Maritime Review Africa: SAFETY REVIEW 2025

TRAINING

Training providers are caught between competing currents

PRESS

Managing the narrative during a salvage operation

SAFETY REVIEW ANATOMY

OF A SALVAGE

MANAGING EDITOR:

Colleen Jacka editor@maritmesa.co.za

ADMIN & ACCOUNTS:

Lesley Jacka mmmmmedia@mweb.co.za

OFFICE: 021 914 1157

POSTAL ADDRESS: PO Box 3842

Durbanville 7551

© COPYRIGHT: No content published in Maritme Review Africa may be reproduced in any form without writen permission of the editor. Inclusion of any products in features or any product news does not indicate their endorsement by the publishers or staf. Opinions expressed in the editorial are not necessarily those of the publishers, editors or staf of the magazine.

Every efort is made to check the content for errors, omissions or inaccuracies, but the authors, publishers and contributors connected with the magazine will not be held liable for any of these or for consequences arising from them.

QQ

QUAY QUOTES

08 |

“There are no easy decisions in salvage. Every decision carries weight and consequence. Each must be made in the best interest of the overall response efort –protectng people, the environment and property,” says Richard Robertson, Smit Salvage.

08 |

“South Africa’s preparedness was pushed to the limit as there were several other maritme incidents which had occurred at the same tme,” says Michael Heads of 2Opic.

13 |

“In terms of internatonal law, the fag where the ship is registered is the one that must conduct the investgaton. So, we cannot come to any conclusion on what exactly happened to the ship, because that is for the fag to determine,” said then COO of SAMSA, Sobantu Tilayi.

16 |

“The queston I have for you, in your assessment of the management of these incidents that have occurred so far, what is the state of readiness for incidents of this nature?” asked one journalist.

19 |

“Remember marine emergencies are unpredictable and can take place at any tme with various variables requiring expert response,” said Jawahir Nandha, Commercial Manager at AMSOL.

20 |

“This framework includes the establishment of insttutons, emergency response plans, regular exercises and drills, and the provision of resources and equipment to respond to marine emergencies,” said Stella Matlala, Deputy Director in the DoT.

20 |

“This is the era of citzen journalists and infuencers who may not be involved in the incident, but who are ofering

an opinion to be part of the unfolding story,” warned Clare Gomes, Corporate Afairs Executve at AMSOL.

26 |“We conduct theoretcal classroom-based training, practcal workshop training, instructor-led virtual training sessions and e-learning to ensure the operators can handle forklifs safely and efciently,” says Jenna Boterill, Toyota Material Handling Corporate Sales Executve.

27 |“While training and adhering to safety protocols form the backbone of any operaton, one aspect that is sometmes overlooked is the quality of bateries used for material handling equipment and the importance of maintaining, storing and charging them correctly,” notes Imtaz Mahomed Ally, Natonal General Manager of Industrial Power, a division of CFAO Equipment.

29 |

“In Africa we have a major issue with our administraton. It is simply failing us as training providers. Ask any of the training providers how long it takes to get accredited or reaccredited, and you will be answered with a sigh,” says Samantha Montes, Chair of the Internatonal Associaton of Safety and Survival Training.

34 |

“We are getng lef behind. They need to get their house in order and address the inconsistencies; lack of documentaton as well as communicaton,” says Yvonne Wright of Project Maritme Training.

36 |

“We have always advocated partnering with other training providers to create a synergy between training centres rather than a cut-throat compettve environment where everyone is trying to take as much of the pie as possible,” says Patrick Wells of STC-SA.

SAFETY REVIEW

CONTENTS

MARITIME RESPONSE

ANATOMY OF A SALVAGE 06

The grounding and subsequent breakup of the MV Ultra Galaxy of the West Coast of South Africa in July 2024 ofers critcal insights for the maritme response community. While South Africa has a clear capacity to react to incidents along its coastline, challenges experienced at this remote locaton revealed some gaps that need to be addressed.

MEDIA SCRUTINY 12

Travelling in a convoy of mini busses with a group of journalists to witness the salvage work underway at the site of the grounding of the Ultra Galaxy provided several revelatons for our editor, Colleen Jacka. Invited by the South African Maritme Safety Authority, reporters from several major media platorms stumbled into the busses before sunrise to see frst-hand what a salvage operaton looked like – many of whom arrived clutching preconceived headlines and questons designed to elicit dramatc click-worthy soundbites.

RESPONSE WORKSHOP 18

Recognising the importance of collaboraton to efectvely respond to maritme incidents, AMSOL hosted a Marine Emergency Preparedness and Response workshop during June in Gqeberha that was atended by a diverse group of stakeholders from both the government and private sector. We report back on the twoday event.

OPERATIONS

MATERIAL HANDLING 24

Cargo and material handling contnues to pose risks in the logistcs sector, but with the proper equipment, this can be mitgated.

TRAINING

Q&A WITH IASST

As the sitng Chair of the Internatonal Associaton for Safety and Survival Training, Samantha Montes shared her perspectve on internatonal trends in training.

ROUGH TRAINING WATERS

While there is a growing demand for qualifed seafarers there are systemic challenges that impact training availability and capacity in the country. We spoke with several training insttutons to get a beter understanding of how they’re managing to deliver critcal safety training.

INCIDENTS

28

32

INCIDENTS IN AFRICA 38

Several specifc types of incidents dominated maritme safety trends in Africa.

SAFETY TRENDS 40

Highlights from the recently released Maritme Safety Trends 2014 - 2024 published by DNV.

tSAFETY FIRST

The grounding of the Ultra Galaxy in July 2024 serves as a stark reminder that maritime safety remains a pressing challenge. As the vessel broke apart, it became a stark symbol of not only what South Africa is getting right, but also that there is room for improvement in how the country responds to incidents along the coast. In this edition, we examine maritime safety through multiple lenses, and the picture that emerges is both encouraging and troubling.

In the Anatomy of a Salvage, we take a detailed look at the response to the Ultra Galaxy and describe how the South African Maritime Safety Authority controlled the narrative in the press by inviting journalists to witness the wreck site firsthand. This wasn't merely good public relations; it was a recognition that maritime safety is everyone's business. Our indepth coverage reveals how this openness facilitated a more coordinated response and sets a standard for incident management across the continent.

The 2025 AMSOL Marine Response Workshop, detailed in our special report, showcased the growing need for sophistication in Africa's marine emergency response capabilities. Industry stakeholders gathered to share lessons learned, evaluate new technologies, and strengthen response networks. These type of forums represent the unglamorous but essential work of building institutional knowledge. Analysis shows, however, that gaps remain in equipment availability, cross-border coordination, and funding for sustained readiness programs. Our exclusive engagement with training service providers in South Africa exposes uncomfortable truths. While the country boasts internationally accredited maritime training institutions, significant challenges undermine their effectiveness. Outdated equipment, insufficient simulator time, gaps between curriculum and industry needs, and inadequate practical seatime create a perfect storm of under-preparation.

A statistical overview of maritime incidents reveals a crisis hidden in plain sight. In 2024 alone, ferry disasters in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, and Mozambique killed over 2,000 people – a 55% increase from the previous year. These aren't accidents; they're the predictable outcomes of regulatory failure, overcrowding, unseaworthy vessels, and absent enforcement. Our fishing sector analysis documents similar neglect. Ageing fishing fleets operate beyond safe limits, often without basic safety equipment, while crews lack emergency training. The migrant boat crisis adds another dimension. Desperate people crammed into vessels never designed for open ocean crossings create predictably tragic results. Maritime safety requires sustained investment in training, equipment, regulatory capacity, and political will. It demands regional cooperation, knowledge sharing, and a fundamental shift in how we value human life at sea.

Yet the Ultra Galaxy incident also shows what's possible. When authorities act transparently, when industry collaborates, and when media illuminates rather than sensationalises, progress happens. South Africa's response wasn't perfect, but it was professional, accountable, and instructive. Africa's maritime sector is growing. Our waters are busier, our ports more active, our fishing fleets more extensive. We can choose to match this growth with commensurate safety standards, or we can continue counting bodies. The statistics in this edition demand we choose wisely.

Colleen Jacka FOUNDING EDITOR | Maritime Review Africa

Email:

editor@maritimesa.co.za

The South African Maritime Safety Authority undertakes periodic oil spill response exercises to validate the country's capacity to practically respond to incidents along the coastline. The exercise depicted in the photo was conducted in 2022 in Table Bay, Cape Town. Non-toxic green "pollutant" was spilled into the bay to mimic a real oil spill.

ULTRA GALAXY

Built: 2008

Flag: Panama

Owner: Fujito Shaji Co

JULY 2024

18 crew encountered winds of 12 knots per hour with swells reaching 6 metres and abandoned vessel.

Three vessels are asked to respond to incident:

By the end of

a platform supply vessel with dynamic positioning capability was in position to

any oil from the

Continuous bombardment by wave action in stormy weather breaks up the vessel causing cargo to spill.

Representing the Flag State, Panama Maritime Authorities arrived during August 2024 to launch their investigation into incident as required international maritime law. Before arriving onsite, they had already concluded interviews with the 18-member crew in the Philippines.

ANATOMY OF A SALVAGE

MAR 2025

AUGUST

INVESTIGATION vessel’s Panama Authorities August their the required by maritime arriving already interviews 18-member Philippines.

By the end of August, the salvage attempt is confirmed as unviable and SAMSA directs the owners to undertake a wreck removal.

DECEMBER

A grab dredger mobilises in the Port of Cape Town in preparation for the wreck removal contract awarded to Shanghai Salvage.

JANUARY

Wreck removal operations begin. Steel and waste is transported ashore for disposal.

MARCH

By the end of March 2025, SAMSA reports that the wreck has been successfully removed.

Offering insights for maritime

The grounding and subsequent breakup of the MV Ultra Galaxy off the West Coast of South Africa in July 2024 offers critical insights for the maritime response community. While South Africa has a clear capacity to react to incidents along its coastline, challenges experienced at this remote location revealed some gaps that need to be addressed.

maritime response

By the time that the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) issued their first statement on July 8 2024 relating to the Ultra Galaxy, all of the 18 Filipino crewmembers had been rescued after abandoning the badly listing vessel.

An Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) alert had immediately ensured that the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC Cape Town) could divert nearby vessels to assist the crew. Battling strong winds and high swells in their life raft, they were taken aboard the fishing vessel, FV Malachite, and evacuated to St Helena Bay.

“We were advised that the vessel was experiencing difficulties along the South African west coast, and that the crew had requested emergency assistance as they were preparing to abandon the vessel,” says Michael Heads of 2Opic. The company was invited to act as the commercial P&I Correspondent providing advice and assistance on local conditions.

The2Opic team continued to liaise with MRCC on the safety of the crew and arranged transport, hotel accommodation, clothing and other supplies ashore. They also facilitated communication between the crew and their families back home.

A coordinated response

At the same time, SAMSA confirmed

that emergency towing vessels (ETVs) had been mobilised to attend to the casualty. Regular updates from the authority over the next few days highlighted that the vessel was transporting a full load of fertiliser and had low sulphur fuel oil (LSFO) as well as hydraulic and other oils onboard.

In adherence with the country’s Incident Management Organisation (IMOrg), a management forum was quickly established and salvage operations were scaled up alongside containment plans to address any possible spills from the vessel.

Established in 2017, the IMOrg, under the Department of Transport (DoT), is South Africa’s joint government and industry preparedness forum for oil spills. Constituting a broad membership, it includes representation from government departments, the private sector, environmental groups and other non-governmental institutions.

An integral part of the IMOrg structure, P&I Correspondents act as local representatives of international P&I Clubs. The 2Opic team consisting of Michael Heads and Neil Chetty, alongside Jason Hossack, Carol Niyaba, and Vishal Pragraj, maintained a crucial link to the unfolding situation for the owners and club – assisting with the engagement of salvors to save the vessel and protect the coastline.

Their 24/7 service provided updated

FAR LEFT: A system of ropes keep the salvage team safe while working in hazardous conditions on the wreck of the Ultra Galaxy.

TOP LEFT: Being constantly fed updates on the state of the vessel from his team, Rudolph Punt of Smit Salvage marks up the plans in real time to keep track of potential risks.

LEFT: A dedicated salvage staging site was established overlooking the wreck to accommodate the collection of pollutants and to create a helipad for safe take-off and landings.

“There

are no easy decisions in salvage. Every decision carries weight and consequence. Each must be made in the best interest of the overall response effort – protecting people, the environment and property,” Richard Robertson, Smit Salvage.

information relating to weather, vessel drift as well as associated risks, and kept the lines of communication open between SAMSA and their clients.

James Moran of NorthStandard was also on site as a representative of the vessel owner’s insurance cover.

Salvage team ramps up

An initial Lloyds Open Forum (with SCOPIC invoked) was signed with Resolve Marine, but subsequently cancelled. By July 22, Smit Salvage had become the lead salvor on the scene and had assembled a team consisting of salvage divers, riggers, rope access technicians, a safety officer, a medic,

naval architect, salvage master, salvage engineers, and a project coordinator.

“A swift and coordinated response is essential in any marine emergency. Open communication between all stakeholders, including authorities, industry partners and local communities is critical to maintaining an effective response,” said Richard Robertson of Smit, recalling their initial response to the unfolding situation.

Smit Salvage initiated a Wreck Hire Contract that included the removal of oil, oil spill recovery, monitoring the stability of the vessel and stabilising the structure in preparation for the

Responding to challenges

Driven by the location and the severe weather, the Ultra Galaxy incident presented significant challenges to the response team.

“South Africa’s preparedness was pushed to the limit as there were several other maritime incidents which had occurred at the same time,” says Michael Heads of 2Opic. “Our experience in managing a marine emergency meant that despite all the challenges, service providers were able to respond to marine pollution and recover oil,” he added.

Heads lauds the close cooperation between key stakeholders under the National Oil Spill Contingency Plan (NOSCP). “The numerous oil spill drills, comprehensive IMS training by the IMO, together with knowledge gained from previous marine casualties, proved immensely valuable in achieving a successful outcome,” he explains.

Richard Robertson of Smit Salvage agrees, adding that a swift and coordinated response is always essential to effectively manage a marine emergency. “Open communication between all stakeholders, including authorities, industry partners and local communities is critical to maintaining an effective response,” he says.

Not only grounding in a remote location far from any major town, the Ultra Galaxy also managed to find itself on a beach mining concession area. “Operating within a restricted mining area with limited access meant that we had to work in close coordination with the mining company,” says Robertson as he describes the need to establish a designated staging area close to the wreck.

Robertson also took the decision to relocate key personnel to a campsite that was established to improve travel time to and from the site.

wreck removal.

Challenging weather conditions

From the outset it was clear that the weather would play a significant role in the overall success of the salvage operations. The Cape winter dished up some of its notorious winter conditions that exacerbated operations.

Confronted by bitterly cold, wet and very windy weather conditions, the salvage team swelled to recover as much of the cargo and oil as possible within small windows of relative calm.

Upon mobilisation, the salvage team undertook a survey of the wreck and surrounding areas while pollution clean-up teams engaged in the removal of debris from the beaches. A navigation warning issued by SAMSA alerted ships to keep watch for any flotsam posing a danger.

As the vessel continued to bear the brunt of the brutal weather and wave action, SAMSA issued a statement to confirm that she had beached and

No salvage response is devoid of risk. The weather remained a major factor for the teams involved in the Ultra Galaxy incident. Any access to the wreck had to be carefully managed and working conditions onboard were extremely hazardous.

“Rope access safety lines were installed throughout the wreck for safe personnel movement,” confirms Robertson who also emphasised the challenge of transferring the team onto the wreck.

The lack of suitable helicopter capacity remains a challenge for maritime response operations in South Africa and this incident was no exception. Unable to employ a helicopter with winch capabilities, personnel were slung under the helicopter on site for transfer to and from the casualty when weather permitted.

“We need to ensure that a helicopter with winching capability is readily available along the coastline,” urges Robertson outlining ways to improve future response.

“Despite all the challenges which the service providers faced, these were surmountable and any marine pollution was quickly recovered,” says Heads noting the need to draw on available experience in managing marine emergencies.

Emphasising the need for early engagement with salvors, Robertson also notes the importance of pre-positioned spill response teams that are able to act quickly to protect sensitive shorelines. “We need to maintain readily available personnel and equipment to respond to emergencies of this nature,” he says.

“The IMOrg Incident Command System proved effective, but requires continued refinement and training to ensure seamless coordination among stakeholders,” Robertson concludes.

had completely listed onto her side. Operations to extract fuels and oils remained a “top priority” during pockets of calmer weather.

Investigating the structural integrity of the hull, Smit’s divers had also started sealing fuel tanks to restrict the oil from leaking while they continued to strategise to remove it safely.

By this time the ship’s hatch covers had also become detached allowing a significant portion of cargo to be swept overboard. More warnings were issued to passing ship traffic and the public was urged to report any debris that was washed ashore.

The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), who also form part of the IMOrg, confirmed that the individual bags of fertiliser would likely dissolve in the seawater.

At the time, SAMSA reported that no new environmental threats were anticipated and that the Southern African Foundation for the Conservation of Coastal Birds (SANCCOB) was on standby to respond if needed.

By the end of July, however, the winter weather was severely disrupting salvage operations and had delayed the placement of a specialised monitoring system to gauge the movement stresses and bending moments of the grounded vessel.

Working under challenging conditions, the dive team had continued to inspect the ship and its tanks - and the

team had gained access to the engine room, bridge, and accommodation using specialised climbing equipment.

Personnel were transferred by helicopter to the casualty when the weather permitted it. Emphasising the difficulty of accessing the wreck, Robertson highlights the need for helicopter availability along the coastline. “We need to ensure that a helicopter with winching capability is readily available,” he said.

Working with no winch, a helicopter was, however, able to lift the team using a rope slung underneath. While not ideal, the salvors could be transferred to the protruding hull without having to navigate boarding the structure from another boat.

Having completed a bathymetric survey in the waters surrounding the wreck and using computer software to reconstruct a 3D model of the vessel’s resting position from photographs, the salvage team formed a picture of the scope of work that lay ahead.

Pollution prevention

A plan to mobilise a platform supply vessel (PSV), Shaw Tide, to the scene was initiated at the end of July to help remove more of the oil. The use of specialised heating equipment was required to facilitate the pumping and transfer via pipeline to the PSV.

“With a high pour point of 40°C, the bunker fuel required heating prior to

Knowledge Based Service Guaranteed Solution Driven

P&I risks and claims.

are capable and can manage all major marine incidents, from collision cases, fires on board ships, vessel groundings, pollution and cargo claims.

transfer,” explains Robertson as he ticks off yet another challenge facing the team. “We sourced local portable steam and hot-water boilers to heat the bunkers,” he adds.

Once stationed off the wreck, using its dynamic positioning system (DPS) and anchoring system, the PVS served as a stable working platform for the salvors as well as a safe storage option for the transferred oils.

But with deteriorating weather, the Ultra Galaxy was starting to break up even more by the end of July. Breaking into four pieces, two of its tanks were breached and SAMSA had to deploy the country’s National Oil Spill Contingency Plan (NOSCP) to remove oil that

had washed onto the beach.

2Opic helped owners and the P&I Club appoint a professional oil spill response and pollution service provider based in Cape Town to mobilise personnel and equipment to site. They were instructed to monitor and recover any pollution.

Clean-up teams that included at least 125 local community members were tasked with patrolling a one kilometre stretch of shoreline.

“It’s physically demanding work,” said Nicholas Bernt of SpillTech who managed the team of locals, adding that regular breaks were required as well as sufficient water, safety gear

and training to ensure that the teams worked effectively.

Small teams of 10 to 15 people were managed by a supervisor on the beach to create a coordinated effort to bag the affected sand into manageable sizes before they are removed to the skips at the salvage station.

According to SpillTech’s director for commercial and human resources, Sibusio Ngema, as many as 231 locals – the majority of whom represented youth between 18 to 35 years –responded to a call to join the team.

Another important addition to the team was the appointment of International Tanker Owners Pollution

Federation Limited (ITOPF) to provide specialist pollution prevention expertise. Amy Jewell and Sue Wane both flew in from the United Kingdom (UK) to join the effort in mid-July.

With access to data from similar incidents across the globe, the ITOPF experts can tap into a wealth of experience and merge it with local knowledge. “We can provide a risk assessment on the behaviour of the oil based on modelling that takes sea conditions into account,” explained Jewell in an interview at the time.

“Our aim is to ensure that a contingency plan of people and resources mitigates any harm to the environment,” added Wane.

Changing tactics

Towards the end of August 2024 it was no longer feasible to remove the remaining oil as the casualty’s integrity destabilised further. Following extensive assessments over several days, it was confirmed that the Ultra Galaxy had completely broken up as a result of the continued severe weather.

Given the reality of the situation, salvage efforts switched gear and the focus shifted to a monitoring and caretaking phase. Ongoing patrols confirmed that the oil from the beaches had been cleaned and that no visible oil slicks could be seen.

Clean-up crews remained on site to ensure immediate response to any

“The IMOrg Incident Command System proved effective, but requires continued refinement and training to ensure seamless coordination among stakeholders.”

potential further spills.

Wreck removal

After SAMSA’s directive to the owner to remove the wreck from the coast, the P&I club issued an international invitation to tender. By the end of the year, a grab dredger owned by Shanghai Salvage, the company tasked with wreck removal, had arrive in the Port of Cape Town.

Operations to remove the wreck began in earnest in January 2025 and by the end of that month SAMSA reported that 3,748 tons of material had been successfully removed from the seabed and transported via tug to Saldanha Bay.

According to the waste management plan, steel was transferred to Cape Town for processing while all other materials were handled at the DFFE’s Vredehoek site where it was treated as hazardous waste.

SpillTech was back on the scene to manage pollution response and environmental efforts during the wreck

removal project. This included the deployment of a workboat towing absorbent booms that were placed around the wreck.

According to sources in the industry, the accessible wreckage of the hull was cut up and loaded onto the dredger by a massive grab. The remaining debris on the seabed was swept up using a powerful underwater magnet.

Regular inspections were undertaken throughout the operations by SAMSA and DFFE to ensure compliance with environmental standards.

According to statements issued by SAMSA, a monitoring process confirmed that oil escaping the wreck had been contained to the immediate area and had not drifted further southward.

Contingency measures and the mobilisation of the spill management team ensured that any additional anticipated oil leakage could be handled promptly and effectively.

FAR LEFT: Small teams of locals helped create an army of response along the coastline. Trained and kitted out by SpillTech, the beach clean up crew were tasked with identifying and bagging oil-soaked sand for removal from the beach.

LEFT: Rubber ducks helped salvors access the wreck from the shore, but even the soft sand added challenges to what should have been a pedestrian activity. Having had to rescue one of the bakkies from the sand, tractors became the preferred transport for towing the small boats.

DEALING WITH THE PRESSURE OF THE

PRESS

UNDER MEDIA SCRUTINY

Travelling in a convoy of mini buses with a group of journalists to witness the salvage work underway at the site of the grounding of the Ultra Galaxy provided several revelations for our editor, Colleen Jacka. Invited by the South African Maritime Safety Authority, reporters from several major media platforms stumbled into the buses before sunrise to see firsthand what a salvage operation looked like – many of whom arrived clutching preconceived headlines and questions designed to elicit dramatic click-worthy soundbites.

tThe long journey to Lutzville, which included an unplanned detour inland, highlighted how remote the casualty was. More than 300km from Cape Town, the small town is not a major destination despite the superlatives used on some of the tourism websites. Still in the throes of winter, Lutzville was hardly “beckoning visitors” or “picturesque” as described by Weskus Travel. Journalists did not get to see the marvel of the Sishen-Saldanha Railway Bridge as we hurried towards the beach to meet the salvage team.

Now August, our visit to the site was already two months after the grounding. It’s not clear what the group of journalists was expecting to find as they disembarked, but the salvage squad awaiting our arrival in reflective vests and hard hats set the tone for an informative briefing.

Setting the agenda

Piling out onto the gravel of the makeshift salvage site, it was immediately clear that operations under Smit Salvage were being tightly controlled. Dedicated areas for the different operations as well as a mobile command

“I’ve also heard that potentially in the rough seas, the captain didn’t steer the ship in the proper direction. Can you confirm if that’s part of the investigation at the moment?”

office supported the idea that an effective effort was being made to mitigate the risks posed by the wreck.

It was also clear that SAMSA’s agenda for the day was to convey that all salvage bases were covered.

After being handed our own reflective vests and hard hats, the reporters instinctively lined up to face the salvage team for the briefing. Microphones and cameras were soon pointing at the row of hand-picked experts.

Seeking blame

Almost immediately the questions highlighted a desire to assign blame, to find the culprit and return to the newsroom with a catchy headline.

“It’s my understanding that when a ship lists, it potentially means the cargo has shifted. And if the cargo has shifted that means that it wasn’t secured properly,” came the first question from a particularly forceful journalist crouched on one knee with an arm and a mic aimed rather aggressively towards the assembled group. He wasn’t finished with his prepared onslaught.

“I’ve also heard that potentially in the rough seas, the captain didn’t steer the ship in the proper direction. Can you confirm if that’s part of the investigation at the moment,” he continued.

Being told that an investigation was still underway and being undertaken by the Flag State (Panama) did nothing to dissuade the journalist from this line of questioning.

“It was calm seas when it listed, which suggests that the cargo shifted. And then the storm came and that worsened the situation. Am I following it

correctly, sir,” he continued. Whether fuelled with googled knowledge on what causes ships to list or privy to other sources, this journalist seemed to have already written his attention-grabbing headline alluding to grave shortcomings in either the vessel’s stowage or the master’s routeing.

Then Chief Operating Officer of SAMSA, Sobantu Tilayi, however was clear in addressing the causes. “What we know, when we got the distress call, there was already bad weather. And if you follow the logs of the ship, you can tell that they tried to alter course,” Tilayi said, as he explained the process of conducting investigations under international law.

“In terms of international law, the flag where the ship is registered is the one that must conduct the investigation. So, we cannot come to any conclusion on what exactly happened to the ship, because that is for the flag to determine,” he added. At the time the technical experts from Panama were still on route to the scene.

“It is a long process that has its own steps, and we would not want to compromise that. What we know is that when we received a distress call, the ship was heavily listing. In terms of the process, our first approach is to save the lives,” he continued.

The sound of the helicopter taking off interrupted the press conference and everyone turned to watch a single

OPPOSITE PAGE: Richard Robertson of Smit Salvage fields questions from the media as the response team welcomes a load of journalists to the salvage site overlooking the wreck of the Ultra Galaxy.

TOP: Most of the response team was placed on standby to engage with members of the media. Pictured are (l-r) Neville Noble and Vernon Keller of SAMSA with James Moran of NorthStandard as well as Amy Jewell and Sue Wane of International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation Limited.

ABOVE: Journalists witness the dramatic transfer of personnel from the shore to the wreck via helicopter.

member of the team being hoisted across the lot and towards the casualty. As cameras refocus towards the sky, everyone is warned not to launch any drones during the personnel transfer, which seems almost performative.

Environmental focus

As the noise and the spectacle fades, attention returns to the ground and the questioning continues. The focus shifts to the environment. Understandably media coverage of maritime incidents centres on how oil and other contaminants can impact on the marine flora and fauna.

The journalist’s play-book is predictable: once the body count disappoints, pivot immediately to environmental catastrophe because ecological disasters still sell papers and attract clicks.

The reporters have done their homework. They know that incidents in the Red Sea have seen an increase of ships around the South African coast. They know that all ships carry fuel oil which can spill if a wreck is compromised. They also know that the ammonia nitrate is a common ingredient in the fertiliser listed as a cargo onboard in press releases. That’s the stuff of explosive headlines – literally.

It does not help that the strip of beach adjacent to the stricken vessel wallowing in the shallows is also a mining concession. The visual is a long narrow stretch of sand streaked with dark patches. It looks like the result of washed-up oil, but actually highlights why the area has attracted an Australian mineral mining company.

“The question I have for you, in your assessment of the management of these incidents that have occurred so far, what is the state of readiness for incidents of this nature?”

The SAMSA team, however, is keen to school their media audience on the effectiveness of the Incident Management Organisation (IMOrg) which was established to deal with incidents along the South African coastline.

But the description of the inner workings of the response scenario is interrupted as one journalist notes that the environmentalists are “usually very concerned”.

“I am assuming that this will be the case here as well,” she asks mentioning SANCCOB specifically. The question prompts Tilayi to continue with his description of IMOrg, highlighting that, by its very nature, it includes the involvement of environmental groups and NGOs.

OPPOSITE PAGE: The long stretch of beach adjacent to the stricken vessel wallowing in the shallows is also a mining concession. The visual is a long narrow stretch of sand streaked with dark patches - which give the impression of a polluted shoreline.

TOP: During the press engagement, a helicopter made regular trips to the wreck showcasing how personnel were transferred from and from the salvage site.

ABOVE: Drone footage managed to capture the conditions facing the personnel on the hull of the Ultra Galaxy as they continued the salvage operations.

“In fact, SANCCOB were here yesterday and they’re quite happy that there are no birds in trouble. When I was mentioning the players within the incident management system, SANCCOB becomes a very key party because they look after the environmental concerns,” he explains further by way of assurance.

“They become our biggest stakeholder. And we normally would have a plan for whatever marine life there is in the area of the incident,” he adds.

But, the existence of the IMOrg and the overview provided was not enough to satisfy everyone. Returning to the threat posed by the increased traffic, another reporter pushes for more clarity about South Africa’s ability to respond.

“The question I have for you, in your assessment of the management of these incidents that have occurred so far, what is the state of readiness for incidents of this nature?”

Regaining the narrative

Once again, the team refers journalists to the inner workings of the IMOrg.

“We were quickly able to come

together. The ship ran aground at 10 o’clock one evening, and by the next day we already had an incident management meeting in place. So that quick reaction tells you that you’ve got a system that works,” Tilayi says, admitting that there is room for improvement.

“There is a need to increase the capacity, but the system in itself does work with the improvements that are required.

“Thank you very much,” he concludes, summarily bringing the informal press conference to a close and allowing the reporters to flock around individual experts for their own private soundbites.

Delivering the good news

A short walk down to the beach provided a closer look at the scene and more opportunities to engage with members of the salvage team that included scores of locals who were patrolling the beach in small groups to remove pollutants.

This was the silver lining on the salvage cloud. Lutzville, as a remote and largely rural town, suffers with high

levels of unemployment. This is even more crippling in the dead of winter when it is doubly difficult to lure tourists away from the Mother City.

Tasked with the beach cleanup, SpillTech had become reliant on local labour to undertake the painstaking task.

These local participants were dotted along the beach for as far as the eye could see and the white outfits made for a striking photo against the darker sands.

Soon most of the journalists were capturing stills and video of the scene. Their drones were only periodically interrupted by the intermittent helicopter trips.

But the windfall for the town extended beyond this employment opportunity. Local restaurants, hotels and shops also benefited from the arrival of the temporary inhabitants – and SAMSA was keen to emphasise how such incidents often provided similar gains to other remote areas.

Controlling the narrative

Having issued several press releases following the grounding of the Ultra Galaxy, the decision to invite the media for a curated glimpse of the salvage operations was not a flippant one. This was about controlling the narrative. Structured initiatives to engage strategically with the media form an integral part of any salvage exercise.

In fact, most of the response drills that are periodically conducted include some form of media training or intervention.

I joined such an exercise in Cape Town in 2022 and was tasked to purposely trip up members of the team to engage with me even after they were instructed not to talk to the media. It was surprisingly easy to get a few of the trainees to chat, while most remained tight-lipped when pushed to provide sensitive information.

Any major maritime disaster naturally attracts both media and public scrutiny. For this reason, salvage companies often put their crew through intensive crisis communication training equipping them to face persistent questioning.

The key, however, is to refer all queries

to a central spokesperson that will provide information about all the aspects involved in the response activities.

From the time media arrived at the departure point in the dark early that morning, SAMSA’s full media machine was already in gear to build relationships. There was no shortage of snacks and drinks for the long journey, and an array of corporate gifts were handed out to further ensure the day began with some goodwill.

And so, despite the unscheduled detour away from the coast, the troop of reporters were still in good spirits by the time we arrived at our destination.

The ceremonious handover of reflective gear and hard-hats to each reporter further demonstrated the emphasis on safety and provided a little gravitas that also fostered a sense of privilege of being allowed so close to the action.

I am not implying that this was in any way false or manipulative – but it was certainly deliberate and provides a good case study for companies needing to engage effectively with

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While most of the team in Lutzville appeared to be cleared to speak with the media, none broke from the narrative that everything was under control and that, despite challenges, the operation was progressing according to a plan.

media during sensitive times.

While most of the team in Lutzville appeared to be cleared to speak with the media, none broke from the narrative that everything was under control and that, despite challenges, the operation was progressing according to a plan.

What the reporters were transported to witness was an orderly field site being managed by experienced personnel with access to technology and equipment that could successfully mitigate any risk of environmental damage to the area.

No one broke from this script. There was no indication of panic and the tools of the operation were on full display. From the DP-enabled platform supply vessel to the low-flying helicopter - there was plenty of camera fodder for an impressive front page

photo.

Nothing seemed to be off-limits. Journalists were free to wander into the site office where members of the team were working on simulated 3D modelling of the wreck and making manual updates to wall-mounted vessel plans.

By the time the reporters were delivered safely back to Cape Town, the story that South Africa was responding effectively to an unfolding situation was well-entrenched.

In fact, the media coverage that followed was well-balanced. In most cases, there was no attempt to stir controversy. The focus on the people involved in salvage response was refreshing. Many articles delivered the reality of a situation that relies on the dedicated service of professional individuals often under very challenging circumstances.

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MARITIME RESPONSE

Recognising the importance of collaboraton to efectvely respond to maritme incidents, AMSOL hosted a Marine Emergency Preparedness and Response workshop during June in Gqeberha that was atended by a diverse group of stakeholders from both the government and private sector.

“It takes many people doing many diferent things to ensure an efectve response.”

Jawahir Nandha, Commercial Manager at AMSOL

tThe comprehensive programme helped to focus atenton on the resources and skills required to respond to maritme incidents along the country’s coastline – and highlighted some of the challenges facing the country’s capacity to respond adequately.

With input from the South African Maritme Safety Authority (SAMSA), the Department of Transport (DoT), Transnet Natonal Ports Authority (TNPA), Smit Salvage and 2OPIC, the two-day event provided ample opportunity for engagement and discussion, highlightng the importance of relatonships.

Relationships foster response

“It is important to build relatonships with other tug owners,” said Siphokazi Mbaba, Marine Operatons Manager at AMSOL, acknowledging limitatons in accessing certain resources such as helicopters. “We are able to minimise risks by using other assets,” she added.

The need to have a clear understanding of the resources in the region became apparent as speakers emphasised the importance of quick access to available resources. This is key to the operatonal mandate of the Incident Management Organisaton (IMorg) that is coordinated under the leadership of SAMSA.

Providing context for IMorg, Captain Ravi Naicker of SAMSA noted that, in the absence of fnalising the Oil

Polluton Response and Cooperaton (OPRC) Bill, the structure should be considered an interim one. The bill aims to incorporate provisions of the Internatonal Conventon on Oil Polluton Preparedness, Response and Cooperaton into domestc law.

Despite this, however, the IMorg has been actvely laying the groundwork to ensure that the country has a working response to marine incidents and has published a handbook for stakeholders as well as convened several workshops and exercises to test the metle of the structure.

Describing the structure of the Incident Management System (IMS), Naicker highlighted the number of roleplayers involved in response initatves. SAMSA hosted exercises have helped to promote cohesiveness

amongst these stakeholders.

Listng the partes involved in the response to an incident, Jawahir Nandha, Commercial Manager at AMSOL, elaborated on this need for cohesion with an overview of how to manage the roleplayers which he described as a “foatng orchestra of professionals”.

“Remember marine emergencies are unpredictable and can take place at any tme with various variables requiring expert response,” he said as he described the specifc functons within the structured approach adopted by IMorg in South Africa.

“It takes many people doing many diferent things to ensure an efectve response,” he said providing an almost unending list of stakeholders as he

A diverse group of maritime stakeholders attended the Marine Emergency Preparedness and Response workshop hosted by AMSOL in Gqerberha during June this year.

ABOVE: Captain Ravi Naicker (SAMSA), Pumla Makubalo (AMSOL), Stella Matlala (Department of Transport), Jawahir Nandha (AMSOL), Clare Gomes (AMSOL) and Terry Spreeth (AMSOL).

ABOVE: Niel Chetty of 2opic with Phiwe Ngcobo of

explained their roles.

Joining the workshop to provide context to the response framework, Stella Matlala, Deputy Director in the DoT echoed the need for collaboraton and confrmed that the Department had developed a “comprehensive framework for efectve marine preparedness and response” that includes government agencies, industry stakeholders as well as response partners.

“This framework includes the establishment of insttutons, emergency response plans, regular exercises and drills, and the provision of resources and equipment to respond to marine emergencies,” she said. Matlala also emphasised the need to strengthen collaboraton with neighbouring countries to address transboundary polluton issues.

Challenges remain

Although the organisaton has been actve in engaging with both local and regional organisatons and partcipatng in workshops, Naicker did acknowledge some challenges that require atenton. These include the lack of aerial support for search and rescue operatons as well as access to

Crisis Communication

Mismanaging communicaton during an emergency incident has an overall impact on the reputaton of all partes involved and Clare Gomes, Corporate Afairs Executve at AMSOL provided useful input on how delegates could mitgate this risk.

“We know that an emergency situaton or a crisis can be unpredictable, but we also know that it is going to happen,” she said, urging companies to be prepared ahead of any incident to ensure a successful crisis management strategy.

Gomes recommended the ongoing use of available platorms such as social media and engagements with reputable journalists to build trust over tme. “It is important to build trust and demonstrate how you conduct yourself in the business space before a crisis occurs,” she said.

When a crisis does occur, however, she warned against “putng your head in the sand” in the hope that it would

simply go away. “When it is handled right, it’s an incredible brand builder. When it’s handled wrong, it can destroy brand value in an instant.”

Understanding one’s role in the fow of informaton is key during a crisis. “It is important to establish a predictable fow of factual informaton. You want to make sure that you control the communicaton space.

“This is the era of citzen journalists and infuencers who may not be involved in the incident, but who are ofering an opinion to be part of the unfolding story,” she warned.

“It is absolutely critcal in the marine emergency response and salvage situaton to remove any media scrutny from the operatonal personnel,” Gomes added, explaining that although operatonal teams are trained in media response, it should always be the job of an ofcial company spokesperson to address the media’s questons.

Notng the tendency for media to look

accredited laboratories for oil testng and technology for ocean modelling. Addressing some of the current difcultes Matlala admited that there was a need for a second standby tug. She confrmed that requests to secure an additonal tug for the coastline had not been approved by Natonal Treasury due to budgetary constraints.

“One tug is not enough,” she said while also acknowledging that insufcient resources, as well as delays in fnalising new legislaton, remain ongoing challenges. According to Matlala, consideraton is underway on how to ensure additonal resources are available for maritme incident response.

The Department is responsible for ensuring the presence of a polluton preventon emergency towing vessel along the South African coast to act as a mechanism to counter marine polluton threats. The Umkhuseli, managed by AMSOL, currently fulfls this mandate.

Partcipants in the seminar weighed in on possible solutons to address the gaps highlighted by the DoT presentaton. These included the procurement of drones for surveillance and the adopton of available smart technology as well as the need for collabo-

for angles that will grab atenton, she said that any controversy capable of generatng scintllatng headlines would be emphasised.

Against this reality, and given the nature of maritme response which involves many stakeholders, Gomes cautoned against allowing each responder to release their own statement in favour of creatng one central desk for media engagement.

“It is best not to have 20 diferent organisatons sending out 20 diferent media statements – all with diferent versions of the facts,” she explained.

Monitoring what is being said across social media platorms is also important. “You will get a sense of the pressure points and a beter understanding of the gaps that may exist in your own communicaton so that you can address these in future statements,” she advised.

“If it (crisis communicaton) is done right, you can fll the space with language that best defnes what you are doing to resolve the situaton,” she concluded.

70%

Statstcs highlight that there is a higher risk associated with the weather in the Western Cape for ships along the South African coastline .

ratve understanding of how to engage available existng resources.

The nature of incidents

Known to be a treacherous coastline, South Africa has witnessed a variety of incidents, each presentng unique challenges for maritme response.

Notng the type of incidents that salvors respond to, Mbaba highlighted the risks associated with shipping –stressing that events can occur at any point in a ship’s journey from loading in one port to ofoading in another.

“There are many aspects that need to be considered,” she said while adding that the key to a successful salvage was in immediate response.

For Mbaba this means checking vessel trafc every morning to monitor ships along the coast in real tme. She says this is vital to her ability to respond efectvely should there be a need.

Considering the high number of incidents that AMSOL has responded to over the last 18 months and their ability to engage in strategic partnerships, this awareness has become a valuable resource for engaging addi-

tonal support in the event of an incident as well as understanding the potental risks that exist at any tme in local waters.

Naicker’s presentaton highlighted the consistently high number of search and rescue operatons that are undertaken on an annual basis. His statstcs show a large number of towing operatons and an increasing number of medevacs.

“Medevacs are on the increase,” he said explaining that this was becoming a serious concern, especially as the number of cruise vessels contnue to increase. Notng the relatvely high average age and potental lack of ftness of passengers embarking on cruises, he indicated that the lack of aerial support for removing such passengers was worrying.

“We have become dependent on aerial resources, but the Natonal Defence Force does not always have assets readily available,” he admited. Putng this into perspectve, a panel

Legally speaking

Confdently addressing the legal aspects of salvage and salvage contracts, Phiwe Ngcobo, Legal, Risk & Compliance Executve at AMSOL provided insights into recent incidents as she highlighted the formal elements of salvage contracts.

Notng that it is 25 years since the frst Special Compensaton P&I Clause was invoked, Ngcobo showcased incidents where it had been used locally.

She also took delegates through notable cases to explain how courts ruled where disputes had arisen. Due to the nature of the contracts, most disputes irrespectve of where the incident occured are heard in internatonal maritme centres such as London or Singapore.

Ngcobo also highlighted how the move to digitalisaton and autonomous ships could impact on salvage operatons.

“There are challenges in applying traditonal salvage laws to unmanned vessels,” she said, explaining that the absence of a Master will complicate the noton of consent.

TOP: Richard Robertson of Smit Salvage with Clare Gomes and Pumla Makubalo of AMSOL as well as Captain Neville Noble and Captain Vernon Keller of SAMSA.

MIDDLE: Thomas Henstra from ENS Africa with Neil Chetty of 2opic.

ABOVE: Yolise Tibane of Transnet National Ports Authortiy with Thembela Mabosha of SAMSA.

of speakers, provided a glimpse of the statstcs associated with casualtes from 2020 to 2024. These clearly highlight the higher risk associated with the weather in the Western Cape where almost 70% of all casualtes are reported to take place.

The surge in incidents in the fshing sector as well as the loss of containers from containerships over the last year was also highlighted.

Given the increase in ship trafc around the tp of Africa as vessels chose to detour from transitng through the Red Sea, the South African coastline has atracted vessels and crew that do not usually encounter the type of severe weather conditons associated with region.

Notable trends

Trends such as increased trafc as well as the contnued increase in the size of vessels create challenges for salvors, but the future of semi-autonomous as well as fully autonomous vessels will also come with specifc difcultes.

The increase in cargo that includes lithium-ion bateries such as electric vehicles as well as smaller items like headphones has become a notable risk. These bateries have been shown to be a fre risk, causing blazes that are difcult to extnguish and ofen hard to access on board a container vessel.

“Ship fres remain one of the biggest concerns on board a vessel and one of the most challenging response that salvors face,” said Richard Robertson of Smit Salvage, listng lithium-ion bateries, calcium hypochlorite and charcoal products as the “three musketeers” causing the bulk of onboard fres.

As more electric vehicles enter the market, they will pose additonal risks to car carriers. Describing a fre caused by a lithium-ion car batery, Robertson emphasised the severity of such blazes which are partcularly difcult to extnguish.

“What can the authority do to prepare for such eventualites in South Africa?” he asked notng the importance of the automobile export sector to the country. “What equipment and skills do we need to ensure that we have the capacity to respond?” he added.

Future ready

But it’s not just lithium-ion bateries that pose a threat to response capacites of the future. Alternatve fuels as well as the move towards autonomous

vessels means that the way salvors respond, training and even legislaton all require atenton.

Wrapping up the seminar on day two, Robertson presented a menu of interventons and technological developments that should be considered in order to provide a salvage response that meets the needs of a constantly changing shipping environment.

He suggested that some simple interventons at the design phase of autonomous vessels, for example, can ensure that these ships are “salvage ready”.

“The goal should be that providing salvage services to an autonomous ship is no more difcult than for a traditonal vessel,” he said. In additon, more research into frefghtng agents could assist in ensuring that eforts to extnguish onboard fres are more efectve.

Training also remains a critcal aspect. Seafarers and responders need to understand how to handle the fuels of the future and hazardous cargos. Robertson emphasised the need to train for the changing landscape and highlighted a list of core skills required in the sector.

“The salvor of tomorrow must be equal parts engineer, technologist and crisis negotator – because the sea never gives second chances,” he concluded.

The ultmate outcomes of the well-attended workshop focused on the need to promote collaboraton, expertse, infrastructure, capacity and maritme domain awareness, while understanding the risks associated with developing technology and trade paterns.

Notng the extent of the country’s maritme domain as well as the increase in ships’ trafc along the coastline due to the ongoing instability in the Red Sea, Clare Gomes, Corporate Afairs Executve at AMSOL, ended the programme with a call to acton for delegates. She encouraged guests to consider opportunites to improve skills and knowledge as well as to invest in promotng robust networks.

“Who do you need to follow up with to make sure that when the next incident happens, we are able to work with the team in a way that enhances problem solving; minimises impact on life, and protects our marine environment?” she asked as a fnal challenge to atendees.

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HANDLING SAFETY

HOLISTIC APPROACH REQUIRED FOR FORKLIFT SAFETY

Forklifts play a pivotal role in logistics and material handling, particularly as South Africa’s freight and logistics market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.24% from 2024 to 2030.

While forklifts increase operational efficiency, they also pose significant safety risks if not handled properly. Inadequate safety measures can lead to accidents, causing damage to goods, injuries to people and, in severe cases, fatalities.

In South Africa, forklift operations are primarily governed by the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) (Act 85 of 1993) and associated regulations such as the General Machinery and Driven Machinery Regulations. These guidelines are designed to safeguard the health and safety of workers involved in material handling operations by reducing risks and preventing accidents associated with improper forklift use.

At Toyota Material Handling, a division of CFAO Equipment, forklift safety is

more than just a matter of compliance – it is a core commitment to protecting both employees and operational continuity.

Technology enhances safety

Jenna Botterill, Toyota Material Handling Corporate Sales Executive, says while traditional safety measures such as operator training and wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) are important, technology has significantly enhanced forklift safety.

“One of the most ground-breaking innovations in this field is Toyota’s System of Active Stability™ (SAS), which is instrumental in preventing accidents such as forklift tip-overs, one of the most common causes of major injury in forklift accidents.”

The patented SAS technology actively

While forklifts increase operational efficiency, they also pose significant safety risks if not handled properly. Inadequate safety measures can lead to accidents, causing damage to goods, injuries to people and, in severe cases, fatalities.

monitors and controls a forklift’s stability using advanced sensors and an on-board controller. This system, which is featured on all Toyota material handling equipment, significantly improves load-handling performance and prevents accidents by intervening when a forklift is at risk of becoming unstable.

What sets the SAS (System of Active Stability) apart are its two core safety features: the Active Control Rear Stabiliser and the Active Mast Function Controller. Working in tandem, these systems enhance lateral stability during turns and help prevent tip-overs, particularly when handling heavy or unbalanced loads.

For example, the Active Control Rear Stabiliser detects when the forklift’s rear axle is swinging too far to one side during a turn. If a dangerous situation is detected, the system locks the rear axle to stabilise the forklift, thereby preventing a tip-over.

Another key safety feature of SAS is the Active Mast Function Controller. This system ensures that the mast angle adjusts automatically to match the lift height and load weight,

SERIOUS ABOUT SAFETY

The new Optio L-series features a redesigned and improved driver compartment aimed at boosting picking efficiency. The equipment’s easyto-reach controls, perfectly positioned steering handle and improved foot space ensure greater operator comfort, helping reduce fatigue during long shifts and intense tasks. Toyota Material Handling Product Specialist, Louis Fourie, says the redesigned steering handle is perhaps the most standout feature of the new Low Level Order Pickers.

With a durable, low weight chassis and an increased platform height allowing for picking of up to 2.8m, the Optio L-series offers numerous safety and sustainability features. “We take safety seriously at Toyota Material Handling, which is why daytime running lights have been fully integrated in the front cover of the truck and turn on when the operator stands on the truck and is ready to go,” explains Fourie.

preventing dangerous forward or backward tipping. Additionally, the system controls mast tilt speed to avoid load spills during operation, further enhancing the stability of the forklift.

Overcoming human error

While advanced safety technology plays a significant role in forklift safety, human error also contributes significantly to forklift-related accidents, making thorough operator training essential. Training should cover not only the technical aspects of operating a forklift, but also the safe practices required to reduce the risk of accidents.

Botterill says CFAO Equipment has become a trusted partner for operator training nationally, establishing an accredited Training Academy with fully equipped training facilities in each major region across South Africa. “We conduct theoretical classroom-based training, practical workshop training, instructor-led virtual training sessions and e-learning to ensure the operators can handle forklifts safely and efficiently.”

Operators are also supported by forklift safety features such as the Operator Presence Sensing System (OPS). The system ensures that the forklift cannot operate unless the operator is properly seated at the controls. If the operator leaves the seat, the system automatically disables the forklift’s ability to lower forks or tilt the mast, preventing unintentional movements that could cause injury or damage.

Another invaluable safety feature is the Blue Light, which projects a blue beam of light onto the ground to alert pedestrians of a forklift’s presence. This simple yet effective system helps prevent accidents by making forklift movements more visible to those around the machine.

As South Africa’s logistics market continues to expand, the need for safe material handling practices will only increase.

“Investing in the latest technology and appropriate training bodes well for the wellbeing of workers, the longevity of the equipment and the overall success of the business,” concludes Botterill.

BMS

BOOSTING

BATTERY SAFETY

Whether it is wearing the correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), keeping aisles clear of obstacles or adhering to local and international material handling equipment safety standards, safety in warehouses and distribution centres (DCs) is paramount.

Imtiaz Mahomed Ally, National General Manager of Industrial Power, a division of CFAO Equipment, says warehouses and DCs are busy operations with products often stacked at great height and forklifts and other material handling equipment moving around at speed to meet productivity deadlines.

“While training and adhering to safety protocols form the backbone of any operation, one aspect that is sometimes overlooked is the quality of batteries used for material handling equipment and the importance of maintaining, storing and charging them correctly,” he adds.

The rise of lithium-ion batteries in recent years – overtaking lead-acid batteries as the preferred option for numerous industries – has boosted safety in warehouses and DCs.

Ally says the lithium-ion batteries supplied by Industrial Power offer enhanced safety due to their safe, stable cell chemistry and the fact that no harmful chemicals or toxins are used in the cells. “This differs vastly from lead-acid batteries with their risk of acid spills, corrosion or gas emissions during charging; and which require dedicated battery bays for charging in ventilated areas.”

In addition to being built and certified to exceed international, European, US and Chinese safety standards –including the South African National Standard (SANS), International Elec-

“While safety protocols form the backbone of any operation, one aspect that is sometimes overlooked is the quality of batteries and the importance of maintaining, storing and charging them correctly.”

trotechnical Commission (IEC) and International Organization for Standardization (ISO) safety standards – the batteries incorporate an over-pressure release valve and voltage protection for the cells; and they generate less heat and produce zero emissions compared to their lead-acid counterparts.

But perhaps the greatest safety feature of these batteries is when they are integrated into the Industrial Power’s battery management system (BMS), which can be likened to the ‘brains’ behind lithium-ion technology.

This intelligent system BMS monitors and reports battery cell levels; the temperature of multiple components; discharge rates and cell balance throughout the batteries’ operation. It also records, detects and alerts faults for safe operation; and a smart e-switch shuts the battery down in the event of a current surge or component failure.

“We manage the BMS system and can alert our customers timeously if there is an issue with any of their batteries. If the issue with a particular battery is serious, we can manually switch it off, avoiding any risk to the customer,” notes Ally.

The BMS also allows Industrial Power to determine if the batteries are being handled and charged properly. “Often, when we pick up an issue with a particular battery, we discover that

our customer has employed someone new and the person has not been properly trained on battery management. In fact, one of the best ways to ensure battery safety is to conduct ongoing training,” adds Ally.

When Industrial Power hands over a new battery to a customer, it demonstrates how to handle the battery –the dos and don’ts – including how operators need to remove it safely from material handling equipment and how to handle the plugs when charging.

In rare cases, electrical failures or if the incorrect charging protocol is used it could result in a spark, posing a potential safety risk. “Our lithium-ion batteries incorporate a built-in cell isolator and thermal barriers made up of fire-retardant material. These types of issues are also picked up on the BMS system. In the event of a fire, we conduct a full risk assessment to determine the cause. We encourage our customers to invest in lithium-ion fire extinguishers at their sites. This is just good safety practice,” says Ally.

He says constant innovation and improvement underpin Industrial Power’s lithium-ion batteries. “Whether it is improving the functionality of our BMS technology, enhancing fire prevention measures or fast-tracking training for our customers, safety is always top of mind for us.”

As the sitting Chair of the International Association for Safety and Survival Training (IASST), Samantha Montes has gained a unique perspective on international trends in training for emergencies. We asked her to weigh in on some of the pressing issues facing African training facilities in particular, as well as how she has approached her leadership of the association.

What has been the focus of your tenure as Chair of IASST?

After the shift to online meetings as a result of COVID 19, I wanted to reintroduce in-person meetings. Many of our meetings involve visits to centres across the globe as well as participation in discussions around sharing best practices. While some of this can be achieved online, we gain so much more from informal discussions over coffee or during trips to and from venues. I wanted to maintain this, as well as to encourage more of the successful collaboration that already takes place between members. It has become a common practice for trainers in Europe to go to other centres for specific train-the-trainer education.

My next focus is to get our UK chapter to attend our international meetings.

Do you feel that Africa is well enough represented within the association?

Although we have members in Egypt, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Namibia and South Africa, I believe that there is more opportunity for engagement in Africa. Our focus has been on sorting out our administration challenges, and we are a small team of four directors – all of which are volunteers. With our new marketing director, however, we hope to get some momentum going in the New Year and begin to address this.

How does safety and survival training in Africa benchmark against what is being offered internationally?

Training itself is on par with regard to the content and level of expertise of the facilitators/assessors we have at our training providers. Where we do fall horribly short is the facilities. It is difficult to compete with the infrastructure and equipment that international centres have. We have yet to embrace the level of simulation being adopted by STCW centres worldwide.

Another shortcoming is our lack of “refresher training”. Our minimum duration of courses still mandates that we attend full course dates.

Have you noticed any major differences in the way we approach training?

Having been afforded the opportunity to visit training centres across the globe it is striking to note that the majority of our training centres in South Africa are often managed and operated by ex-SA Navy personnel.

Very few of the centres seem to have attracted senior personnel with merchant shipping experience. This is in stark contrast to the international training landscape where managers are either from the oil and gas sector or ex master

Ask any of the training providers how long it takes to get accredited or re-accredited, and you will be answered with a sigh. We are beyond frustrated. We are tired of fighting; we are tired of the constant battles.

mariners. Why does this matter in our training? It impacts the way that training is delivered - and this matters.

Some navy officers have the mentality of “break them down and then rebuild them”, which is evident in how they run their centres and teach their classes. In contrast, ex-seafarers tend to be more learner-focused and place more importance on student welfare. Seafarers are informal mentors onboard and have automatically taken on this role in the classrooms. The ex-SAN facilitator brings a military style to the classroom.

Internationally, centres are very focused on student satisfaction, aware that clients can vote with their feet.

What do you feel are the most pressing issues that training providers are facing in both South Africa and the rest of the world?

In South Africa we have a major issue with our administration. It is simply failing us as training providers. Ask any of the training providers how long it takes to get accredited or re-accredited, and you will be answered with a sigh. We are beyond frustrated. We are tired of fighting; we are tired of the constant battles. Why do we have to resort to exemptions and extensions, or deviations when we have followed all the processes and more as required by our individual quality management systems?

Even when we engage well in advance to accommodate the lack of capacity, we are often met with silence, arrogance, blatant rudeness or incompetence. Sometimes it feels personal.

Internationally, the maritime clusters work differently and collaboratively to deliver more seamlessly and timeously.

Globally centres are very focused on student satisfaction, aware that they can vote with their feet as to where they want to attend training.

For international training centres, however, the pressing issues revolve around the ability to retain suitably qualified staff. Training providers are battling to attract younger trainers to their centres. Offering lower salary as compared to what they would earn at sea or in the private sector means that it is a hard sell. In the meantime, existing facilitators are usually of advanced age making it more difficult to introduce advanced technologies.

What are the current trends IASST is seeing in terms of survival and safety training and what is driving these trends?

It has been interesting to note a recent trend for international military to undertake survival training at private training centres. This seems to be in response to a lack of capacity within the military. I’ve seen a few countries capitalise on this successfully.

It is also interesting to see specific mental wellbeing training being developed for seafarers.

We are even beginning to see a trend towards psychologists who specialise in seafarers.

Then, specific training to address particular risks in the offshore wind farms has become dominant in European countries where this type of energy is being harnessed. Obviously, the switch to greener fuels will also see training being developed to manage specific risks associated with their use onboard.

But basic safety and survival training will always be exactly that – tailored to be as basic as practical to allow all candidates to become competent seafarers regardless of where they come from or where they go. The sea does not discriminate.

What impact is technology having in the safety training space?

There is not much limitation for technology adoption and simulation offers some opportunities.

The question as to how, and to what extent, simulation can replace training depends on how you define simulation. We simulate a burning ship when we do fire-fighting training, for example.

Lifeboat simulation can simulate launching a boat in rough weather when a ship is on fire… all without putting the students in danger or upsetting the neighbours.

How will changes to STCW impact on future training?

Changes will hopefully work to improve conditions for seafarers as well as ensure that training becomes more effective and relevant. The revisions are still in their early stages. Unfortunately, we seem to be discussing language usage and grammar. However, the working groups within the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) will feed into future changes and help us futureproof our seafarers.

If

we are going to reach them and make a difference, we need to change our way of thinking; we need to stop trying to shape them to fit the mould we were forced to fit into as young seafarers.

What does training look like for the next generation then?

You can’t teach them the same way we were taught. The current cohort of cadets/ratings has instant access to information and doesn’t need to wait for the next port to hopefully get a letter from home.

If we are going to reach them and make a difference, we need to change our way of thinking; we need to stop trying to shape them to fit the mould we were forced to fit into as young seafarers.

Safety training is the same. It needs to adapt. Safety at sea doesn’t keep office hours. But the shore team needs to respect boundaries, too. They cannot expect seafarers/fishers/mariners to perform tasks safely and effectively if they are just concerned about commercial output. Something must give.

What responsibility must seafarers ultimately take for their own safety irrespective of their level of training?

Seafarers are renowned for “making a plan” and problem-solving. When something breaks down in the middle of the ocean, you have no choice but to improvise. However, we need to stop and reflect when that temporary fix becomes a permanent fixture. Seafarers need to take accountability for their own safety. Stop and think about the “what if”.

They need to ask who will be held accountable in the event of an accident or loss of life?

Incident reports are great pieces of paper, but they never bring back the breadwinner in a family who killed because the temporary fix stopped working?

Lifeboat simulation can simulate launching a boat in rough weather when a ship is on fire… all without putting the students in danger or upsetting the neighbours.

African members of ISSAT

Maritime Safety Institute Arab Academy

Harvard Marine Petroleum Training Institution

Charkin Maritime and Offshore Safety Centre Jimcol

OPEANS Nigeria

Tolmann Offshore Safety Training Centre

Namibian Maritime & Fishing Institute

Cape Peninsula University of Technology

Project Maritime Training

The International Association for Safety and Survival Training (IASST) is a professional organisation that aims to improve the efficiency of safety and survival training all over the world, and save the lives of seafarers.

The IASST is a network of 150+ members, located in 50+ countries and on all continents. Every single member contributes to the development of the association and safety of seafarers.

The commitment of the IASST is to:

 Promote effective maritime safety and survival training.

 Encourage the interchange of ideas and information with a view to improving the quality of training internationally.

 Encourage instructor exchanges.

 Contribute to the development and improvement of safety and survival technology.

 Forge and maintain links with government and industry as well as national and international organisations.

 Provide consultative and advisory services in safety and survival training.

 Raise the profile of the association in order to encourage and increase the membership internationally. 1 3 1 2 1

Navigating Rough Waters Safety training in South Africa

South Africa’s maritime training sector is caught between competing currents. While there is a growing demand for qualified seafarers, particularly from the cruise industry, there are systemic challenges that impact training availability and capacity in the country. Maritime Review spoke with several training institutions to get a better understanding of how they are managing to deliver critical safety training.

The consensus among training providers is that South Africa handles basic Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) courses reasonably well, but struggles significantly with advanced and specialised training.

“The scope of safety and survival training in South Africa is generally sound for basic STCW compliant courses,” says Patrick Wells of STC-Southern Africa (STC-SA), who confirms that they seldom receive requests for training that they cannot provide at their Cape Town or Durban centres.

However, scratch beneath the surface and the limitations become apparent. Specialised courses like fast rescue boat (FRB) training are severely restricted, with only one training centre offering the course in the entire country. Given that these certificates expire every five years, this has been identified as a major problem.

As the sole FRB training provider, Yvonne Wright of Project Maritime Training (PMT) acknowledges that it remains a gap. “We are the only ones with the required equipment, which is a massive investment. This makes it difficult for training providers to add it to their menu,” she says.

While boat simulators offer a safer and more convenient alternative to in-harbour training for FRB training, they are even more prohibitively expensive.

In addition, dynamic positioning (DP) and polar Navigation (PN) courses are still not offered in South Africa, forcing seafarers to travel to the UK, Canada, Chile, India, or Singapore.

The reasons are straightforward, but difficult to overcome: high equipment and maintenance costs; a shortage of qualified instructors and assessors, and bureaucratic delays in the accred-

Specialised courses like fast rescue boat (FRB) training are severely restricted

itation process.

Wright says the frustration lies in the fact that everyone is well aware of the gaps that exist as well as the changes that need to be made, but that no real action is being taken.

She emphasises the need to address the lack of available syllabus for electro technical officer (ETO) training.

Wells acknowledges that, when compared to European standards, South Africa falls short on courses like helicopter underwater escape training (HUET), advanced damage control, and survival in extreme climates.

“Only a few centres offer simulation-based training on high-fidelity simulators for lifeboat launching, flooding scenarios, and more advanced firefighting drills,” he explains.

Leon Mouton of Sea Safety Training Group (SSTG) agrees that specialised courses are limited due to the operational costs associated with delivering them, but he also expresses concern about the lack of commitment to integrate STCW-F into the training landscape.

The frustration lies in that everyone is well aware of the gaps that exist as well as the changes that need to be made.

“For us, it has always been STCW, but STCW-F is becoming very important for our clients, as they suffer because South Africa does not implement it,” notes Mouton, highlighting an emerging priority.

Wright agrees. “There is nothing on papernothing is finished,” she says highlighting the need to accelerate initiatives.

Mouton adds that the geographical divide in the availability of maritime training across the country is stark.

While Cape Town and Durban have multiple

training options, the Eastern Cape and hinterland regions are severely under served. “Availability in rural towns is a problem. It is difficult to get to them,” he says bluntly.

This geographic disparity forces candidates from these regions to incur substantial travel and accommodation costs simply to access training that should be more widely available.

STC-SA is actively addressing the Eastern Cape deficit, working with Nelson Mandela University to establish a fully functional safety training centre that they hope will be operational soon. Wells emphasises that both KwaZulu Natal and Western Cape regions benefit from healthy competition among training providers, which “encourages training centres to focus on the provision of quality services.”

Despite this disparity, Wright says there should be a cautious approach to adding more training centres to the landscape.

The instructor crisis

Perhaps no challenge looms larger than the struggle to attract and retain qualified instructors. Training centres face a fundamental problem: they cannot compete with seagoing salaries.

Mouton is candid about the difficulty: “We do not have enough instructors and training providers cannot compete with the seagoing salaries.”

In addition, instructors need both seagoing experience and teaching skills, which is a rare combination.

Finding and retaining maritime instructors remains a challenge.

Wells identifies an additional complication created by regulatory changes. The South African Maritime Safety Authority’s (SAMSA) amendments to many safety courses resulted in previously competent facilitators being denied continued accreditation despite assurances that a grandfather clause would apply.

“All appeals to SAMSA remain unanswered, and it is becoming increasingly more difficult to find suitably qualified seafarers to act as facilitators, assessors and moderators,” says Wells.

Wright remembers the discussions that training providers had with SAMSA in 2019 when they were informed of the forthcoming changes. According to her, they were assured that all existing trainers and facilitators would remain accredited despite new requirements.

The delays aren’t measured in weeks but in months and sometimes years, creating cascading problems throughout the training ecosystem.

“We were told that our trainers would not be pushed to the side - that they would continue to be approved based on their history until such time as they retired. This was agreed to,” she explains.

Sadly there was no follow-through on this agreement to the grandfather clause that Wells refers to.

The reliance on retired professionals presents its own challenges. While these individuals bring invaluable experience, Wells notes that “sometimes due to age, the candidates might have limited exposure to current technologies and practices.”

SSTG’s experience illustrates the severity of the problem. According to Mouton, even after adver-

tising for facilitators four times last year, they never received a single suitable application.

“Costs, costs, costs,” says Wright on the subject. She adds that attempts to upskill potential trainers has proven difficult and unrealistic.

When bureaucracy becomes the storm

Every training provider interviewed identified SAMSA’s accreditation and re-accreditation process as one of their primary operational challenges. The delays aren’t measured in weeks but in months and sometimes years, creating cascading problems throughout the training ecosystem.

One industry source recounts submitting a course for re-accreditation in February 2024 that they are still awaiting certification for. This is not an isolated issue and without timely accreditation of courses, seafarers become unable to apply for their Certificates of Competency (CoC) - a situation that effectively bars them from ships and employment opportunities.

Wells reports that STC-SA has numerous re-accreditations submitted more than 12 months ago that have not been processed. He says that the issuance of five or six extension letters for the same safety course represents more than bureaucratic inconvenience; it results in lost business.

The situation has become so untenable that STC-SA has engaged with other international Flag States to offer the full range of safety training under foreign accreditation. “This is not a measure that we wish to use,” says Wells, emphasising that it is seen as a last resort.

According to Wright, PMT is also working with international administrations. “This has resulted in 90% of our clients being foreigners,” she says. The human cost of these administrative failures is striking. According to some sources, South Africa now has fewer certified seafarers than Ukraine, a country currently at war. This decline in certified South African seafarers is at odds with many of the strategic interventions adopted at governmental levels to create a pool for the international shipping sector.

“We are getting left behind,” says Wright as she laments the lack of procedures and the amount of red tape involved in these processes. “They seem to have lost sight of the fact that we are all partners in this. As training providers, we should not be seen as the enemy, she says adding that the inconsistencies, lack of documentation as well as lack of communication has had a major impact.

But, it’s not just the training providers that are getting the short end of the stick. The lack of follow-through by the authority is having a major impact on the country’s seafarers.

“Think of this from a seafarer point of view. They have done our seafarers a disservice and continue

to do so,” she says.

Some attempts have been made to establish a forum for training providers to create a unified voice, but without success.

Addressing the barriers

Timely

accreditation of training courses is serious concern for training providers.

Training

costs create a formidable barrier to entry.

Training costs create a formidable barrier to entry, particularly for young people attracted by employment opportunities in the cruise industry. Wells describes the situation facing aspiring crew members: “The combination of the STCW safety training course costs added to stringent medical examinations costs required depending on the position to be filled onboard, is often prohibitive for most aspiring applicants.”

Mouton emphasises that it’s not just the course fees that create problems. “The total package makes training expensive,” he explains, including travel, accommodation, and food costs that many companies and private students simply cannot afford. For candidates outside Cape Town and Durban, these additional expenses can be overwhelming.

Wright highlights that when industries experience an economic downturn, the training budget often becomes a casualty. “They focus on the bare minimum that is required to keep their boats certified,” she says as she explains the impact such decisions have on safety.

Whereas fishing companies, in particular, would send entire crews to train together, this is no longer the case. “Crews that actually train together for a critical situation, are much more likely to act effectively when they face such situations at sea. They know how to work together and what to expect from each other,” she explains.

Ask any of the training providers how long it takes to get accredited or re-accredited, and you will be answered with a sigh. We are beyond frustrated. We are tired of fighting; we are tired of the constant battles.

Another funding gap also exacerbates the problem. The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) doesn’t fund short courses, leaving maritime studies students without financial support for basic STCW training. According to Cara Alberts, Maritime Instructor at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology’s Survival Centre (CPUT) they recently secured funding from Lloyd’s Register Foundation to cover a portion of students’ basic STCW training costs, though this solution is far from comprehensive.

The rationale for providing this funding to students, rather than leaving it to employers reflects the changing maritime education landscape. Students now complete three-to-four-year degree programmes without sufficient exposure to the maritime industry due to the lack of available funding as well as the longer period of study compared to the diploma track.

Time represents another significant barrier, particularly for seafarers seeking refresher training. Some believe that this creates significant

redundancy in training requirements.

Language proficiency also creates an often-overlooked barrier. For those whose first language is not English it is a struggle to engage with the material and they are at a significant disadvantage to gain a full understanding of many of the safety and operational procedures.

“The rate of failure of orals is alarming,” says Wright.

Innovation and investment

Despite these challenges, training centres are investing in improvements and expanding their offerings. SSTG has added several QCTO trades as well as Electro-Technical Officer (ETO) and Electro-Technical Rating (ETR) to their accreditation list. Their first Welding Red Seal Course is underway, and they’ve ordered a new fast rescue boat and a fully enclosed lifeboat for delivery in early 2026.

“We continue to invest in technical workshop training,” Mouton says, noting they’ve employed several new facilitators over the past 18 months, despite losing one due to excessive accreditation delays.

workforce with Basic Safety Training, Advanced Rescue Training, and other specialised courses.

STC-SA has also made substantial investments over the last two years, including the inauguration of a full mission Class A bridge simulator at their Cape Town branch. This facility enables them to offer a range of courses including Bridge Resource Management, Ship Handling for Marine Pilots, and Navigation in Restricted Visibility. They’ve also built what Wells describes as “a state-ofthe-art firefighting simulator” at their Durban training centre, accredited by SAMSA, OPITO, and the UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency. They are now replicating this simulator at their Cape Town facility.

CPUT is awaiting re-accreditation for SCRB, SCRB Refresher, and PST courses while actively working to reinstate FRB, GMDSS, ARPA, and RADAR operational training. They’ve strengthened their instructor team with the appointment of a new acting senior maritime instructor and the return of an instructor with extensive offshore industry safety knowledge.

Offshore Africa Training Centre (OATC) has expanded beyond technical courses into survival training, now offering OPITO BOSIET, FOET, HUET (all CA-EBS), and shallow water initial CA-EBS deployment, which are all mandatory survival training courses for offshore oil and gas workers.

In April 2025, they opened a Global Wind Organisation (GWO) Training facility within their existing training centre, targeting the renewable wind

Despite challenges, training centres are investing in improvements and expanding their offerings.

The international accreditation question

The importance of international accreditation varies by sector. Gary Concar of OATC explains: “If your target market is the international oil and gas industry, then OPITO standard is required. If you are looking at international renewable wind energy then you will need GWO certification.”

Wells echoes this sentiment and highlights that OPITO accreditation requires “regular and stringent surveillance audits” which ensure that facilities continue to align with international standards.

ISO Certification and Classification Society accreditation for simulators offer similar validation, while IMO STCW compliance remains non-negotiable for global recognition.

However, pursuing international accreditation presents its own challenges. Accreditations like MCA or other Flag States under the IMO White List are expensive and hard to maintain.

Funding from the Transport Education Training Authority unfortunately does not cover short courses that are not SAMSA-approved.

The costs are substantial: equipment, personal protective equipment, flying out surveyors or auditors, premium pay for instructors with specialised expertise.

The safety stakes

The training providers interviewed share a clear understanding that their work extends far beyond regulatory compliance, however. Concar emphasises that safety training in the offshore oil and gas industry is critical due to the nature of the work which is inherently dangerous. “Proper training keeps you safe,” he states simply, highlighting their focus on protecting lives, preventing accidents, ensuring operational efficiency, and maintaining regulatory compliance.

Wells perhaps captures the ultimate importance most powerfully: “Never underestimate the importance of the training that safety and survival centres offer. An oversight in achieving a learning outcome, or a lapse in safety standard could lead to loss of life or limb.”

He adds that safety and survival training should not just be a compliance exercise. “This type of training is a critical investment in human life and operational integrity. Emergencies at sea escalate rapidly, and preparedness is the only option and is non-negotiable,” he says.

Addressing all the challenges is therefore critical to maintain the standards and give seafarers the skills they need to operate safely at sea.

Collaboration over competition

One refreshing theme that emerges from the interviews is a collaborative rather than purely competitive mindset among some providers. Wells articulates this philosophy clearly: “We have always advocated partnering with other training providers to create a synergy between training centres rather than a cut-throat competitive environment where everyone is trying to take as much of the pie as possible.”

According to Wells, STC-SA actively refers seafarers to other training centres when appropriate to ensure their training needs are met responsibly and ethically. He believes this collaborative approach helps minimise the potential training gaps in Cape Town and Durban.

Alberts notes that more could be done to foster collaborative training across industry sectors. “Survival training should be essential not only for the merchant navy, but also for the South African Navy and fishing industry, extending even to inland waters,” she says.

She advocates collaboration with the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) to improve swimming competency. “It should not be a privilege to know how to swim,” she adds.

Charting a course

South Africa’s maritime training sector demonstrates remarkable resilience and commitment despite facing significant systemic challenges.

There is a collaborative rather than a purely competitive mindset amongst training providers.

Training providers are investing in facilities, equipment, and instructor development even as bureaucratic delays and funding constraints create headwinds. The collaborative spirit emerging among some providers offers hope that collective action might address gaps more effectively than isolated efforts.

Local facilities are already attracting international clientele, but there is scope to capitalise further on this as an opportunity.

“South Africa can become a preferred training provider especially, considering our exchange rate. This is our competitive advantage,” says Wright.

However, the sector’s sustainability ultimately depends on addressing accreditation bottlenecks that threaten to undermine other efforts. Without timely processing of accreditations and re-accreditations, even the most dedicated training centres struggle to maintain operations and serve their students effectively.

Proper training keeps seafarers safe.

“We need to do what we can, even though it might not be what we want. It sure beats doing nothing at all.”

The cruise industry’s focus on recruiting South African crew presents a golden opportunity for the country’s youth, but only if the training infrastructure can support the pipeline of aspiring seafarers. As Wells notes, these opportunities risk becoming “a bridge too far” when training and medical examination costs prove prohibitive without external funding.

Mouton offers a pragmatic philosophy for moving forward despite imperfect conditions: “It is better to start somewhere than nowhere. Or not starting at all. In many cases we all want to start doing something, but out of fear that everything isn’t in place perfectly, we do nothing. We need to do what we can, even though it might not be what we want. It sure beats doing nothing at all.”

The maritime training sector needs more than incremental improvements, it requires systemic reform that ensures efficient regulatory processes, adequate funding mechanisms, competitive instructor compensation, and geographic accessibility.

There is no doubt that the expertise and commitment exist amongst South Africa’s training providers. What’s needed now is the governmental and institutional support to match that dedication with the resources and processes necessary to build a world-class maritime training sector capable of serving not only the nation’s seafarers and coastal economy, but strengthens its position as an alternative cost-effective maritime training destination.

FISHING VESSELS | MIGRANT

SAFETY IS ON THE LINE

According to the Allianz Safety and Shipping Review 2025, fishing vessels accounted for close to 40% of lost vessels during 2024. Despite attempts to address the situation, fishing vessels are excluded from most international shipping conventions and there is still no international instrument in force that deals with the safety of fishing vessels.

In 2012, the IMO developed the Cape Town Agreement, an instrument that sets minimum requirements for the design, construction, equipment, and inspection of fishing vessels of 24m in length. It includes mandatory international requirements for stability and associated seaworthiness, machinery and electrical installations, life-saving appliances, communications equipment and fire protection.

Ferries and passenger vessel safety

Asignificant number of incidents involving ferries and passenger vessels on Africa’s inland waters as well as at sea over the last two years are cause for concern.

Five major incidents during 2024 in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) killed at least 250 people with many more reported missing at the time of the incidents. Overcrowding, engine failure and capsizing were listed as causes of the incidents which all occurred on inland waterways.

In April this year another boat caught fire killing a further 33 people.

Nigerian waterways experienced a similar spate of fatalities during 2024

with over 150 deaths reported from four incidents. The vessels capsized in three of the four incidents. Egypt and the Central African Republic also reported incidents involving passenger vessels on rivers.

In Nigeria, the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) initiated a series of interventions in 2025 to address safety issues. They distributed over 45,000 lifejackets and undertook an awareness campaign in communities to educate water users on navigational safety regulations. In addition, community based emergency response teams were established in various locations.

NIWA has also stepped up to ban the loading of passengers onto boats

at unauthorised loading points. In September 2025, the authority informed boat operators that water marshals would be stationed across the inland waterways to ensure safety of passengers and enforce the use of lifejackets. They also initiated a campaign to remove all unlicensed boats.

Nigerian states were called on to collaborate with the authority in enhancing waterways through safety sensitisation campaigns, training of boat operators, procurement and distribution of lifejackets, provision of landing platforms, and deployment of modern passenger ferries.

According to a report issued by Inmarsat: The Future of Maritime Safety 2025 recently, 72% of known fatalities in the passenger vessel sector occurred in the DRC, Nigeria and Mozambique.

Of the 2,033 known fatalities recorded in 2024 (a 55% increase on the 1,308 fatalities recorded in 2023), 72% occurred in just three countries: the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria and Mozambique.70 For instance, over 100 people, were reported lost on 8 October 2024 after an overloaded fishing boat sank off Mozambique’s northern coast. The vessel was not licensed to carry passengers but was reportedly transporting 130 people fleeing an outbreak of cholera. Only 10 were rescued

MIGRANT BOATS | CONTAINER LOSSES

The agreement does not, however, cover smaller artisanal fishing vessels and is also not yet in force.

Fishing vessel casualties continue to impact on the lives of vulnerable fishing communities in Africa both on inland waters as well as at sea.

Several serious incidents in South Africa during 2024 prompted the Minister of Transport to direct the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) to survey the country’s fishing fleet. In one devastating incident, the FV Lepanto sank approximately 34 nautical miles west of Slangkop Point near Cape Town resulting in the death of 11 crewmembers.

SAMSA’s survey highlighted that an ageing fleet that experienced challenges in accessing limited repair facilities was undermining safety.

Unsuitable vessels attempting to fish in rough waters and bad weather have also been identified as issues on the continent. In Kenya, fishers were cautioned against venturing offshore after the bodies of two fishermen were retrieved and a further three remained missing in August 2025.

Visibility and weather also impacts fishers on inland waters, and three fatalities were reported in December 2025 when a fishing boat collided with a bigger ship on Lake Victoria.

Five African countries have signed the 2012 Cape Town Agreement on fishing vessel safety.

Congo | Ghana | Kenya | Namibia | South Africa

Since 2014, more than 25,000 people have died attempting the crossing from North Africa to Europe.

Almost 200 people died and another 150 people were missing in three separate incidents of migrant boats from Mauritania during 2024.

In 2022, IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee adopted a resolution emphasising the importance of governmental involvement in the rescue of migrants at sea.

GOING OVERBOARD

Almost 40 percent of all the reported containers lost overboard during 2024 were lost by vessels routed around South Africa. The increase in traffic due to incidents in the Red Sea saw more vessels facing the treacherous weather conditions around the Cape of Good Hope.

According to the World Shipping Council’s (WSC) annual report on container losses, vessel transits around the Cape of Good Hope increased by 191% compared to 2023 and around 200 containers were lost in the region. The report indicates that a total of 576 containers were lost at sea globally.

While this represents an increase from the record-low 221 containers lost in 2023, it remains well below the 10-year average of 1,274 containers lost annually, underscoring continued industry progress on safety and prevention.

A notice issued by Gard highlighted that, while weather played an important role in the recorded losses, cargo stowage failures were also to blame as they caused listing and compromised stability.

The vast majority of migrants use criminal networks and many experience exploitation during their journey.

A report published in October

by

Between 2018 and 2024, the number of incidents increased by 42%. Over the same period, the number of vessels in the global fleet increased by 10%.

42%

INCREASE IN INCIDENTS FROM 2018 - 2024

Machinery damage/failure has traditionally accounted for the largest portion of incidents. However, its share has increased significantly over the course of the past decade. In 2014, this accounted for 38% of all incidents but rose to 60% by 2024.

The numbers of fire/explosions, has increased by 18% in 2024, and by 58% since 2014. As fire and explosions tend to have higher rates of injuries and fatalities and, with a disproportionately high amount (27%) coming from the passenger/ferry segment, this is a trend that needs to be quickly reversed.

FIRE RESULTS IN HIGH RATES OF INJURY

Lithium-ion batteries introduce the risk of thermal runaway, which increases the fire, explosion, and toxicity risk on board the vessel.

Enhanced fire safety measures and emergency response training should be implemented on all vessels where this is deemed to be lacking.

Passenger/ferry dramatic rise failure in 2024, 484. Overall, segment accounted highest number with this spiking

52%

Over half of all incidents in 2024 attributable to vessels 20 years older, with 41% of incidents for the 25+ age category.

Passenger/ferry vessels saw a rise in machinery damage/ 2024, growing by 48% to Overall, the passenger/ferry accounted for the second number of casualties in 2024, spiking by 29% to reach 672.

52% 2024 were years of age or for vessels in category.

The overall trend in maritime safety is unmistakably negative. A steadily ageing fleet is clearly driving an increase in the number of incidents, and it is incumbent on shipowners to mitigate this issue through better

A notable increase of incidents was registered in the RoRo/PCTC segment in 2024, where the number jumped by 69% to reach 311.

According to the 2023 report on maritime safety trends, 80% of maritime accidents stem from human error.

SHARP INCREASE IN WAR LOSSES RECORDED

Seafarers’ mental health should be a key performance and safety indicator, with adequate infrastructure in place to support every individual.

80%

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