The International Maritime Organisation (IMO), backed by the European Union, is inviting Sub-Saharan African Member States to apply for transformative technical assistance across digitisation, green fuels, maritime governance, and seafarer education with up to five beneficiaries selected per programme and implementation beginning as early as May 2026.