“I was surrounded by the ocean and have seen both its beauty and the impact of human activity on marine life. This inspired me to create a solution that protects our oceans while creating opportunities for young people through sustainable innovation.”

Her innovation focuses on the sustainable use of seashells – transforming discarded or ethically sourced shells into accessories while promoting environmental awareness. Rooted in a business model that balances creativity, economic opportunity, and environmental responsibility, the initiative highlights the importance of protecting marine biodiversity.

“Living on the South Coast, I am closely connected to the ocean, which inspired me to transform natural materials into value-added products while promoting awareness about protecting marine ecosystems,” she says.

Her participation in the Maritime Youth Innovation Challenge was driven by this deep connection to the ocean and a desire to address environmental challenges. The experience proved both enriching and transformative. Securing second place in the Marine Resources category was a proud moment.

“It was both exciting and humbling. It validated the impact of the idea and showed that sustainable innovation is being recognised. It also motivated me to keep improving the solution and take it to a larger scale.”

The innovation also contributes to South Africa’s marine resource management efforts by promoting responsible use of natural resources. Reflecting on her journey, she highlights key lessons learned along the way.

“Sustainability must always come first when working with natural resources. Innovation is about impact and responsibility, not just ideas.” She also emphasised the importance of collaboration and continuous learning in driving growth and meaningful change.

For her, youth involvement in the blue economy is necessary. “We are the future custodians of marine resources. Especially for those of us living in coastal areas, we have a direct responsibility to protect the ocean while also using it to create sustainable economic opportunities.”

Moderated by Captain Londy Ngcobo – the summit will feature keynote addresses, workshops, panel discussions, and spit-fire questions from the audience, all focused on advancing the ocean economy and identifying solutions to key challenges facing the sector, with a shared commitment to ensuring these challenges are effectively resolved.

At its core, the summit, which will span over the course of three days, focuses on how to transform the city and its surrounds into a resilient urban space – one that integrates economic opportunity with environmental sustainability.

By convening thought leaders and key stakeholders, the summit seeks to demonstrate the economic viability of a more sustainable blue economy in Africa, while inspiring a new generation of ocean-conscious entrepreneurs.

In her keynote address, Charlina Vitcheva, Director-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries at the European Commission, called for the urgent need for intervention to protect the state of the ocean.

In addition, eThekwini Municipality Mayor, Councillor Cyril Xaba stated that the success of the blue economy must be seen to translate into tangible benefits.

Marine Industry Development Head at the eThekwini Municipality, Nomalanga Sokhela, emphasised that the municipality is working on a number of scalable projects, in partnership with community organisations, universities, and state-owned enterprises, to address and build sustainability within the Durban port system.

These attacks on vessels navigating the strait have had far-reaching consequences, disrupting international trade along the shortest shipping route between Europe and Asia. Notably, there has been a substantial 55% decline in Suez Canal traffic, coupled with a striking 75% increase in vessels choosing to circumvent the Cape of Good Hope in January 2023. This shift in maritime routes has resulted in prolonged transit times for cargo traveling from Asia to Europe, experiencing delays of approximately 10-16 days. The ripple effects extend to supply chains, delivery timelines, and overall market velocity.

Having traversed major cities worldwide throughout my career, I’ve observed a consistent pattern: the prosperity of economies is intricately tied to the efficiency and capabilities of their ports, whether air or sea. This observation holds true as well for African economies, which should ideally be the primary beneficiaries of the increased vessel diversions around the Cape of Good Hope. The relationship between economies and ports is fascinating, as the prosperity of ports significantly influences the economic well-being of citizens.

While the passage of vessels through Africa should inherently bring economic advantages, the reality for African ports is mixed. With Djibouti being the exception, ranking 26th globally and second in Africa for port efficiency, others face challenges with Berbera following suit and ranked 144^th globally according to the Container Port Performance Index (CPPI). Historically, ports along major shipping routes have thrived, offering opportunities for refueling, transshipment, and job creation. The potential benefits for African ports from the increased vessel volume around the Cape of Good Hope hinge on their ability to accommodate ultra-large container carriers and address issues such as congestion and low productivity.

Strategically positioned ports like Djibouti, Durban, and Cape Town stand to gain from the disruption in global trade volume, provided they are adequately prepared. The closure of the Algoa Bay bunkering zone has driven increased bunkering activity in Cape Town, presenting economic opportunities for ports. However, this potential windfall is viewed more as a missed opportunity due to insufficient readiness. A World Bank case study highlights that African ports, including Mombasa with deepwater berths and relatively new cranes, grapple with congestion, leading to low productivity.

Despite the challenges, there exists the potential for African ports to benefit from such situation in the future through concerted regional cooperation, improved infrastructure, and enhanced terminal capabilities. Governments play a pivotal role in this transformation by prioritizing investments in port facilities to meet international standards, thereby fostering economic growth and regional cooperation without compromising sovereignty. The current scenario serves as a call to action for African nations to seize the opportunities presented by the evolving maritime landscape.

Olamide Egbedeyi | International Commercial Writer

Learners from Zwelibanzi High School, Zwelihle High School, and Reunion Secondary School participated in the 4-day program starting from 06 December – 09 December, each learner will gain essential knowledge and skills on sailing, swimming, and the Durban harbour upon completion of the program.

Mr. Sbusiso Zondo EMC’s Training and Skills manager was present to introduce the program to the learners. “EMC is proud to have its 3^rd water sports program this year. This is an opportunity that we hope will encourage you to explore the opportunities available in the maritime sector.  The initiative aims to equip those who have been previously disadvantaged will continue and we hope with this program you will leave with a clearer understanding of the Durban harbour’’ said Mr. Zondo in his welcome speech on the first day at Sail Africa

Mr. Siyabonga Mthethwa from Sea Rescue presented water safety demonstrations and water safety rules presented to the learners on the first day which is an important component for individuals participating in water sports.

Sail Africa pioneers the whole program with the school children. The program is designed to equip each learner with foundation skills in water sports. Learners will have the opportunity to explore the Durban harbour. Learners were handed certificates of attendance at the end of the program.

EMC will continue to share the knowledge and spearhead the maritime industry through sustainable growth and economic development in KwaZulu Natal.

The strategic partnership with Conscost Consulting under the KwaZulu Natal Department of Public Workers aims to undertake the Value Chain Analysis of the KZN Maritime Economy for Unlocking the opportunities in the Oceans Economy.

Click on the link below to view the RFP.

https://maritimecluster.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/To-publish-TOR.pdf

Click on the link below to view RFP:

https://maritimecluster.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/RFP-Woman-in-Maritime-EMC-20225743-1.pdf

TPT Host Careers Day in Partnership with EThekwini Maritime Cluster

On 24 June 2022 Transnet Port Terminals, in partnership with EMC as part of commemorating youth month, hosted f 40 high schools and tertiary students to partake in the Transnet’s Port Terminal Careers Open Day event.

Choosing a career path might seem an easy task or taken for granted but in all honesty, it is not that easy especially when one lacks relevant information. There are various factors that the youth need to look at when choosing a career path, including looking at all the pros and cons. Additionally, it is advisable for young people to examine their suitability for an intended career, the long-term prospects of the career and aligning their post school studies to the intended career.  Peir Durandt, capacity planning manager at Transnet, a division that looks at the capacity planning programmes of the company, presented on all the different career opportunities offered by Transnet. “Transnet is the heartbeat of this country. Every container that comes into this country is handled by 10 to 15 people before it reaches the consumer. All those positions require succession planning. You the youth are the people we hope will one day fill those positions,” said Durandt.

During the event young people were made aware of the different positions and departments that exist in a typical company, such as, the corporate affairs department, which includes the company’s branding, marketing, media, journalism, finance, economics, supply chain, the safety department, human resources, ICT  and public relations. In other companies positions of scarce skills required anrtisans, scientists and engineers.

The 40 learners were presented with the various career opportunities available within the maritime field and within the Transnet Group, as well as, the different entry levels into the workplace such as learnerships, internships, and other programmes. Through the presentation the learners were also allowed to engage with members of the company to seek further information related to working in the port.

The day ended with a tour of the Durban container terminal pier 1and 2, giving more insight into the operations taking place at the port.