ISSN: 2517-9543
Affiliations: Dean: Faculty of Law, Thompson Rivers University
Source: Juta’s Insurance Law Bulletin, Volume 28 Issue 1, 2025, p. 16
None
ISSN: 2517-9543
Affiliations: Dean: Faculty of Law, Thompson Rivers University
Source: Juta’s Insurance Law Bulletin, Volume 28 Issue 1, 2025, p. 16
None
ISSN: 2790-783X
Affiliations: Maritime Economics Educator, Lawhill Maritime Centre
Source: South African Journal of Maritime Education and Training, Volume 3 Issue 1, p. 1-14
https://doi.org/10.47348/SAJMET/2024/i1a1
This study examines the benefits of teaching and learning maritime economics as a subject in South African high schools since official approval was given by the Minister of Basic Education in 2009. Initially piloted in 1995 at Simon’s Town School’s Lawhill Maritime Centre, offering maritime economics as a school subject has expanded to 34 high schools across four provinces, namely Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu Natal, and Western Cape. Using a qualitative research methodology involving semi-structured interviews, the study reveals several significant benefits, including increased maritime career awareness, diversification of the previously white male-dominated maritime sector, enhanced critical thinking among youth, indirect contributions to economic growth and ensuring a steady supply of partially trained maritime professionals. The research confirms that maritime economics education supports South Africa’s mission to become a maritime nation, while aligning with Africa’s Integrated Marine Strategy (AIMS) 2050, Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want and the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) mandate to ensure sufficient maritime professionals globally. The study concludes that offering maritime economics at the high school level creates exciting career opportunities, reduces youth unemployment and promotes general maritime awareness.
ISSN: 2790-783X
Affiliations: Lecturer: Nelson Mandela University Business School
Source: South African Journal of Maritime Education and Training, Volume 3 Issue 1, p. 15-30
https://doi.org/10.47348/SAJMET/2024/i1a2
The aim of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, the ‘Ocean Decade’ (2021–2030) is to trigger the maritime education, training and ocean knowledge revolution needed to promote sustainable maritime economies. Achieving sustainable maritime growth requires identifying critical ocean priorities and promoting training, research capabilities and knowledge that will unlock the potential of science, education and innovation. The maritime industry is vast, complex and everchanging, and requires innovative, collaborative and solutions-oriented maritime education and training (MET). The need for engagement and communication between the various stakeholders and institutions, and the promotion of integrated and collaborative MET approaches, research and innovative activities for sustainable MET can never be overemphasised. South Africa is a country that has a vast coastline, stretching more than 3 900 kilometres, with access to the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, providing abundant opportunities for maritime activities. According to the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) Annual Report 2020/2021 (HRDC 2023), it is crucial, now more than ever, for South Africa to promote the cutting-edge MET needed to develop the economy and ensure much higher rates of employment from all key sectors, including the maritime industries. A collaboration paradigm in which several training and research institutions collaborate in an ecosystem for the mutual benefit of all members and stakeholders is needed for growing a sustainable maritime economy.
ISSN: 2790-783X
Affiliations: South African International Maritime Institute (SAIMI), Nelson Mandela University, Gqeberha, South Africa
Source: South African Journal of Maritime Education and Training, Volume 3 Issue 1, p. 31-38
https://doi.org/10.47348/SAJMET/2024/i1a3
South Africa is a country lacking sufficiently mature readiness regarding the technology environment and business activeness visioned for a future low-emission economy. This lack of readiness is also reflected in the current maritime education and skills training at various levels, which is mostly focused on conventional seafarer programmes, and knowledge of socioeconomic and economic aspects of marine and maritime affairs. Maritime transport plays a central role in global supply chains and many industries will use the shipping sector to facilitate their net zero goals. The industry’s biggest challenge transitioning into a low-emission economy is the International Maritime Organization’s decarbonisation targets associated with greenhouse gas emissions. Critical to decarbonisation in maritime transport is the increasing use of green energy-based fuel such as ammonia converted from hydrogen, which can be used in ship engines directly as fuel. In this regard, ports play a critical role in the hydrogen pipeline. Apart from clean energy, trends and innovation in the maritime transport-related economy include artificial intelligence, maritime robotics, maritime internet of things, big data and analytics, immersive reality and cybersecurity. The integration of the IoT, in particular, simplifies location data acquisition while enabling tracking of various other parameters such as emissions, machine conditions and propulsion data. Trends and innovation in maritime transport clearly call for new skills in the use of digital systems and shipping automation. Upstream the skills pipeline, curriculum changes should be implemented, together with agile, rapid and effective approaches to maritime education and training. Such an approach is virtual mentored learning or VML, enabling content dissemination and simulation/experiential-learning, irrespective of location. This will significantly alleviate constraints in the availability of qualified teaching staff by means of e-based expert participation.