MARITIME REVIEW AFRICA
NEWS ROUND-UP MAY 2019
PEOPLE & EVENTS
South African women join the ranks of international networking group SOUTH AFRICA: WISTA SA hosted a networking evening to officially acknowledge being welcomed back into Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association (WISTA) International in Cape Town last night. “WISTA South Africa brings critical and important depth to our global network, creating additional connections in the shipping community,” said WISTA International President Despina Panayiotou Theodosiou. “We are very happy to welcome them back to WISTA International.”
networking, as well as engaging on workplace inclusivity and equality issues. We’re inspired by the great work being done by WISTA International on a global platform and we also look forward to strengthening our connections with other National WISTA Associations and women’s organisations in Africa.”
“The WISTA South Africa team is excited for the opportunity to continue the great work done by founding WISTA South Africa members and previous Office Bearers since 2003,” said WISTA South Africa Chairperson Clare Gomes.
WISTA South Africa is led by Clare Gomes, Strategic Planning & Communications Executive at African Marine Solutions Group (AMSOL). Ms. Gomes is joined on the leadership team by: Cape Town Representative Eva Maloi, BBBEE Transformation &ESD Manager, Damen Shipyards Cape Town; General Secretary Mandy McGuire, Training Manager, Futuro Group; Treasurer Sheena Dias, Senior Associate, Webber Wentzel; and Compliance/Public Officer Anneke Wheelan, Partner at Shepstone & Wylie Attorneys.
“We’re now committed to diversifying and expanding our membership base in the private and government sector, and providing a platform for
WISTA South Africa has focused its relaunch on Cape Town but plans to expand to Durban and Port Elizabeth in due course.
PORT SERVICES
Underwater hull cleaning approved for South African ports SOUTH AFRICA: Following a number of years of waiting, local service providers will finally be given the opportunity to apply for permits to provide in-water hull cleaning in South African ports. After the completion of a pilot project that was introduced in the Port of Durban a number of years ago and extended beyond its initial two-year period, service providers have been involved in a back-andforth with Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) to get clarity on when the service could be officially introduced. TNPA announced today that they intend to introduce in-water hull cleaning for permit holding service providers in all South African ports in an effort to stringently manage biofouling.
“Biofouling slows down the vessel and reduces fuel efficiency. This results in vessels burning more fuel and emitting more carbon emissions. The cleaning of ship biofouling is one of the practices recommended by the IMO to help vessels meet its new regulations to improve their fuel efficiency and reduce their carbon emissions by 2020,” said Simphiwe Mazibuko, TNPA’s Environmental Manager at the Port of Durban. Mazibuko said TNPA’s decision to offer hull cleaning in its ports in response to market demand was influenced by significant advances in hull-cleaning technology, which minimise the spread of alien species during the cleaning process. “Hull cleaning that is not managed correctly during removal of biofouling, can result in the global spread of alien and invasive species posing serious risks. These risks could include destroying indigenous biodiversity, harming local fisheries and aquatic farming operations and introducing diseases to the local population,” she explained.
Moving forward The networking evening hosted at Webber Wentzel facilities in Cape Town provided an ideal platform for the committee to report back on recent developments that aim to shape the organisation into the future. Commenting on the recent recognition by WISTA International, Gomes said that it was good to see South Africa back on the map. She highlighted other gains since January which include undertaking registration as a Not for Profit organisation and the establishment TNPA has sensitive aquatic habitats and aquatic farming operations in a number of its ports in South Africa, making it critical for the port landlord to introduce a strict permit for all service providers undertaking hull cleaning activity in any port. The permit is in line with the ‘2011 IMO Guidelines for the Control and Management of Ships’ Biofouling to Minimise the Transfer of Invasive Aquatic Species’. Submissions from prospective service providers are presently being reviewed as part of TNPA’s tender process. “Strict environmental monitoring of all hull cleaning activities will ensure that deviations are picked up early and strict interventions are implemented, even if it means cancelling a permit of a non-compliant service provider,” said Mazibuko. TNPA is also committed to working with all regulatory Authorities that are mandated to manage Biodiversity, conduct research or establish policy and exercise oversight on environmental marine issues.
of two subcommittees to address membership as well as mentoring. Reporting back from the sub-committee working on diversifying membership, Pauline Kumlehn of Shepstone and Wylie, highlighted that a simple strategy was in place to leverage off existing networks and databases. She added that the chair would reach out to key stakeholders in the industry and engage to collaborate with existing professional bodies. Debbie Owen of Lawhill Maritime Academy provided an update from the second sub-committee which aims to develop opportunities for training and mentoring within the association. Noting the aims to foster the professional development of members, she said that it was important to get an understanding of training that currently exists. She was also clear on the need to develop the new generation of women coming into the industry or in tertiary institutions through relevant mentoring opportunities as well as job shadowing. Report back on WISTA Africa conference Having attended the WISTA Africa conference with Clare Gomes recently in Accra, Ghana, Susanne Neubert gave members a glimpse of inspirations garnered during the event. Emphasising the immense strides that African women are making in the maritime sector, Neubert spoke highly of a number of speakers and delegates at the conference. “We have a lot to learn from our colleagues in the rest of Africa,” she said adding that the state of the Ghanian maritime sector was impressive.
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