SA can gain from the Suez Canal shipping disruptions crisis: Unathi Sonti

The geopolitical military conflicts in the Middle East have abruptly disrupted international shipping along the world’s busiest sea route through the Suez Canal, turning the traffic towards South Africa’s Cape Sea Route and coast. How then can South Africa gainfully respond in the interest of international shipping?

For this discussion, we have roped in Unathi Sonti, Executive Chairperson of the Maritime Business Chamber to give us more insight on this.

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Well the geopolitical military conflicts out in the Middle East have abruptly disrupted international shipping along the world’s busiest sea route through the sewers Canal turning the traffic towards South Africa’s Cape sea route and Coast how then can South Africa gainfully respond in the interest of international shipping while for this

Discussion we have red in unati SII the executive chairperson of the maritime business chamber to give us more insight on this unti festive greetings to you and welcome thank you so much for joining us I guess that’s the big question right is South Africa even in a position to gainfully respond to the

Situation where 90% of international trade faces challenges that could adversely impact uh energy as well as food prices and supply chain uh uh disruptions sens greetings to you in studio and all the viewers indeed um South Africa is well positioned number one to respond very well into this

Crisis South Africa can gain you know a lot from this current crisis not only in fact South Africa but Africa as a whole one of the key to that you would note these vessels that would be coming if they come looking at the crisis because the crisis is not yet you know over

Would then require certain Services as you have alluded because the impact to this would impact the poor and the marginalized in this country all the African countries if we are not responding very well to this crisis by being able to supply much needed services and part of those would be you

Know your fuel would be allowing for those vessels to be able to come into um the the the the ports and do you know um a crew changes and also assist them with some repairs as well but n you say we are well position but are we even in a

Good position to do this looking at the current state of our ports infrastructural challenges amongst others that are plaguing our own Fleet Marine Banker Fuel Services which you alluded to which play a critical role in making of course the capc route attractive at at at at this stage I I

Won’t lie and say we would be able I must also note the fact that the last report that I had seen from from the ports it was saying the South African ports have not received any new Port calls and obviously you would understand why they won’t be any new Port calls it’s because

What the the the the International Community understands it’s still the challenges that is being faced at our port with the congestions the delays whil they use the strategy to address that but in terms of Banker fuels we we are not currently in that position because those Banker FS would need to

Take place at the port and of which the ports are the current ones that are facing all these challenges and your best position would be offshore off you know off Port limit and this is where now we’ve got the biggest challenge currently at the one active Banker Hub

Which was the AL where SARS has detained you know a number of of of of of of vessels which were offering such services to vessels that were passing by and in a case like this this would be definitely a great opportunity to unlock that together with unlocking maybe you

Know Salay as well as an assistant or a second half to be able to attract and capture all that seagoing vessels that would be in distress and un I’m so glad you mentioned SS because how will the S moratorium impact all these efforts as we know it D it disrupts global trade

Flows hinders growth of the maritime sector look uh the the S debacle is it’s one that as a country we really need to look at it I must you know put it on record that those The Operators that are involved which their vessels were seized or were detained

Know say were detained by SARS they are currently in engagement with SARS others have gone as we know via the C but as the industry we continue to engage and to believe um while s has now issued out a document that is out for command that

Talk to the amendment of The Customs Act of 1964 who put that into legislation that matter would not be resolved tomorrow because this crisis is now and this is where where we believe if the country would was really you know taking serious the maritime matters this

Would have been one of those like I even even the media of this country like right now you know I did not see much talks about you know when South Africa was going through a process of applying to be a candidate for the IMO which is the international Maritime organization

Council that was not because I I think in the country we are not really you know taking charge and appreciating the level of us being a true Maritime Nation it is why we would have issues like this that started in September and are still and there’s still no resolution a definite resolution around

This matter look let’s let’s throw it Forward what then are the available opportunities for the much needed economic growth in this regard look one if you you would note that 98% of our trade is SE on and all of that goes via the pts yeah so if we are

To we are to really develop and make sure that the the the growth of this country is aligned with the activities the economic activities out there it would making sure one our ports they operate effectively uh and and efficiently number two we enable those activities you know the banking

Especially the Offshore Banking is a global activity that is recognized and it’s an activity that should the country begin to appreciate its fullness a number of new entrances and businesses would be able now to participate this also would talk to you know speeding up the process by tnpa together with samama

Making sure that there are new licenses that are able now to come into play at Al when it goes back online and let’s talk further on that n i mean let’s talk about the potential benefits that are at stake here can we turn things around in

Time in terms of policy in order to capitalize on this opportunity uh you know you know the the biggest challenge that we have in South Africa with regards to policy it’s because policy has to go through a number of processes and those would include going via Parliament and

Going for commands and this is why we have not even fully appreciated you know the issues that talks to offshore oil and gas exploration whilst our neighbors in terms of making policies and making decisions their turnaround time in in making such decisions is quicker than so the issues around

Policy it’s one that becomes a major major major major stumbling block in making sure that we really you know get to appreciate or we get to really see the benefits of some of these of of of of of of these activities like I would tell you it’s been almost 12 months

Since we’ve been talking about um the new Banker codes and STS codes yeah which H have had to go through a process and we are still waiting for that Marine notice that would say this is how moving forward would be able to to you know for new operators and new licenses would be

Able to operate and the reason we don’t have that it’s because of all these delays with regards to the policy matters and the fact that especially Maritime matters the country is currently now in the process of of approving it’s ocean economy must that conversation as well has been

Taking place since the Advent of and we have not really seen it as well you know in in full unfortunately we’re out of time we’re going to leave it there thank you so much for your contributions the executive chairperson of the maritime business chamber