South Africa has introduced tough new rules to control offshore ship-to-ship (STS) transfer operations, including bunkering, along its coastline. The government says the measures are aimed at preventing pollution, protecting marine ecosystems, and giving critically endangered African penguins a chance to survive.
The regulations were signed by Forestry, Fisheries and Environment Minister Dr. Dion George under the National Environmental Management: Integrated Coastal Management Act, 2008. Once published in the Government Gazette, the new rules will come into effect immediately.
Violations of the regulations will carry heavy penalties, including fines of up to R2 million (about $2.1 million), imprisonment for up to five years, or both.
The environment department said the rules are designed to reduce the risk of oil spills, protect coastal ecosystems, and safeguard marine life such as penguins, seabirds, and mammals.
Algoa Bay, one of the world’s most biodiverse marine regions, has
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