SOUTH AFRICA: According to a Marine Information Notice issued by the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) at the beginning of the month, the authority will begin a four-month auditing campaign in the fishing industry as of March to address safety issues in the sector.

SOUTH AFRICA: Offering financial assistance with the goal to promote localisation of the South African marine manufacturing supply chain, the Aerospace Industry Support Initiative (AISI) presented information on how to apply and benefit from the financial assistance they offer during a stakeholder engagement in Cape Town yesterday.

While the need for regulations to control the environmental risks associated with the offshore ship-to-ship transfer of bunker fuel is needed, the media statement issued by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) includes unnecessarily alarmist language that is nuanced to prompt journalists on the receiving end to infer that the practice is currently unregulated and at risk of causing major catastrophes such as explosions, deaths and uncontrolled environmental damage. The reality is that there are strict compliance requirements in place for bunker operators and, although the proposed DFFE regulations fill some gaps, they also seem at odds with the existing SAMSA Bunkering Code of Practice. Editor, Colleen Jacka weighs in on the new proposed regulations in the light of the current status quo.  

NIGERIA: The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Shipping, Stena Bulk, and Caverton Marine Limited have signed a joint venture to create a new tanker operation serving Nigeria and West Africa's regional and global crude oil, refined product and LNG shipping requirements.

MADAGASCAR: Stakeholders met last week to develop guidelines for the country’s implementation and governance of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) with the goal of identifying potential challenges and establishing priority actions and mechanisms within the development of a comprehensive roadmap.

SOUTH AFRICA: It’s been a full five months since a Cabinet statement confirmed the appointment of Captain Rufus Lekala as the new CEO for the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), but reliable sources are now saying that the Captain is no longer going to assume the position in Pretoria.

CÔTE D’IVOIRE: A second meeting to review the roadmap for the transfer of YARIS to the YAOUNDE architecture as well as to discuss the continued funding of the system as funding of the GoGIN II ends drew input from regional maritime experts last week.

SOUTH AFRICA: Welcoming members of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on board the SA Agulhas II last week, Nonhlanhla Mkhize, DG Nomfundo Tshabalala at the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) hinted at the imminent completion of the long-awaited Ocean Economy Master Plan.