Department of Transport

The Office of the Department of Transport (Maritime Affairs) is responsible for the promotion of South Africa’s maritime interests and coordinating active and effective representation of South Africa at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

South Africa is a maritime nation, with a long maritime history and heritage stretching back over 300 years, providing its citizens with a source of food, a medium for trade and a catalyst for migration and development. The country has about 3 000 km of coastline (with the inclusion of Prince Edward and Marion Islands, the total is about 3 900 km) and more than 1.5 million square meters of ocean area that comprises our exclusive economic zone.

South Africa’s geographic position as a crossroads of maritime trade between Europe and the East means that its history is intrinsically linked to the history of the rest of the world, resulting in a multi-faceted representation of sites, objects and mythodologies related to water and maritime heritage that reflect not only local historical and social development, but global cultural change as well.

Approximately 90% (by volume) of South Africa’s international trade is transported by sea, with a significant maritime activity occurring in the country’s own domestic waters, in relation to coastal shipping, oil and gas, and marine research and infrastructure.

Around 10 000 ships call and get handled through the eight (8) specialised South African port system. Also, South Africa has a growing marine tourism and cruise shipping industry.

South Africa is a Member State of the IMO (since 1995), is on the IMO White List, and has ratified and/or acceded to a number of its international regulations. These regulations have been enacted to national legislation to ensure that the South African marine environment is protected against pollution from ships, and that ships, cargo, crew, and passengers onboard are safe and secured. This is in recognition of our international obligation to support an established international practice – an assurance exercise – that guarantees safety of navigation to both ships that call at South African ports and those that pass through South African waters to get to foreign ports, an obligation delivered through a combination of activities and functions, including Aids to Navigation, Medical Evacuations, Sea Watch and Response, etc, over the close on 30 million square kilometers of Search and Rescue region that the country is responsible for.

South Africa is an active member of the IMO, consistently and effectively participates in the various structures and activities of the organisation. South Africa’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, H.E. Jeremiah Nyamane Mamabolo is the appointed Permanent Representative of South Africa to the IMO and leads South Africa’s representation at the IMO.

The High Commissioner is supported by an Alternate Permanent Representative of South Africa to the IMO (APR), Mr Vusi September. The APR actively participates in the work of all IMO Committees and Sub-Committees, promotes the Republic of South Africa’s maritime interests, establishes and services stakeholder relations with his colleagues at the IMO.

Furthermore, South Africa has been a member of the IMO Council for the period 2005 – 2021.

For more information on South Africa’s maritime governance and shipping regime in general, please feel free to contact this office for assistance, the Department of Transport: Maritime Transport Branch, the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA or any relevant link from the list provided below.

Mr Vusi September

Alternate Permanent Representative of South Africa to the IMO

Minister (Maritime Affairs)

E-mail: septemberv@gmail.com

Government and its entities websites:

National Department of Transport: www.transport.gov.za

South African Maritime Safety Authority: www.samsa.org.za

Ports Regulator of South Africa: www.portsregulator.org

South African Port Terminals: www.transnet.co.za

South African Port Authority: www.transnet.co.za/divisions/NPAuthority

Transnet: www.transnet.co.za

South African Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre: mrcc.ct@samsa.org.za