Long, hard look at Bay’s marine assets
DEVELOPING a waterfront and moving the tank farm and manganese dump to Ngqura were two of the main themes that emerged at the ocean economy municipal sector workshop yesterday.
Other issues like protecting and capitalising on the Bay’s natural marine assets, improving port transport links and building new facilities, for example, to service cruise liners were also raised.
The workshop was introduced by municipal mayoral committee member for economic development, tourism and agriculture Andrew Whitfield, who said he foresaw Nelson Mandela Bay becoming a global leader in the ocean economy.
The session was hosted by local government consultant Dr Emil Nothnagel and business scientist Dr Andre Parker, who posed questions around anticipated trends, competitive advantages and drawbacks, possibilities for collaboration and key projects.
The 20-odd ocean economy roleplayers who attended were asked to identify “the burning issue that keeps you awake at night” and “if you were mayor what would you do”?
A new waterfront, a boom in cruise liners and the expansion of oil rig repair facilities were listed as likely future trends together with increased shipping pollution and the fact that “perlemoen poachers will continue taking what they want”.
One delegate forecast that fish farming would become the preferred way of harvesting.
Competitive advantages included extraordinary marine diversity, the city being “the bottlenose dolphin capital of the world” and the only city in South Africa with two ports.
The unusually sheltered anchorage offered by Algoa Bay allowing for bunkering and NMMU’s commitment to development of an ocean economy were also listed.
Competitive drawbacks included limited flights, the lack of a city brand, high port tariffs, dirty streets and continuing delays in the development of a waterfront and transfer of the tank farm and manganese dumps to the Port of Ngqura.
Proposed key projects included shipbuilding and the establishment of a Marine Spatial Plan ensuring coordinated and responsible development of an ocean economy without damaging marine life.