Merchant Shipping Act: SAMSA Draft Regulations for Public Comment
Brought to you by SA Legal Academy: The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) has invited public comment on four sets of draft regulations issued under the Merchant Shipping Act, No. 57 of 1951.
In terms of the Merchant Shipping Act, No. 57 of 1951, SAMSA has called for input on regulatory proposals affecting fisher labour, fishing vessels, and radio installations. Although the notices were originally gazetted on 24 December 2025, technical errors on the SAMSA website rendered the substantive documents inaccessible for approximately two weeks. The draft regulations were eventually published following several attempts to resolve faulty links on the authority’s portal.
The regulatory proposals cover the following specific areas:
- Fisher labour standards and working conditions;
- Fishing vessel construction and safety requirements;
- Radio installations and maritime communication equipment; and
- General safety and compliance protocols under the 1951 Act.
At the time of writing, no specific deadline for the submission of comments had been provided by the authority. Stakeholders are advised to monitor official channels for further directives regarding the consultation period and submission procedures.
What this means for you, your business, or your clients
- For yourself: No direct individual obligations; impact is channelled through professional advisory roles regarding maritime compliance and labour law.
- For your business: Update maritime safety audit protocols and compliance checklists to incorporate the proposed changes in vessel construction and radio installation standards.
- For your clients: Fishing vessel owners and operators must assess potential capital expenditure requirements for radio equipment upgrades and ensure fisher labour contracts align with the proposed standards.
Originally published at https://legalacademy.co.za/news/read/merchant-shipping-input-sought-on-fisher-fishing-vessel-regulatory-proposals