‘Easy to conceive – but complicated to put in place’

Much of government’s Maritime Transport Policy centres around the creation of a South African ship’s register, the registration of a South African “fleet” and the realignment of South African trade in order to support that fleet,” Andrew Robinson of the Maritime Law Association and maritime law specialist at Deneys Reitz told delegates. “But while government has a broad understanding of the potential benefits of a ship’s register and the operation of a local shipping line, not much attention has been paid to the specifics of creating such a register,” he said. It would need to be attractive both to shipowners and operators currently registered elsewhere as well as to new shipowners and operators, he added. “And since registries compete furiously for business, two issues prevail – namely efficiency and costs.” He beli eves government needs to consult with an internationally recognised registry administrator in order to establish exactly what will be required to make it attractive to shipowners. “The concept of creating a South African register is easy to conceive but extremely complicated to put in place.”