04-07-2025
New regulations to protect African penguins as government tightens offshore fuel transfer rules
New draft of environmental regulations that tighten control over offshore ship-to-ship fuel transfers will help protect marine life.
In a move hailed as a critical victory for South Africa's endangered African Penguin, the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, has signed off on a new draft of environmental regulations that tighten control over offshore ship-to-ship fuel transfers.
'These draft regulations are a strong step towards protecting marine life,' the Department said in a statement. 'They strike a balance between safeguarding the environment and maintaining the economic value of the maritime industry,' the department said.
The new regulations apply to all offshore ship-to-ship transfers including bunkering and are issued under section 83(1) of the National Environmental Management: Integrated Coastal Management Act.
