The Committee was taken through the two research vessels in the harbour, namely, Ellen Khuzwayo and Africana. The Department reported that the vessel, Ellen Khuzwayo is currently in good working condition and has been sailing for about a year. The Africana has reportedly been under repair for a period of two and a half years and the Committee was given a guarantee that the vessel will be ready to sail by the end of February 2015. The DDG mentioned that the Department is in a process of replacing the Africana due to aging. It was also reported that the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) is managing all the Departmental research vessels.