SOUTH AFRICA: Two sailors were successfully rescued when their yacht, which was sailing from Tristan da Cunha to Cape Town, started to take on water approximately 2,400km west-southwest of their destination. The skipper of the yacht unfortunately could not be rescued and is presumed to have gone down with the vessel.

NIGERIA: The West Africa Container Terminal (WACT) operated by APM Terminals at the port of Onne has taken another step forward in its US$115 million upgrade project announced in 2020 that is due to be completed during the course of this year.

SOUTH AFRICA: The recently published Draft Merchant Shipping (National Small Vessel Safety Regulations) that are currently available for comment have highlighted the need for more appropriate definitions relating to what constitutes a passenger on small vessels.

INTERNATIONAL: Research aimed at providing critical information to map the cruise sector’s real-time energy needs, infrastructure and regulations has been commissioned by the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) in an effort to steer the industry towards a sustainable future.

Generating a diverse range of waste including hazardous materials, the maritime sector requires specialised waste management services to ensure environmental sustainability and compliance with local and international legislation. 

Over the last two months African organisations and institutions have called on maritime experts to assist in developing research and knowledge across several sectors including fisheries, shipbuilding, environmental management, and port infrastructure needs. These tenders were issued for studies in Kenya, South Africa, Somalia, Mauritius and Egypt.

ANGOLA: After significant ground work and collaboration, the inception of the Southern African Community Development (SADC) Atlantic Project took place Luanda, Angola last month with the goal to support coordinated efforts of Angola, Namibia, and South Africa to mitigate illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and organised crime in the fisheries industry.

SOUTH AFRICA: Despite a challenging environment and subdued market conditions, Grindrod Limited (Grindrod), a JSE-listed freight logistics company, has posted seen a 29% growth in headline earnings to R1.4 billion for the year ending 31 December 2023.