Abstract

South Africa is strategically positioned along one of the world’s busiest maritime trade routes, with shipping traffic passing through the Cape of Good Hope. Large volumes of cargo are transported and exported annually through the country’s eight commercial ports, highlighting the importance of maritime trade to the national economy. Despite this advantageous geographical location and substantial trade activity, only a limited number of vessels are registered under South Africa’s ship registry. Existing literature suggests that the use of certain INCOTERMS often results in cargo owners having minimal involvement in arranging the transportation of goods. Consequently, much of the shipping and freight management is controlled by foreign shipping operators. At the same time, South Africa exports significant quantities of raw materials and dry bulk commodities, including coal, manganese, and iron and steel products. However, despite the scale of these exports, South Africa is not regarded as a major ship-operating nation, as the country has limited participation in vessel ownership and international shipping operations.