A new Safe Manning Document fee approved two years ago but withheld from implementation due to the global outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic is now back in force effective from August 1, the South African Maritime Safety Authority (Samsa) has announced.
Samsa announced the new fees in a recent Marine Information Notice (07-22).
According to The Merchant Shipping (Training, Certification and Safe Manning) Regulations 2021, a Safe Manning Document is “a document that describes the minimum manning considered necessary to ensure that a ship is sufficiently and efficiently manned” and which is issued by Samsa in the case of a South African ship. In the case of any other ship the document is issued “by or under the authority of that flag State”.
“Historically, a charge was payable for the issue of a Safe Manning Document. However, there was no charge for the Safe Manning Document if it was issued together with a Local General Safety Certificate for the same vessel,” Samsa said in a statement.
“The Determination of Charges, which came into effect on August 24, made provision for fees to be payable for the issue of a Safe Manning Document. Due to the Covid pandemic at that time, it was decided to waive this charge considering the financial implications.”
However, Samsa said a decision had been taken to reintroduce the charges after South Africa ended all Covid-19 regulations on June 23.
“As a result, Samsa has decided to implement the charge to issue a Safe Manning Document effective from August 1, as required under Regulation 8(2) of the Determination of charges.”
A charge of R1 117 will be payable for the issue of a Safe Manning Document, unless a Safe Manning Document is required under Regulation 8(8), which will attract a higher fee.
“If a new determination of charges is gazetted in the future, the charge for the issue of the Safe Manning Document will be determined as per that gazette,” Samsa added.
