Having accepted a proposal from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Cospas-Sarsat Council has designated the 10^th September as Cospas-Sarsat Global Search and Rescue Day in recognition of the dedication of search and rescue (SAR) professionals and 2025 represents the first observation of the day.

SOUTH AFRICA: A team of women are at the forefront of redefining industry standards at Toyota Material Handling, a division of CFAO Equipment where most of the company’s six core divisions are led by women.

KENYA: Dr Paul Orina has officially assumed office as the Director-General of the Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute succeeding Dr James Mwaluma, who has been serving in an acting capacity.

NIGERIA: Citing war risk insurance surcharges as outdated and unjust, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, CON, has called for their removal on vessels calling at Nigerian ports. 

SOUTH AFRICA: Although last week’s cabinet announcement of a new Chief Executive Officer for the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) will be welcomed by the industry, it does not provide any clarification as to why Captain Rufus Lekala, who was the subject of the same announcement almost exactly a year ago, never took up the position.  

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has been elected as one of the six vice presidents within the International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH) to represent the African region.

The new Regulations for the Environmental Management of Offshore Ship-To-Ship Transfer gazetted at the end of August may still face legal push-back as industry stakeholders seek legal advice on challenging certain aspects.

SOUTH AFRICA: Permits in the Small Pelagic sector that were due to expire at the end of August have been extended until 30 October due to delays in the finalisation of appeals in the sector – highlighting the ongoing dismal legacy attached to the 2021/22 Fishing Rights Allocation Process (FRAP).