Highlight #1 – Co-championing the Maritime Sector Task Force on fostering cooperation between the maritime and the space tech sectors

The Research Institute for Innovation and Sustainability (RIIS) and the Saldanha Bay Innovation Campus (SBIC) are co-championing the Space Solutions for Maritime Sector Task Force (SS4M-TF). 

The task force is an initiative of the Department of Transport (DoT) and aims to foster cooperation between the maritime and the space tech sectors and bring in space solutions into the maritime transport sector. The purpose of the task force will primarily be to: 

• Facilitate a dialogue between the maritime transport sector and the space industry
• Incorporate space solutions into the maritime sector,
• To consider satellite communications, earth observations and other space-based technologies, and how these can be used to improve operational efficiencies and decision-making in offshore and onshore domains.
• Identify the major uses of space-based solutions in the maritime transport sector, identify the user needs and space solutions for these needs.

The task force is set up under the Comprehensive Maritime Transport Policy (CMTP) framework that was established and is one of the six task forces that are looking at bringing in industry collaboration into the framework.  The task forces are set up to be led by the private sector with the collaborative aim of cutting the red tape and realising the South African government’s plan to create one million new jobs and unlock R177bn of value to the GDP through the maritime sector via the National Development Plan under Operation Phakisa. We urge industry stakeholders interested in becoming members of the task force to get in touch.

We are also focusing more on the Energy transition, particularly on the use of hydrogen energy and the decarbonisation of shipping, as well as the development of decarbonisation technologies in this space. Watch the space for more information!