OSASA urges compliance with new regulations
The Ocean Sailing Association of Southern Africa has appealed to local skippers to comply with new regulations regarding ports of entry.
OSASA says some skippers appear slow to adapt to new requirements that require yachts to register with the Department of Transport before entering a designated Port.
“It’s a simple process, if only everyone would oblige! Not complying with the new regulations just muddies the waters and creates negativity amongst DoT officials, which is exactly what we don’t want,” said OSASA’s Crickmore-Thompson. “This is now a legal requirement, for all skippers both foreign and local South African, a mandatory necessity. Please, pass the word around so all incoming skippers are aware of it.”
Last year OSASA successfully lobbied government to allow cruisers a safe haven in South Africa at a time when yachts were marooned worldwide in a covid-19 administrative stalemate. As a result, in February SA Sailing was mandated to liaise with Department of Transport, via OSASA, to provide information about all small craft entering South Africa from another country. SAS, through OSASA, is now obligated to submit to the Department of Transport a request or application for entry by all incoming small craft entering a South African commercial Port of Entry, at least 96 hours before arrival.
“This list is circulated three times a week by DoT/MSCC (Maritime Security Co-ordination Council) to some 50+ port authorities and officials, and if the incoming boat is not on the list they may not be permitted to enter,” sai Crickmore-Thompson.
However, lack of knowledge or understanding means some local skippers are not providing OSASA with the necessary information to meet the specified requirements.
OSASA has created an online registration portal at www.osasa.org.za: please use this for registration. The essential information required by DoT includes:
- Name and registration of the small craft
- Last port of call and date of departure
- SA first Port of Call and second Port of Call
- Estimated date of arrival
- Total number of sailors aboard and their nationalities.
In addition, a boat pratique and health declarations for each person aboard must be submitted, all of which are on the online registration portal.their nationalities.