NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
FOR WRITTEN REPLY
QUESTION NO 1574
DATE REPLY SUBMITTED: TUESDAY, 08 DECEMBER 2009
DATE OF PUBLICATION IN INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER: FRIDAY, 09 OCTOBER 2009
(INTERNAL QUESTION PAPER NO 20 â 2009)
Mr E J Marais (DA) asked the Minister of Transport:
(1) Whether he or his department intends taking any action with regard to
the ship (name furnished) that ran aground near Table View; if not,
why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
(2) (a) how will the estimated (i) R115 million to remove the coal and
(ii) R38 million to refloat the ship be funded and (b)(i) who funded
the removal of the oil from the ship and (ii) what was the cost of
this;
(3) whether (a) the shipâs insurance is still valid and (b) any money
will be paid out to the Government; if not, why not; if so, what are
the relevant details?
NW1980E
REPLY:
The Minister of Transport:
1) The Marine Pollution (Control and Civil Liability) Act, 1981 (Act No 6
of 1981), makes provision for the National Contingency Plan for the
South African coastline to respond to any incident, as is the case
with the Panamanian registered, Turkish owned bulk carrier, the SELI 1
that ran aground at Table View Beach on Monday, 07th September 2009.
The purpose of the National Contingency Plan is to outline national
policy for responding to a pollution incident that originates from
vessels along the South African coastline, thereby minimizing
detrimental effects to the environment. The Plan further empowers the
South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) to establish a Joint
Response Committee, consisting of the Department of Environmental
Affairs, Transnet National Ports Authority and other role players.
Currently, the said Committee is consulting and co-ordinating
activities in dealing with the SELI 1 incident. The Joint Response
Committee is looking at the incident and will submit its report in due
course. I will consider this report and any technical advice from
SAMSA on how best the Department of Transport can resolve the issue of
the stranded SELI 1 at Table View.
2) (a) (i) and (ii) and (b) (i) and (ii)
The coal has been sold to a South African entrepreneur who, with the
assistance of the Department of Transport (DoT), SAMSA, the Department
of Environmental Affairs and other local authorities, is attempting to
get the coal off the ship. The cost of the removal of the coal is to
be financed through the sale of the coal ashore.
The removal of the SELI 1 itself is still underfunded and at this
stage we have not determined where the money will be sourced from. At
the moment the DoT/SAMSA presence and âcare takingâ functions in terms
of the Contingency Plan are funded through limited funds available
within the contract with SMIT Amandla Marine (Pty) Ltd for any salvage
operations. The damage control services, such as the oil removal,
provided to date are estimated to be in the region of $900 000.
3) (a) and (b)
The ship owner had insurance cover with an insurance company, namely
the âRussian P&I Poolâ, but the claim was repudiated on the basis that
the owner of the vessel defaulted on the premiums for the Hull &
Machinery Insurance.
           London based lawyers acting for SMIT Amandla are attempting to
recover the costs of the oil removal from the insurers in European
courts. The Joint Response Committee will in their report provide the
DoT with avenues of recouping the cost of the salvage operations.