Non-declaration of dangerous goods poses major headache

Non-disclosure of the contents of containers to avoid the additional costs incurred to move dangerous goods is a major concern for the SA Maritime Safety Authority, according to CEO Sobantu Tilayi. “There is an incentive to hide the dangerous goods,” he said, “and since South Africa is a beneficiation destination and world leader in mining, it moves large volumes of dangerous goods such as explosives and chemicals, posing a compliance headache for authorities. “South Africa produces a lot of explosives given that we have a mining industry that produces dynamite and we handle a great deal of chemicals that become input into various production lines,” he said. “We are also a beneficiation destination in that we import chemicals and add on for export, and also a great deal of oil. And while that does not get handled through our terminals, it remains the biggest worry,” he said. Tilayi said much of SA’s dangerous goods were exported to Europe, while explosives were destined for Brazil and Chile to be used in new mine developments. Dangerous explosives, classified as Class 1 Dangerous Goods in terms of regulations in the SA National Standards, are not permitted to be transported by road, he said. “Whether or not and how that is being policed is our biggest headache at the moment,” he said. Tilayi said the National Ports Consultative Committee was presently engaged in a “huge discussion” on the issue and risks of the transportation of dangerous goods. Tilayi recalled a tragedy in February where five people were killed, including four policemen, after a truck carrying blasting cartridges to Zambia crashed with a grocery truck, caught fire and blew up on the N1 between Mokopane and Polokwane. “No one told the police that there were explosives and when people were busy attending to the traffic the truck blew up,” he said. Regulations regarding the private transportation of explosives fall under the Explosives Act and require vehicles to be issued with a permit by an appointed SAPS explosives inspector, while the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code regulates the movement and handling of dangerous cargoes. Tilayi said not all port users were as familiar with these regulations as they should be, which could result in non-disclosure and inappropriate stowing. However, Tilayi said there had been no recent noncompliance- related maritime accidents. “We believe every sustainable business respects the environment we work in. Any dangerous act has an impact on our human capacity. It’s just a matter of time before your business is affected and it is also likely to harm our country,” Tilayi said. Tilayi said SA had a strong reputation for abiding by international protocols and it was up to the entire industry to prove it constantly upheld its reputation. INSERT & CAPTION There is an incentive to hide the dangerous goods because of the additional costs incurred to transport them. – Sobantu Tilayi