Stakeholders in the maritime
industry have submitted
their comments on the
draft maritime policy to
the department of transport
(DoT).
“It’s not designed as a
challenge,” said Andrew
Robinson, maritime lawyer at
Deneys Reitz, and president of
the Maritime Law Association
(MLA) – which is responsible
for compiling all the
submissions from the various
maritime industry players.
“We’re trying to assist in
creating a streamlined policy,
which will be to the benefit of
all the parties involved.”
Of the bulky draft policy,
the MLA has concentrated on
15 pages relevant to
industry members.
“That’s about 40 policy
statements, so our comments
are equally wordy,” Robinson
added.
And only about 20%
of the draft is “somewhat
contentious”, according to
Tony Norton of Garlicke &
Bousfield and chairman of the
National Port Users
Forum (NPUF).
The department of
transport, he told FTW, has
suggested certain protectionist
mechanisms, but they have
left them open for discussion
with the maritime industry
stakeholders, and they will
only be finalised once the
stakeholders have had
their say.
“It’s really part of an old
debate,” said Norton, “with
some saying that protectionist
measures will interfere with a
cheap, freeflow of trade – all
in order to build a national
fleet.” These two elements
may not be compatible and
proper economic research
needs to be conducted,
he added.
Stakeholders submit comments on maritime policy
31 Oct 2008 - by Staff reporter
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FTW - 31 Oct 08
31 Oct 2008
31 Oct 2008