The South African Department of Transport has invited shipping companies to join a steering committee to create a model for a national shipping carrier in collaboration with the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA).
This initiative marks an important step in addressing South Africa’s maritime decline, which began in the 1980s and comes 25 years after the sale of Safmarine to Maersk. According to multiple reports, the primary goal is to reclaim a substantial share of the country’s import and export volumes, which have largely been managed by foreign carriers in recent decades.
According to a government notice published on 1 June, the DBSA will play a key role in developing the South African National Shipping Company model. To support this effort, the steering committee will comprise representatives from the Department of Transport, DBSA and other key stakeholders. Additionally, the committee will be responsible for developing the terms of reference that will guide the process moving forward.
“The department is collaborating with the DBSA for the establishment of this SA National Shipping Company model that will enable South Africa to carry its own import and export trade, which has suffered negative growth since the 1980s as SA does not have a national shipping carrier” the notice stated.
As reported, the new initiative builds on previous efforts to revitalize the South African maritime sector, particularly the release of a draft Bill in 2022 that proposed the creation of the South African Shipping Company (SASCO).
