SOUTH AFRICA: South Africa’s vast ocean economy cannot reach its full potential while women remain largely on the margins, Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga has warned.

SOUTH AFRICA: The Off Port Limits Association South Africa (OPLASA) is seeking to have the sector included in a diesel refund system that is currently enjoyed by those operating fishing vessels, research vessels, patrol vessels and others in local waters.

EQUATORIAL GUINEA: A delegation from the Maritime Organization of West and Central Africa (MOWCA) visited the Asaba Shipyard in Malabo to explore models for combining academic training, practical experience, and professional training in the naval industry that provide young Equatorial Guineans with training that is more closely linked to the real needs of the market.

NIGERIA: President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a reform that replaces project-by-project negotiations with a transparent investment framework designed to unlock up to US$50 billion in deep offshore investment and restart Nigeria’s large, capital-intensive offshore developments that have remained stalled for decades.

It’s not easy for a new event to present itself and deliver real value to the maritime industry, but that’s exactly what the African Boating Conference (ABC) achieved in 2025. Introducing the conference into an already crowded calendar, Veda Pretorious was laser focused on what she wanted to achieve. It was not about hosting an event for the sake of hosting an event – it was about initiating a movement to take advantage of the country’s boat building strength while simultaneously positioning the region as a superyacht destination.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO: Following the conclusion of a technical inspection, a newly-built customised Cutter Suction Dredger (CSD) is due to be transported to the Democratic Republic of the Congo where it will be deployed in a mining operation.

SOUTH AFRICA: Speaking in the Eastern Cape yesterday, Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Narend Singh, admitted that the country is failing to capitalise on Africa's position as the continent with the highest growth prospects in global aquaculture.

TANZANIA: Visiting the Tanzania Shipping Agencies Corporation (TASAC) Headquarters in Dar es Salaam last week, Anna Karlqvist, Assistant to the Vice-President for Strategic Initiatives and ERASMUS Coordinator at World Maritime University (WMU) in Malmö engaged with TASAC leadership on potential areas of cooperation.