The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) is embarking on a seafarers’ opinion soliciting exercise over the next few months and whose goal is to establish South African seafarers’ experiences with regards access to careers in the country’s maritime sector.
The survey, themed: Access to Seafaring Careers – launched this past week with the placing of an online Notice of Invitation to seafarers and a link to the survey page, on the SAMSA website. This will be followed with placement of the same notice of invitation also on social media platforms. Additionally, registered seafarers will receive the link to the survey in their e-mails with the invitation to complete the survey.
According to a statement by SAMSA’s Chief Examiner, Mr Azwimmbavhi Mulaudzi (nee Nelwamondo), the survey is open to all seafarers and will close on 28 February 2025.
About the initiative, Mr Mulaudzi says this is the second survey of its kind targeting seafarers in the country’s maritime industry for their views on matters specific to them, with the first having been conducted some seven years ago.
Mr Mulaudzi said: “The survey seeks to identify the challenges faced by seafarers that could be addressed through regulatory frameworks. The outcomes of the survey will help in directing the efforts of the SAMSA seafarers’ units – Office of the Chief Examiner, Registrar of Seafarers and Seafarer Welfare Office – in addressing the challenges identified, as it was the case with the 2017 survey.
According to Mr Mulaudzi, seafarers’ reaction to the 2017/18 survey was most positive and hugely assisted the organisation in responding to and addressing various pertinent issues raised by that cohort of the country’s maritime industry workforce.
In that survey held over five months from 02 November 2017 to 31 March 2018, says SAMSA, no less than 1050 seafarers partook in the exercise – a majority of whom were Officers (81%) followed by Ratings at 19%.
Remarkably, analysed data captured indicated that the departments were split unevenly between genders, with a dominance of Males at 89% (88% as Officers and 95% as Ratings) to Females at 11% (12% as Officers and only 5% as Ratings).
Equally significant also was that almost 80% of the participating seafarers were employed, 57% at sea and 20% ashore, split between Officers (44% Engine and 56% Deck), Ratings (32% Engine, Deck 55% and Catering (13%), while 23% of the seafarers in the categories were unemployed.
Said Mr Mulaudzi: “The 2017/18 survey report gave us first insight into South African seafarers, and following to which several steps were taken to address the various matters that reflected a need for address.
“Since the previous survey, SAMSA has undertaken numerous programmes to address issues facing South African seafarers, among them being the following:
- The promulgation of the Merchant Shipping (Training, Certification and Safe Manning) Regulations 2021
- Prioritised South Africa’s compliance with the STCW Convention and have undergone numerous inspections for this purpose.
- Concluded further certificates of Recognition under the STCW Convention to increase flags that accept South African certificates for service onboard their ships.
- Worked with partners to bring more foreign ship owners/managers to train and recruit South African seafarers.
- Worked to find solutions (ongoing) to address challenges faced by start-up recruitment agencies, without compromising compliance to the Maritime Labour Convention.
On conclusion of the current survey, says SAMSA: “The feedback/results of the survey will be assessed/analysed to determine how to influence Regulations that affect seafarers’ unemployment, welfare, and gender representation.
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