The 43rd annual Southern African Transport Conference (SATC) was held in Pretoria at the CSIR international conference centre, with the Theme“Mobility Solutions to Southern African Challenges”.
The conference brought together leaders from the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), National Department of Transport (NDOT), South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), Academics, and prominent industry stakeholders like Linsen Nambi Bunker Services (LNBS).
LNBS sponsored the maritime session. The conference served to bring industry leaders together to discuss, evaluate, and find solutions to the transportation challenges facing Southern Africa, with a strong emphasis on innovation, sustainability, and inclusivity.
The key objectives were:
Promote Sustainable and Inclusive Mobility
- How to deliver transport systems that are environmentally sustainable, economically viable, and socially inclusive across Southern Africa.
Foster Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing
- Interdisciplinary dialogue among government departments, academia, private sector, and civil society.
- Sharing of best practices and case studies relevant to African transport systems.
Support Evidence-Based Policy Development
- The need for a platform for research-based insights to influence policy and regulation in road, rail, maritime, aviation, and urban transport.
Showcase Innovation and Technology
- Discuss emerging transport technologies and smart mobility strategies that address congestion, emissions, and accessibility.
Develop Young Professionals and Capacity
- Creation of a platform for early-career researchers, and young professionals to present papers and engage with industry leaders.
LNBS focused on the maritime session and while the conference delivered on the objectives it highlighted the glaring reality that South Africa is not prepared for regulatory reform and decarbonisation in the maritime space. The IMO’s Marpol convention to which South Africa are signatories has specific targets that must be met with the overall aim of achieving decarbonisation in shipping (Net Zero) by 2050. South Africa lacks the infrastructure, skills, technology, financial resources, political will, and strategic planning necessary to bridge the gap and bring about alignment with the more established first world nations.
Achieving alignment with MARPOL regulations are critical to sustainable maritime operations in South Africa but the cost in doing so may render our overall offerings uneconomical and unattractive to the Shipping industry. Case in point the cost of bunker fuel at South African ports present day.
The South African Maritime industry is in critical need of a government led framework and model supported by industry that will ensure SA complies with international decarbonisation regulations in shipping, while ensuring its operations still make business sense.
The cost of doing business in the green era is going to be significantly more expensive, it will not be viable or sustainable for many organisations without government intervention / assistance and the political will to ensure a sustainable South African maritime industry.
It starts with recognising the criticality of the situation, shortness of time and a desire to use regulatory reform as opportunities for development and growth.
