Merchant Shipping and Marine Traffic Regulations Amended

Posted 04 September 2026 Written by Acts Online
Category Transport

Brought to you by SA Legal Academy: The Department of Transport has gazetted immediately effective amendments to subordinate legislation under the Merchant Shipping Act, No. 57 of 1951 and the Marine Traffic Act, No. 2 of 1981.

Under the Merchant Shipping Act, No. 57 of 1951, the regulatory framework has undergone two substantive updates:

  • Crew accommodation: The regulations governing crew accommodation on board merchant vessels, originally published in 1961, have been repealed and replaced in their entirety.
  • SOLAS Convention schedule: The Second Schedule to the Act, which previously set out the 1948 International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, has been formally substituted with the consolidated text of the 1974 International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), which has been in force internationally since 1980.

Under the Marine Traffic Act, No. 2 of 1981, the Department has effected technical amendments to the general marine traffic regulations originally promulgated in 1985. These amendments take effect immediately.

What this means for you, your business, or your clients

  • For yourself: Maritime legal practitioners and compliance advisors must ensure all operational filings, legal references, and advisories cite the consolidated 1974 SOLAS text rather than the superseded 1948 Second Schedule provisions.
  • For your business: Vessel operators, ship managers, and maritime employers must immediately audit current crew living quarters and shipboard facilities against the newly promulgated crew accommodation standards to remedy non-compliant layouts.
  • For your clients: Shipowners and charterers operating within South African waters must confirm that onboard technical documentation and navigation reporting protocols comply with the revised 1985 Marine Traffic regulations to avoid detention or regulatory sanctions.

Originally published at https://legalacademy.co.za/news/read/transport-marine-traffic-merchant-shipping-regulations-amended

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