Samsa News

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…

The already endangered African penguin is being driven away from its natural habitat off the east coast of South Africa due to noise from ship refueling, a scientific study has found.The number of African penguins on St Croix island in Algoa Bay, once the world's largest breeding colony of the birds, has plummeted since South Africa started to allow ships in the area to refuel at sea, a process known as bunkering, six years ago, the study found.Situated in a busy shipping lane along South Africa's east coast…

A new 20-meter monohull workboat built by Cape Town shipbuilder Veecraft Marine has been delivered to the Armaments Corporation of South Africa (ARMSCOR) and will enter service for the South African National Defense Force (SANDF).The vessel is designed by Incat Crowther for personnel and equipment transport as well as to support training activities in coastal waters up to 10 miles off the coast under inclement weather conditions often experienced in the area. The vessel is designed…

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…

Incat Crowther signed a design contract with Cape Town based shipbuilder Veecraft Marine for the supply of a 20m monohull workboat for the South African National Defense Force, tasked to transport personnel and equipment and support training activities in coastal areas up to 10 miles off the coast under inclement weather conditions often experienced in the area. The vessel is designed in accordance with BV requirements and in compliance with flag state rules as defined by South…

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.

Transnet National Port Authority women flew the flag high at the Women in Transport Awards which took place at the Durban ICC on 18 October 2016. The Women in Transport Awards is a collaborative platform co-located with the African Ports Evolution conference and exhibition, and is dedicated to recognising excellence within the rail and maritime industry in Africa. The prestigious awards ceremony was attended by a number of decision makers, business leaders and various stakeholders from the transport and maritime industry, with Deputy Minister of Transport Lydia Sindisiwe Chikunga delivering the keynote address. TNPA’s Sylvia Siyo, who is an acting Ship Repair Manager in the Port of Durban, walked away with the Best Head of Department in Transport award.

An International Maritime Organization (IMO) workshop is raising awareness of the Organization’s regulatory regime dealing with improving energy efficiency and the control of GHG emissions from ships. Participants from South African governmental departments and other related bodies are in attendance at the three-day “MARPOL Annex VI and Technology Transfer” workshop, taking place in Durban, South Africa (23-25 August). The event is the latest in a series of workshops organized under IMO’s GloMEEP project, which is supporting uptake and implementation of energy efficiency measures for shipping in developing countries. South Africa is one of the 10 GloMEEP lead pilot countries.

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.

On 4 February 2016 the South African Navy took delivery of a second South African-built Damen ATD Tug 2909 at the naval base in Simon’s Town. Escorted by SA Navy's existing six tugs, Inyathi was welcomed into the naval fleet with a traditional sail past. Inyathi – meaning buffalo – is the second Damen ATD Tug 2909 in a two vessel replacement contract awarded to Damen Shipyards Cape Town (DSCT) after a transparent tender process. The first, named Imvubu – meaning hippo – was delivered in July 2015. The two new tugs will be deployed for towing, mooring and fire-fighting operations for the South African Navy’s current and future fleet of vessels under all-weather…

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.

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.

Damen Shipyards Cape Town (DSCT) is currently building a Damen ATD 2909 Tug named Inyathi – Buffalo in English – to be delivered to the South African Navy in January 2016. Now in the production phase, this is the second tug the SA Navy has ordered from DSCT. The first, named Imvubu  - meaning Hippo – was delivered beginning July 2015. These tugs are to replace two existing harbour and coastal tugs, De Neys and De Mist, built in 1969 and 1978 respectively. They will remain in service until the delivery of the second ATD. The new tugs are equipped to safely assist the SA Navy’s current and future fleet of vessels under all-weather, heavy sea, restricted visibility, day and night conditions within the confines of the Southern African ports and in coastal waters.

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).

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…

Marine salvors plan to airlift oil from the abandoned oil-leaking cargo ship 'Kiani Satu' stranded off the beach at Buffels Bay, near Knysna, on the Western Cape of South Africa. The Johannasburg online newspaper 'Times Live' citing SAMSA spokesman Captain Nigel Campbell, reports that salvors are currently drilling into [bunker] tanks to take the fuel oil out, but as it has not been heated for a week they plan to put it into plastic tanks and fly it off the ship using helicopters. The 168m bulk carrier has 330 tonnes of fuel on board and a cargo of 15,000 tonnes of rice.

Oil is leaking from an abandoned bulk carrier, 'MV Kiani Satu', which ran aground off Buffels Bay on the the Knysna coast not far from a nature reserve. In its latest report, South Aftrica's National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said that all 19 crew members were safely ashore having been airlifted off the ship by a helicopter working in relays. “Only minor injuries were sustained to two crew members of the ship, a laceration to a hand and one with a minor ankle injury, but they do not require to go to hospital and were treated on-scene by paramedics.

Durban's Wabona Group was among the winners in one of the nine award categories, during a Maritime Industry Awards function held on April 28, 2013 in Cape Town. The event, held to celebrate contributions to the South African Maritime Industry, was a culmination of a nationwide nomination process. Wabona Group was awarded a Maritime Newcomer accolade at the 2012/2013 Maritime Industry Awards, Organized by Colleen Jacka of Maritime Review Africa. The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA)…