South Africa implements stricter rules on offshore ship transfers, raising fines to R2m

The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, has signed new regulations to manage offshore ship-to-ship transfer operations, which will see transgressors pay fines of up to R2m, imprisonment for up to five years, or both.
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The new rules are designed to prevent pollution, protect coastal ecosystems, minimise and mitigate the impacts of a spill in the unlikely event that one occurs and secure the survival of the African Penguin, together with other marine species and ecosystems in the rich biodiverse Algoa Bay and along South Africa’s coastline in general.

“These regulations are a decisive step to safeguard our oceans and secure the future of our African Penguin.

"They set strict standards for offshore ship-to-ship transfers, ensuring that maritime activity can only proceed in a safe and responsible way,” the minister said.

George signed the Regulations for the Environmental Management of Offshore Ship-to-Ship Transfer, published under the National Environmental Management: Integrated Coastal Management Act, 2008 (Act No. 24 of 2008).

These regulations will come into force once published in the Government Gazette.

They provide South Africa with a clear and enforceable environmental framework to manage offshore ship-to-ship (STS) transfer operations, including bunkering.

The new measures include:

  • Prohibited zones: STS operations are banned within marine protected areas, aquaculture development zones, within five nautical miles of each of these zones and within three nautical miles of the high-water mark.

  • Wildlife protection: Operators must monitor for penguins and marine mammals, deploy hydrophone systems, and report sightings and incidents. Immediate response plans must be in place for any oiled or injured wildlife.

  • Weather limits: In Algoa Bay, operations may only take place in safe conditions, with wind speeds below 22 knots and wave heights below two metres. The Minister may set conditions elsewhere.

  • Pollution prevention: Operators must use drip trays, leak detection systems, inflatable booms, and have a spill-response vessel on standby within five nautical miles of shore.

  • Training and compliance: All crew must receive environmental awareness training. Each operator must also submit an independent Environmental Management Plan, approved by the minister, addressing site-specific risks.

  • Algoa Bay restrictions: Operations are confined to designated anchorages, with a limit on the number of operators and tankers, and seasonal restrictions in anchorage area 2 to protect sensitive habitats.

The signed regulations can be accessed here.


 
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