As part of her 2010 October Transport Month programme, MEC Ghishma Barry will officially receive the world MEC Ghishma Barry first “all female crewed” SA Agulhas on a stop-over at the Port of Port Elizabeth on Wednesday 13 October 2010.
The all female crew will be making history by becoming the first to undertake a sea voyage that will be taking them from Port of Cape Town to Port of Durban, with the stop-over in Port Elizabeth, which will be used to highlight the province’s strides in encouraging maritime skills and jobs in the region which even though has 3 commercial ports, inexplicably remains the poorest province in the country
The purpose of this all women manned vessel “The MV SA Agulhas is to:
- showcase the ground covered on gender transformation in the maritime industry by using an all female crew for the voyage
- showcase the South African government owned fleet as well as the naval vessel, by getting other vessels to escort the SA Agulhas as it leaves the port
- to launch the “Centre for Seafarers” aimed at ensuring the quality, numbers and the wellbeing of seafarers for the country.
- to lay the ground for the yet to me made case for acquiring SA Agulhas as a training vessel for the country, when the replacement vessel for the SA Agulhas becomes available.
As 2010 was declared the Year of the Seafarer by the International Maritime Organisation, the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) deemed it that it would be of strategic importance for the country’s Maritime Authority to be at the forefront of initiatives and interventions that are intended to give expression to this theme.
SAMSA with its stakeholders have planned activities which are meant to showcase the efforts of government and the capacity of our industry to promote and advance the maritime transport sector as a key contributor to the development goals of the country and transformation of our society.
The planned activities are centered around:
- the creation of awareness about the importance of maritime transport to our national life, be it economic, social, security, defence and ecological
- highlight the progress made in transformation and advancement of our female seafarers and promoting maritime transport jobs and careers
- providing a platform to showcase the country’s maritime legacy, world class national skills development infrastructure and programmes.
Media contact:
Ncedo Kumbaca
Director: Communications
Cell: 082 562 6023
Source: Department of Transport, Eastern Cape Provincial Government
