23 March 2006
Cape Town: South Africaâs Transport Minister Jeff Radebe has today signed an
agreement with India to create a mutually beneficial relationship in the field
of merchant shipping and related maritime transport matters.
This agreement will play a major role towards Accelerated and Shared Growth
Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA) with India being the top five
manufacturing outsourcing destinations in the world and South Africa ranked
among the 12 sea-trading nation states of the world with over 14 00 billion
tonne-miles of sea transport activity recorded each year.
In 2005, trade between South Africa and India was over R14.5 billion with
imports from India at R7.02 billion and exports to India at R7.05 billion.
In particular, the two States have agreed to:
* encourage and facilitate the development of maritime relationship between
their shipping organisations and enterprises and also co-operate very closely
in the task of enhancing and stimulating the steady growth of maritime traffic
between their countries;
* encourage and facilitate the exchange and training of staff and students
from various maritime establishments such as Maritime Educational
Institutions.
* encourage and facilitate the exchange of information necessary for
accelerating and facilitating the flow of commercial goods at sea and at port
and encourage the strengthening of the co-operation between merchant
fleets;
* strive to eliminate obstructions and other conditions tending to prevent
the development of mutual maritime co-operation;
* deal with service contracts and conduct of crew with respect to Judicial
Proceedings
A Maritime Liaison Committee has been established to enhance the
implementation of this Agreement.
Media Contact: Collen Msibi
Cell: 082 414 5279
Issued by: Ministry of Transport
23 March 2006
Source: Department of Transport (http://www.transport.gov.za)
