SOUTH AFRICA: Offshore bunkering and ship-to-ship (STS) transfers came under the spotlight at yesterday’s stakeholder roundtable hosted by the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) in Durban as attendees debated the environmental risks versus the economic opportunities amidst calls to reinstate operations in Algoa Bay.  

Chairing her first board meeting of the International Association for Safety and Survival Training (IASST) and seminar in Malaysia last week, Samantha Montes returned to South Africa with several insights on international trends in safety training including the move towards micro-learning initiatives.

SOUTH AFRICA: After a full day of presentations and debates around the need to re-establish South Africa as a viable location for offshore ship-to-ship bunker services, an almost flippant remark by the Acting CEO of the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) in his short closing address intimated that there is at least one new offshore bunker operator ready to open shop.

SOUTH AFRICA: Last week the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) re-issued a tender aimed at identifying a service provider to manage the SA Agulhas II and Algoa.

MOZAMBIQUE: Construction of the new SADC Regional Fisheries Monitoring, Control and Surveillance Coordination Centre (MCSCC) officially got underway last week when the foundation stone was laid by the President of Mozambique, Filipe Jacinto Nyus.

SOUTH AFRICA: After developing a new framework for coastal and marine water quality management for countries of the West Indian Ocean (WIO) region, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) recently hosted training to help countries implement strategies to help combat marine pollution.

NAMIBIA: An eight per cent interest in Giraffe Energy Investments common equity will be transferred to a community trust as part of a deal that will see Canadian oil and gas company Sintana Energy acquire 67% of the issued and outstanding shares of Giraffe Energy Investments – owner of a 33% share in PEL 79 in Namibia’s Orange Basin from Namibian firm, Crown Energy.