SOUTH AFRICA: UPDATE ON THE INTERIM APPLICATION PROCESS AND REQUIREMENTS PUBLISHED FOR SHIP TO SHIP AND BUNKERING OPERATIONS OUTSIDE OF A PORT

Our earlier newsflash dated 18 February 2022 drew your attention to statements by the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) relating to the licence application process for offshore bunkering, STS operations and the lifting of the moratorium on the awarding of bunkering licences in the Algoa Bay region, where the ports of Port Elizabeth and Ngqura (Coega) are located.

Since then, SAMSA have reported on their website here that the moratorium on the issuing of bunkering licences in Algoa Bay, which was due to be lifted with effect from 1 April 2022, has been reimposed and that the 'application window for bunkering licences … will be extended until the finalisation of the [Transnet National Port Authority] risk assessment study'. SAMSA also reported that Marine Notice MN 1 of 2022, detailing interim application processes and requirements, will be retracted.

* This article was co-authored by Ridah Wouters.