March 2015
For those of you who don’t know, Constance Nengovhela has been appointed the Head of the Centre for Boating at SAMSA in Pretoria. Constance is also the Deputy Registrar of Seafarers. Prior to her work at SAMSA, Constance was a 2nd Navigation Officer for De Beers Marine. MIASA welcomes her appointment and we have already had positive engagements with Constance on how to address some of the bottlenecks and challenges we have in the small boating sector.
This month there has been a flurry of activity around skills development. The dti has commissioned Fiona Cameron Brown Consulting to undertake a Skills Strategy for Ship and Boat Building for the country. Many of you may have already participated in the survey and I encourage you to give as much detailed input as possible. We need to ensure that the strategy correctly takes into consideration the levels of marine specialisation and actual skills sets needed at shop floor and operational level.
MIASA have been invited, as industry representatives, to sit on the South African International Maritime Institute Steering Committee. This is a positive development and a recognition of the role industry needs to play at a strategic level.
On a less positive note, our progress with getting a boat building apprenticeship in place is extremely slow. The qualification has been developed, but it has been with the QCTO and SAQA for over a year now and we are no closer to developing the trade test and getting assessors and training providers in place. However, the Boat Building Academy in Cape Town is doing well and still offering the learnership “Yacht and Boat Building”. Members are taking on learners for their work placement and absorbing graduates into full time employment and there are a number of organisations that have offered study bursaries for learners.
Our Marine Manufacturing Industry Innovation Fund submissions are currently being considered by the Evaluation Committee and we hope to announce the successful applicants shortly.
Finally, a warm welcome to new MIASA members: Mako Marine, Icarus Marine, Landsberg & Associates and Supreme Leisure & Boating.
Kind regards, Vanessa
Please join us for the MIASA AGM on 15th April at 14h30 at Royal Cape Yacht Club.
February 2015
A warm welcome to new MIASA members: Welding Fabrication Services, All Pro Seats, Fluidco Hydraulic Systems, TT Fluval Group, Webasto, C-Dynamics, Vision Yachts, Vision Power Boats, Harvey Yachts, Scape Yachts, Triboating and Magson Marine. As the MIASA membership grows, so does our united voice as an industry. I encourage you to join MIASA if you are not already a member. If you are already a member, please remember to pay your annual fees. If every existing member were to introduce and sign up just ONE more member, we will double our numbers in just one month. Forget the ice bucket challenge, let’s get the MIASA member challenge going this month!
Operation Phakisa is gathering momentum and numerous government departments are starting to take action around the maritime agenda. A draft Maritime Policy White Paper is currently open for comment. If you have a particular interest in this and would like to see the paper and give inputs, please contact me directly.
Our MIASA and SABBEX AGMs will be held in April this year on the same day and we will confirm date and venue closer to the time.
Kind regards, Vanessa
January 2015
2015 is looking like a very exciting year for MIASA. It was full tilt out the starting blocks with activation seminars for the Marine Manufacturing Industry Innovation Fund being run in Johannesburg, Durban, PE and Cape Town this month. Knowing how annoying acronyms are in South Africa, we have specially created another one for you, the MMIIF! I will keep you posted on the progress of this very special acronym which I trust will catalyse the requisite R&D (Research and Development!) and innovation projects we need in our sector. The Fund gives us an opportunity to invigorate our thinking, grow our post graduate knowledge capacity and support technological developments. Applications will open on Monday the 26th January and more information is available from [email protected] if you missed out on the workshops.
On that note, MIASA extends a warm welcome to Colleen Bjerring, who will be assisting me and providing support for the MMIIF and the myriad of other things that cross our desks.
Being a new year, it is time for your membership renewal, so please send us your renewal forms and we look forward to your continued support and participation. New MIASA member stickers for 2015 and certificates for membership will be on their way to you once we receive your fee payment. I noted at the end of 2014, a government tender requiring manufacturers to be members of MIASA, so please spread the word so we can grow our membership, strengthen our industry voice and engage collectively with government to unblock the challenges.
The new 2015 Industry Guide will be hot off the press at the beginning of February, in time for the Miami Boat Show and then exhibited at the Korea Boat Show National Pavilion in May. Copies will be distributed via local channels and will also be available electronically and via the MIASA website.
Best wishes for 2015 and I look forward to positive developments for our industry this year.
November 2014
Our SCA MIASA “Women in Boating” event at the Volvo Ocean Race pavilion earlier this month was a fantastic evening with sponsorship from SCA, Southern Spars and Nautical Gods Yacht Management. SCA management gave us an insight into what it takes to put a Volvo Ocean Race team together and, for the first time in ten years, an all women team competing on advanced design boats. The tenacity, teamwork and motivation of the all-woman sailing team left everyone inspired and humbled.
This month I attended and presented at the African Maritime Domain Conference in Port Elizabeth. This international conference attended by a range of national and international delegates also saw the launch of the South African International Maritime Institute, in partnership with the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University and SAMSA. The conference reiterated the political and social support for the Maritime Agenda in South Africa.
As I write this, I am en-route back from Amsterdam, where I attended the International Marine Certification Institute (IMCI) Annual Board meeting, a number of ICOMIA meetings and the Marine Equipment Trade Show (METS). The new Recreational Craft Directive for Europe is a big development and for those of you with an Ipad, ICOMIA and the European Boating Industry (EBI) have developed an interactive app to guide you through the directive for just USD3.99. Let us know if you’d like to purchase a copy (there will also be a PDF version available and if there is sufficient demand, an Android app will be developed).
A busy and informative month for MIASA! I am happy to report that Colleen Bjerring will be joining the MIASA staff from January next year as Project Manager of the Marine Innovation Fund.
Wishing you all a very happy holiday season and everything of the best for 2015.
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October 2014
The Cape Town International Boat Show, endorsed by MIASA, was a great success this year with increased public foot traffic through the show. The warm spring weather helped and the wider offering of activities and demonstrations by Impact Expo, enhanced the show.
We are on the final run for the year. Manufacturers are pushing for year end, retailers are seeing increased business with summer on our doorstep and at MIASA we are escalating the projects for 2014. The implementation of the DST Maritime Innovation Fund is at the forefront, along with the skills development projects we outlined with SAMSA. Our upcoming MIASA and Women in Boating event at the SCA Volvo pavilion on the 8th of November promises to be fun for those who can join us. 'First come, first served' as we have limited space. Your invitation will be on its way shortly
Like Boating South Africa on facebook for all the latest updates and news, and follow saboating on twitter.
Warm regards
Vanessa
September 2014
This month has seen two new positive developments for our sector.
The situation for visiting yachties to South Africa has been fraught with difficulties over the last few years, with some visitors having negative experiences. This has created bad press in the cruising world and we have potentially lost repair and maintenance work as a result. I am pleased to report that as part of the Customs modernisation process, and the update of the Customs and Excise Act of 1964, we will see revised and simplified procedures for the import clearance for visiting yachts. A traveller declaration will be used in lieu of a DA1/DA3 and will be issued on arrival at a South African port. The draft rules are currently out for public comment until 26 September, and I encourage you to submit comments should this issue directly affect your business. The draft and comment forms are available from [email protected].
Secondly, SAMSA have been running a series of workshops around the country to garner input into the feasibility and viability of a South African International Maritime Institute. The role of the Institute will be to promote and co-ordinate the provision of maritime training across all the sub-sectors at all levels of education. It will partner with existing institutions and education programmes to create an authoritative knowledge base for the South African Maritime Sector. Feedback from the workshops will inform the architecture and governance of the Institute and I will keep you updated on the progress.
The outcomes of Operation Phakisa (Unlocking the economic potential of South Africa’s Oceans) I believe will be made public early next month, so watch the press for details.
For those of you exhibiting or attending the Cape Town Boat Show 10 – 12 October, please come and visit us at our stand in the CTICC. We have an exciting new “emerging member” category and improved member benefits and value add to share with you.
Like Boating South Africa on facebook for all the latest updates and news, and follow saboating on twitter.
Warm regards
Vanessa
August 2014
The Department of Trade and Industry and Minister Rob Davies have officially announced the approval of work boats for public procurement in South Africa with provision for the importation of components not produced in South Africa. This is a project we have been working on with the dti for a year and half and I am delighted that we have achieved this significant milestone in our industry. I would like to thank all the companies who participated in the project despite your busy schedules.
Research indicates that government departments have spent R19bn on work boats since 1994 and only R900m of this was procured locally. The designation is therefore a significant step in supporting our sector. Indications are that dti will step up its work with manufacturers and introduce support measures to increase local manufacturing capability, particularly with respect to high technology components.
On the recreational boating front, the Johannesburg Boat Show was a great success again this year at the Nasrec venue, and a number of boats were sold, according to exhibitor feedback. We still have lots of work to do in the recreational boating sector, but this is a good start to spring for both manufacturers and retailers.
Look out for the new MIA SA member stickers which will reach you shortly in the post!
Like Boating South Africa on facebook for all the latest updates and news, and follow saboating on twitter.
Warm regards
Vanessa
July 2014
It’s all things KwaZulu Natal this month!
The Oceans Lab Initiative is underway in Durban; a think tank around optimising the economic potential of our marine sector and our oceans. It is an ongoing effort that has received support from the Office of the President. President Zuma attended the launch last weekend and commented "South Africa can utilise its location and expertise to increase its share of the global marine manufacturing market, including ship-building and repair, rig repair and refurbishment and boat-building.”
Durban also hosted their Boat Show this past weekend and I was pleased to hear about an Ethekwini Maritime Cluster initiative with Yamaha and Rossburgh High School called Project KANDO, where five learners received instruction on boat building and under guidance built a small boat that was on display at the show. EMC have also initiated a development sailing initiative in partnership with Sail Africa and a mini regatta was held on the Saturday of the show.
Internationally we received coverage by China TV News with a short clip that was broadcast over the time of the recent BRICS meetings in Brazil.
Follow our Facebook page Boating South Africa for all the latest updates and news.
Warm regards
Vanessa
June 2014
I attended the Korean International Boat Show last week with five member companies. With a dti sponsored national pavilion and the support of the local economic office in Seoul, we created a formidable presence at the show. This is our second year exhibiting at the show and while the market is still “young", efforts by the South Korean government to put in marina infrastructure and support the promotion of boating, are laying the groundwork for a growing market opportunity for South African built products. With one boat already sold into Korea and several strong leads for future purchases, I encourage other exporters to join us next year at the show. The support from our Department of Trade and Industry with flights, daily allowances, full stand build costs and incentives from the Boat Show organisers, make this a cost effective showcase for any exhibitor.
A new government initiative with strong commitment from the President and the Government of South Africa will be launched next week. Entitled “Oceans Economy Labs: Realising the Economic Potential of South Africa’s Oceans”, the 5 week project will focus on four key areas:
- Marine Transport and Manufacturing,
- Offshore Oil and Gas Exploration,
- Marine Aquaculture,
- Marine Protection and Governance.
The high level support for our “Blue Economy” and the marine sector is welcome. If you are interested in participating in the labs, which will take place in Durban, please contact me.
Warm regards
Vanessa
This year's Korea International Boat Show was attended by Cruiser Cats, Matrix Yachts, MIASA, Tag Yachts, TRU Yachts and Two Oceans Marine Manufacturing. Join us for next year's Show!
May 2014
I have just returned from a visit to the Eastern Cape and continued discussion with TNPA about the inclusion of boat building within the Port Elizabeth harbour precinct. There is a clear indication that facilities will be made available, but as with all government departments, progress is dictated by procedures and processes. The next step is for MIASA to inform TNPA of exact requirements within the port in terms of space, access, slip ways, lifting equipment, moorings etc. If you are based in the Eastern Cape and you would like to contribute to this concept document, your inputs will be incorporated whether you are a paid up MIASA member or not. This is an opportunity that could lay the groundwork for the next twenty years in terms of infrastructure and we would like to gather as much information as possible to make realistic recommendations to TNPA based on your company needs and expansion plans.
Another legislative issue that looms for the recreational boating fraternity is SAMSA’s plans to bring South Africa in line with international requirements for radio operator certificates. As you may well know an MoU was concluded between ICASA and SAMSA in 2011 where SAMSA will issue operator certificates on behalf of ICASA. This will require conversion certificates and retraining on the DSC modules. Marine notice 19 and 20 on the SAMSA website will give you some background. I am told that the <25 ton certification is not yet finalised and that we can expect to see a draft marine notice early next month on the SAMSA website. Please keep an eye open for this and submit your comments and objections directly to SAMSA. It will be extremely difficult to make changes after the notice has been gazetted and objections must be submitted timeously.
Lastly, the ICOMIA distributors guide has been released to assist you in developing international distributor networks. The guide outlines the right decisions to make when selecting a distributor for your company and how to set up vibrant distribution networks for a range of products. Available for free to all MIASA members.
Warm regards
Vanessa