Abstract:
South Africa is using Marine Spatial Planning to support the sustainable unlocking of
economic opportunities from the ocean. Marine Spatial Planning guides where and when
activities can take place in the ocean and is emerging as a global process that many
countries are adopting. The expansion of all maritime sectors is politically desired, and
direct and indirect job creation in the ocean is a declared a policy of Operation Phakisa:
Oceans Economy.
The maritime transport sector is one of the sectors that are playing a key role in the
development of the South African Marine Spatial Planning process. The sector seeks to
unlock investments in new and existing port facilities and to create an enabling
environment for enhancing South Africa’s role in the maritime transport sector.
To play a constructive role in the development of South African Marine Spatial Plans, the
maritime transport sector will engage its stakeholders in the development of a Marine
Sector Plan. A marine sector plan outlines the priorities of the sector over the next decade
and will be used as an input towards the development of the four marine spatial plans that
South Africa will be developed in the process. The future of the ports and harbours and the
intensity of shipping in South African waters will be driven by trends in world trade,
transport technology and the development of marine industries.
