Draft maritime policy focuses on infrastructure, training

The comprehensive draft
maritime transport policy
(CMTP), the government’s
dreams for the future of the
so-called ‘blue economy’,
appears to have met with a
rather tepid response from the
freight industry.
According to Malcolm
Hartwell, director of Norton
Rose Fulbright SA, a recent
Durban public presentation
was attended by two lawyers,
a representative from the
SA Association of Freight
Forwarders (Saaff) and three
representatives from a shipping
electronics company.
“The lack of enthusiasm,”
he told FTW, “perhaps
arises from the fact that, like
any policy document, the
CMTP is relatively short on
details of implementation.
These details are to be
fleshed out by the relevant
government departments
and agencies responsible for
implementation.”
Fellow Norton Rose director,
Andrew Robinson, took an
even more cynical viewpoint of
this latest issue of the policy.
“It is certainly consistent,”
he said. “The same mistakes
made in 1996 were made again
in 2008 and now yet again in
2017 – with a slight tweak to
take into account Operation
Phakisa and the National
Development Programme
(NDP).”
But both agree that the basic
bones of the CMTP make it an
important document.
“It echoes the emphasis on
infrastructure development
found in Operation Phakisa
(OP) as being critical for
the development of the
maritime industry,” said
Hartwell. With our dire
unemployment problem the
CMTP’s constant reference to
training and development to
foster employment is also to be
welcomed.”
The specific targets
highlighted by the CMTP, some
of which are derived from OP,
are: the bunkering industry;
offshore oil and gas industry;
cabotage; and the growth of the
SA merchant fleet.
“The CMPT recognises that
these industries are all suffering
from the global economic
crisis and, in certain cases, low
energy prices,” Hartwell added.
“It also recognises that for a
cabotage regime to succeed,
decisions will have to be
made to support the industry
financially.
“Accordingly, the first steps
towards a cabotage regime are
only scheduled to take place in
five years’ time.”
He also noted an admission
in this latest policy document.
“The CMTP also acknowledges
that SA’s attempts to
re-establish an SA merchant
fleet have run into a few tax
hurdles – and these will need to
be addressed.”
While welcoming the fact
that the CMTP covers the
full range of maritime policy
issues, and commits the state to
realising the benefits of a blue
economy, Hartwell suggested
that how this was put into
practice was the crucial factor.
“The real test of its value
will lie in the details and the
various government entities’
commitment to, and capacity
for, implementation,” he said.