South African Maritime Safety Authority News

The containership CMA CGM Belem has arrived safely at anchorage in the Port of Ngqurha after losing nearly 100 containers in heavy seas off the coast of South Africa.The Maltese-flagged vessel suffered a significant stow collapse and a loss of 99 containers overboard while encountering severe weather off the coast of Richards Bay on the night of August 15, the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) said.The 336-meter-long vessel had initially sought refuge at Maputo Bay but was redirected to Gqeberha…

Efforts are ramping up to recover oil spewing from a grounded cargo vessel that's being torn apart in stormy weather off the coast of South Africa, officials said.Salvage efforts have been ongoing since the Panamanian-registered general cargo vessel Ultra Galaxy drifted onto a sand bank close to Doring Bay, about 186 miles north of Cape Town, on July 9 after the ship's crew abandoned the vessel when it started taking on water.In recent days, the wreck has been battered by severe weather and high swells…

More equipment is being readied to contain an oil spill from a ship which ran aground and started to break apart in stormy weather on South Africa's west coast, although there are no signs of affected wildlife yet, authorities said on Monday.Rough sea swells have battered the Panama-flagged general cargo vessel "Ultra Galaxy" since it drifted onto a sand bank three weeks ago close to Doring Bay, some 300 km (186 miles) north of Cape Town, after the ship's crew abandoned the vessel…

Salvage operations were in high-gear on Thursday to prevent a potential oil spill and pollution along South Africa's west coast from a grounded general cargo vessel, authorities said.The Panama-flagged "Ultra Galaxy" ran aground close to Doring Bay, some 300 km north of Cape Town, late on Tuesday after it started listing badly.

The Panama Maritime Authority (AMP) and the South African Maritime Safety Authority South Africa (SAMSA) recently signed an Interinstitutional Agreement concerning the Mutual Recognition of Training and Certification.The agreement was signed by the Director of the DGGM, Captain Juan Maltez on behalf of Panama, and by the SAMSA Interim Executive Director, Zamachonco Chonco.The Ambassador and Consul of Panama in Pretoria, H.E. Jorge Ricardo Silen Santacoloma said:"This is a clear and concrete manifestation of the commitment of each of the administrations…

Lawhill provides secondary-school students in Grades 10 to 12 with a specialized education and knowledge that prepares them for entry into maritime and related industries. For more than two decades, the industry-funded program has greatly improved the post-school employment prospects of thousands of young South Africans, especially those from financially-disadvantaged backgrounds.A special event was held at Lawhill to commemorate the 25 year milestone and the retirement of long-standing maritime educators, Brian Ingpen and Captain Godfrey Schlemmer.

South Africa's ports remain open to all types of cargo despite a nationwide 21-day lockdown though essential goods should be prioritized, the Department of Transport said in a notice."(The) government has now decided that in the interest of ensuring a functional supply chain across all ports, that all cargoes will be accepted for loading and off-loading," said the notice, which was dated March 31.That reversed instructions sent by port authorities to bulk terminals last week saying…

South Africa will be ready to implement new global ships fuel regulations aimed at prevention of air pollution by ships at sea, but may have to pick up pace putting in place prerequisite legislation to legalise the process.The new regulations are in terms of the IMO’s MARPOL Convention (Annexture VI) whose goal, according to the IMO is to further reduce air pollution by ships through emission.The revised regulations for the prevention of air pollution from ships under the MARPOL (Annex VI) were adopted in October 2008 and ratified by more than 65 countries including South Africa.In terms of this, all sizes of ships sailing on the world’s…

South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) has decided to allow the use of exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS) in its territorial waters and ports ahead of the IMO 2020 regulation.The Clean Shipping Alliance 2020 (CSA 2020) has welcomed the decision by SAMSA to accept all types of approved exhaust gas cleaning systems (EGCS) for use in its territorial waters.In an IMO 2020 advisory notice issued in March to shipowners, operators, master mariners and bunker suppliers, SAMSA says the use of open-loop, closed-loop or hybrid systems are accepted until further notice “as an equivalent arrangement under Regulation 4 of MARPOL Annex VI…

The fifth run of the MPA Academy Port Management Programme (PMP), aimed at port masters, harbour masters and middle managers from maritime and port authorities, kicked off today with a record 20 maritime officials from across Africa, Asia, Latin America, Middle East and Oceania. Developed and organised by MPA Academy, the five-day programme will be delivered by practitioners from the industry as well as senior officers from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA). Some of the key subjects that will be covered during the programme include safety, port planning and security. This year, the programme will include a new topic on digitalisation to address the increasing adoption of automation and technologies in the maritime industry.

AMSOL has been awarded a five-year contract by the South African Department of Transport to operate the standby tug utilized as part of state driven proactive marine pollution prevention measures. And in another development, AMSOL has been appointed by the Sunrise Energy Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Import Terminal as the preferred marine contractor to fulfill marine operations and multi buoy mooring surface and subsea maintenance requirements in Saldanha Bay, South Africa. AMSOL’s Managing Director Paul Maclons said the award by the Department of Transport is a testament to the experience and professionalism of seafarers and shore based support personnel involved in the contract…

Collaboration between the Ports of East London and Ngqura, together with the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), helped avert another potential maritime disaster in the Eastern Cape during the past week. Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) towed the BBC Shanghai, a 101 meter long general cargo vessel with 11 crew members on board, safely into the Port of East London on Friday, March 17, after she suffered engine failure en route from Durban to Lagos. One of TNPA’s new tugs – Shasa – which has a bollard pull of 70 metric tons…

The joint effort undertaken by a Disaster Management team at the Port of Ngqura has helped to avert a potential maritime disaster and ultimately saved the container vessel APL Austria, which caught fire last weekend. Transnet National Ports Authority, Transnet Port Terminals, the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Fire Department, South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), South African Police Services (SAPS), National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) and a stevedoring company, worked together to battle the blaze, and the fire was eventually extinguished on Wednesday, February 15.

At the recent annual Maritime Law Conference (MLA) held at Arabella in the Western Cape, various prominent government and international speakers took to the floor to debate and discuss national global maritime phenomena including inter alia; the progress in handling international oil spillages, port congestion, salvage and vessel arrests. Progress and unity was evident amongst the highly respected panel of speakers including Captain Rufus Lekala (TNPA Chief Harbour Master), Captain Alan Reid, representing P&I interests, Sobantu Tilayi (South African Maritime Safety Authority) and Dumisani Ntuli (Department of Transport) who spoke of enhanced engagement amongst each department and coordinated efforts to increase efficiencies.

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore’s (MPA) training arm, the MPA Academy (MPAA) and the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), jointly organised the 6th MPLP from 3 to 7 October 2016, with support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) under the Singapore Cooperation Programme. Since its launch in 2011, the programme has now trained more than 110 senior maritime officials from more than 50 countries. Specially designed for high-level senior executives from maritime administrations around the world, who are at least Director-level and equivalent, the programme this year welcomes 26 new participants from various regions including Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, Middle East and Oceania.

The Port of Port Elizabeth is home port of a third ship to be registered on the South African Ships Register. This marks another step in South Africa’s drive to become a recognized Maritime Nation in line with the government’s Operation Phakisa initiative which aims to unlock the potential of the country’s ocean economy. On Wednesday, 13 July 2016, oil tanker MT LEFKAS docked at the port’s berth 100 where a ceremonial plaque exchange ceremony was officiated. The merchant vessel…

exactEarth Europe Limited, a UK subsidiary of exactEarth Ltd, a provider of Satellite AIS data services, recently concluded the main part of its ‘South Africa Safety Initiative for Small Vessels’ (OASIS) project – a small vessel tracking trial with the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), part-funded by the UK Space Agency (UKSA) under its ‘International Partnership Space Program’ (IPSP). A key aspect of SAMSA's mandate is to ensure safety of life at sea, including small vessels in the fisheries, leisure marine and workboat sectors.

One of the first three women in Africa to obtain a Marine Pilot open license in 2011, Pinky Zungu has again made history with her appointment as Transnet National Ports Authority’s first black female Deputy Harbor Master – Nautical for the Port of Durban. Having been selected by TNPA as a development candidate in 2001, Zungu is one of a growing number of women who have been promoted into senior positions through their hard work and dedication, who are changing the face of the male dominated maritime industry.

The 230m long, Panama-flagged bulk carrier 'Smart' with a full cargo of coal ran aground within a few hundred meters of South Africa's major coaling port of Richards Bay, and the crew (with pilot) were taken off by helicopter as the vessel's hull began to split apart in the heavy swell. Three Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) tug boats were in attendance of the outbound coal cargo ship 'Smart' on a shallow sand bank adjacent to the Port exit channel where they were attempting to pull the vessel free after she had grounded there in very rough seas and 10 meter high swells…

The International Bunker Industry Association (IBIA) has announced that it will be working with the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) to develop a Bunkering code of practice for the supply of fuel from offshore barges. Offshore bunkering is currently banned in South Africa, but SAMSA is taking steps to open the market to offshore providers. SAMSA has granted provisional permission to Aegean Marine Petroleum Network Inc to deliver intermediate fuel oil (IFO) in Algoa Bay OPL area. The agreement is subject to Aegean Marine meeting the terms of Act 6 Section 21 (1) (b) of the Marine Pollution (Control and Civil Liability Act 1981).

Titan Salvage, now a part of Ardent following completion of the merger of Titan and Svitzer Salvage, has completed the removal of the wreck of the cape-size MV Smart coal carrier in South Africa, an especially challenging project due to weather conditions that prevail on the South African coast, particularly during the winter period. The removal of the vessel, which was entered in North P&I Club by owner Alpha Marine, has been accomplished on time and on budget due collaboration with the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), Titan and North.

TITAN Salvage, Crowley Maritime Corp.'s Houston-based marine salvage, emergency response and wreck removal company, has refloated and scuttled the largest section of the wrecked bulk carrier, Smart. The vessel was carrying a load of coal when it went aground in August 2013 in heavy seas in Richards Bay, South Africa. Complications ensued when the carrier broke apart after only two days. At the end of 2013, TITAN’s experts were called to the scene, including Salvage Master Guy Wood…

Fire onboard a boat or ship is generally considered the most dangerous situation on the water. While advances in technology have helped to mitigate risk, consistently investing to upgrade a crew’s firefighting training, skills and equipment is the best means to keep crew, ship and cargo safe if disaster strikes. While innovative new fire-resistant materials and advanced fire suppression equipment onboard ships and boats has helped to improve fire security, technology alone is not a one-stop security blanket in the quest to keep crew and ship free from harm in the case of a fire.