REPORT OF THE 3RD MEETING OF PMAWCA HARBOUR MASTERS’ NETWORK, 24 – 26 October 2016, Cape Town – South Africa

1. Port Management Association de Gestion
Association of West des Ports de l’Afrique
and Central Africa de l’Ouest et du Centre
Associação de Gestão
dos Portos da Africa
do Oeste E Centro
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REPORT OF THE
3RD
MEETING OF PMAWCA HARBOUR MASTERS’ NETWORK,
24 – 26 October 2016, Cape Town – South Africa
I- Introduction :
Within the framework of the annual meeting programme of the PMAWCA Harbour
Masters’ Network to foster inter port cooperation, and particularly the exchange of
information and expertise in the field of port security and the safety of navigation within
territorial waters and port areas, the 3rd
annual meeting of the Harbour Masters’ Network
was held at the Protea Hotel (Fire and Ice) in Cape Town, South Africa from 24th
to 26th
October 2016.
This meeting was held outside the PMAWCA region following an invitation by Marine
Data Solutions Ltd from South Africa, experts in marine technology services and
Observer Member of PMAWCA. The objective was to enable the Harbour Masters share
valuable experience with their counterparts in South Africa and also visit the ports and
learn at first hand the deployment of modern technologies in the area of marine
technology, Aids to Navigation and AIS systems most suited for ports.
The 3rd
meeting, which held in Cape Town, South Africa, was attended by a total of
twenty seven (27) Harbours Masters and Port Facility Security Officers (PFSOs) from the
following member countries: Cameroon, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea,
Nigeria, Senegal and Togo.
Other invited guests who attended the meeting were the Senior Harbour Master of South
Africa’s Transnet National Ports Authority, the Chief Executive Officer and Business
Development Manager of Marine Data Solutions, and the Secretary General of the Port
Management Association of East and Southern Africa (PMAESA).
At the opening ceremony, brief statements of welcome and goodwill were made by the
CEO of Marine Data Solutions, the Secretary General of PMAWCA, the Secretary
General of PMAESA and the Chairman of the PMAWCA Harbour Masters’ Network.
II- Technical Presentations and Discussions:
The programme for the three days meeting covered the following subjects:
I. Presentation by Marine Data Solutions, South Africa on modern marine
technologies, maritime safety and security information tools such as AIS, radar,
CCTV cameras, the concept of maritime domain awareness and relevant
upgrades of existing systems for effective coverage of the maritime domain.

2. Port Management Association de Gestion
Association of West des Ports de l’Afrique
and Central Africa de l’Ouest et du Centre
Associação de Gestão
dos Portos da Africa
do Oeste E Centro
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II. Presentation by Sealite Ltd, suppliers of marine aids to navigation on the
experience in PMAWCA ports with regard to theft and vandalism of aids to
navigation and proposed solutions to protect these vital equipments. ;
III. Presentation by the National Ports Authority of South Africa on the functions of the
Harbour Masters’, and key projects for capacity building for pilots and marine
operations personnel, as well as some collaboration initiatives with shipping lines
for provide sea training to cadet trainees.
IV. A round table presentations where each of the participating ports shared key
experiences in the past year in the areas of Capacity building for Pilots; Prevention
of pollution of port waters (ship waste, cleaning of propellers, ballast water
discharge; Implementation of the ISPS Code; Enforcement of security on vessels
and areas outside the ISPS coverage; Incidents of Stowaways and preventive
measures; Port State Control inspections; Inspections by other State Agencies;
Cases of piracy or armed robbery within Port waters – experiences, special
preventive measures put in place, etc; Handling of Maritime Dangerous Goods;
and any special arrangements to strengthen collaboration between Port Authority
and other Agencies to improve navigational safety, port security and trade
facilitation.
V. Technical visit of the Port of Cape Town where participants exchanged
experiences with counterparts on South African ports’ systems for efficient
maritime domain awareness. The participants also visited a Training Centre
equipped with AIS simulators and other modern tools for effective port and
maritime navigation.
At the end of the technical presentations, round table discussions and the technical visit,
the 3rd
Meeting of the PMAWCA Harbour Masters’ Network made the following pertinent
observations and recommendations:
III. Observations and recommendations
1. Modern marine technologies for effective maritime domain awareness
On this subject the participants noted that with the growing interest in marine domain
awareness and the imperative need to deploy modern tools that will enable effective and
wider coverage of the maritime domain of countries and their contiguous regions, the
VTS existing facilities such as automatic identification systems (AIS), radars, and close
circuit television (CCTV) cameras are becoming more and more inadequate as stand-
alone tools. Fortunately, with the advancement in technology, there are modern tools and
systems including satellite systems that can help either upgrade the exiting tools or
integrate them for a more holistic coverage and efficiency. And Marine Data Solutions Ltd
is one of the marine technology service companies that can assist member ports in both
advisory services, supply of the tools, installation and related training.

3. Port Management Association de Gestion
Association of West des Ports de l’Afrique
and Central Africa de l’Ouest et du Centre
Associação de Gestão
dos Portos da Africa
do Oeste E Centro
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In this regard, the participants recommended the following:
a) Member Ports should assess their existing systems with the view to take
appropriate decisions going forward. To this the meeting recommends each
PMAWCA Port to seek the services of Marine Data Solutions to conduct a
technical needs assessment of its existing systems in order to determine what if
there are what further upgrade or integration would be required. PMAWCA
Secretariat would liaise with Marine Data Solutions and each Member Port to
discuss and coordinate logistics and modalities for the conduct of these needs
assessments.
b) As part of the needs assessment mission, PMAWCA should also explore options
for private-public-partnership (PPP), as well as sub-regional level investment
group ownership in the supply and operation of some of the modern tools such as
satellite based systems for marine domain awareness as an option to lessen the
burden of funding and management of these facilities on member ports and
countries.
2. Relevance of aids to navigation in PMAWCA region suffer from theft and
vandalisms
These equipments are of critical importance to navigational safety. Yet in most of our
ports, these equipments suffer from theft and vandalism thereby leaving our
navigational channels unsafe for ship movements. One major culprit in the theft and
vandalism of these equipments are artisanal fishermen. The meeting therefore
recommended that Port Authorities should:
a) Ensure the installation of modern aids to navigation in their access channels with
anti-theft security features such as cages and alarms and also ensure their regular
maintenance;
b) Organize periodic sensitization sessions for the port coastal communities and
especially the fishermen to educate them about the importance of the aids to
navigation and need to protect these equipments from theft and vandalism.
3. Capacity building for Harbour pilots
The meeting noted that Harbour Pilots who have had sea time training during their
cadet course are more efficient than their counterparts do not get the sea time
training. Yet, in many PMAWCA ports, a good number of Marine cadets and students

4. Port Management Association de Gestion
Association of West des Ports de l’Afrique
and Central Africa de l’Ouest et du Centre
Associação de Gestão
dos Portos da Africa
do Oeste E Centro
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in maritime training schools in the region are unable to get ships to undergo the
required sea training.
The Harbour Masters further noted that African countries do not have their own fleet
to help train their cadets. Fortunately, the ports have very good working relationship
with the foreign shipping lines. The meeting therefore recommended:
a) That PMAWCA should pass a resolution requesting each Member port to solicit
the foreign shipping lines calling in their respective ports to as a mark of social
responsibility, take on board each vessel at least two (2) trainee cadets. Such
initiative would even further strengthen the relations between the Ports and
Shipping Lines as they will be contributing towards human resource capacity
building in the ports, and these trainees would in the future pilot their ships in and
out of the ports.
b) As a longer term initiative, member ports should encourage respective
Governments to explore options to establish national shipping lines to help provide
sea time training and better employment opportunities for Africans in the maritime
sector.
c) That PMAWCA should seek lessons from the South African Ports Authority which
has successfully embarked on this initiative and the shipping lines are taking on
board cadets on an annual basis for sea training.
4. Prevention of pollution in port and territorial waters
On this item, the meeting noted that many ports are embarking on commendable
efforts to ensure the ports and coastal water are free from pollution from ships and
other waste. However, it was noted that in recent times, ships are engaging in the
cleaning of the hulls within the port waters which is a potential danger to the
environment. The meeting therefore recommended that:
a) PMAWCA Ports should resolve collectively to prohibit ships from cleaning their
hulls within the port waters.
b) The South African National Port Authority informed the meeting that they are
modern measures to deal with hull cleaning which why are willing to share with
PMAWCA ports. The Secretariat will therefore seek further information in this
regard and share with member ports.
5. Effective Port State Control (inspection of ships) in PMAWCA Ports

5. Port Management Association de Gestion
Association of West des Ports de l’Afrique
and Central Africa de l’Ouest et du Centre
Associação de Gestão
dos Portos da Africa
do Oeste E Centro
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The meeting expressed concern that in some of the countries, Port State Control
Officers from the Maritime Authorities are not qualified to undertake Port State
Control. In other cases, they has been disagreement between the Harbour Mater’s
outfit the Port State Control Officers regarding inspections procedure and grounds for
detention, fines or delays. The meeting therefore recommended the following:
a) That PMAWCA Harbour Maters should foster closer collaboration with Port State
Control Officers in their respective ports in order to encourage joint conduct of
PSC. Where there is the need, the Port Authorities should assist the Maritime
Authority with training and capacity building for the PSCOs in order to ensure that
they are able to work efficiently.
b) PMAWCA should organize a training workshop on PSC for Harbour Masters and
personnel of marine operations to equip them with the expertise to assist the
Maritime Administrations in the conduct of PSC as and when necessary.
6. The menace of stowaways in ports
The meeting expressed concern that the PMAWCA region is among the areas
notorious for stowaways. As a result a number of measures have been taken by ports
including the conduct of joint searches by the Harbour Master and Captain of the ship
before departure, the deployment of additional security on the gangway and on both
sides of the ship among others. Unfortunately, the menace still persists. It was
discovered that some stowaways board the ship within territorial waters using smaller
crafts and canoes; in a few cases, the P & I Clubs (insurers of the ship) are complicit
in the boarding of stowaways to enable them claim huge premiums for repatriation of
the stowaways.
As a result, at the bilateral level, the Harbour Masters of the Port of TEMA (Ghana)
and the Port of Abidjan (Cote d’Ivoire) jointly agreed and developed a common Form
which the Captain of the Ship must fill in and sign affirming that prior to departing from
either port, he had conducted thorough search and confirms that no stowaway was
found on board. This form is also counter signed by the Harbour Master of the
departing port and communicated to the next port before the arrival of the ship. In this
way, the Captain of the ship is no longer able to claim that the stowaways boarded in
the previous port without his knowledge.
Other ports including Dakar, Abidjan and Gabon have imposed fines of up to $1,800
per stowaway found on board, which the ship’s agent has to pay as penalty.
The meeting therefore recommended that:

6. Port Management Association de Gestion
Association of West des Ports de l’Afrique
and Central Africa de l’Ouest et du Centre
Associação de Gestão
dos Portos da Africa
do Oeste E Centro
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a) The penalty fee of $1,800 per stowaway should be adopted by all PMAWCA ports
for uniform application. This will prevent ships from dumping stowaways in ports
that do not enforce apply any penalty.
b) The good model being implemented by the Harbour Masters of Tema and Abidjan
Ports should be adopted for uniform application by each PMAWCA Port. Under
this model, before the ship departs a port, the Captain must conduct a search of
the ship and declare by jointly singing a Form with the Harbour stating that the
search had been conducted and that no stowaway was found on board the ship
prior to departing the port. This countersigned Form is mailed to the Harbour
Master of the next port of call for information and monitoring.
7. Effective policing of port anchorages and suggestions for anchorage levies
and taxes
Having learned from the example of the Port of Lome which levies ships at 1,500
Euros for every 15 days of waiting at the port’s anchorage area, the meeting noted
that such levy was necessary to help the Port Authority to provide effective security
for ships in the area. The meeting therefore recommended that all other PMAWCA
Ports should learn from Lome’s example and impose levies as they deem acceptable
in order to ensure that at all times, port anchorages areas are effectively policed and
secured for the safe stay of ships.
8. The problem of harassment of ship’s crew by State Inspection Agencies
The meeting noted with concern that in many of the ports, too many state agencies
board ships to conduct various inspections some of which are not necessary. As a
result, a number of these agencies go on board to harass ship’s crew members for
food, drinks and monetary tips. This attitude gives PMAWCA ports a bad name within
the shipping lines community.
The Port of Abidjan informed the meeting that in dealing with this problem, the Port
was able to convince was able to negotiate and convince Customs to stop routine
boarding of ships for inspection. As a result, Customs now boards ships only in rare
cases of special intelligence of potential risk. In this regard, the meeting
recommended that:
a) Other PMAWCA Ports should assess the role and relevance of each State
Agencies that board ships for inspection and explore avenues to reduce the
number of such agencies as a measure to reduce the inspection procedure,
minimize the potential for harassment and facilitate maritime traffic.

7. Port Management Association de Gestion
Association of West des Ports de l’Afrique
and Central Africa de l’Ouest et du Centre
Associação de Gestão
dos Portos da Africa
do Oeste E Centro
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b) The Port Authority (Harbour Master) should insist on joint boarding of ships by all
state agencies to conduct inspection. Such joint boarding team must be under the
unitary command of the Harbour Master. This measure would help to minimize
harassment.
c) Each Port Authority should also give the ship captain the leverage to report any
incident of harassment by any state agency including agents of the Port Authority
itself.
9. Efforts at combating and prevention of piracy and armed robbery in ports
The meeting emphasized the need for each port to invest in quality human resources,
equipment and modern technological tools to promote effective port and maritime
security. In addition, the meeting recommended that all member ports should prioritize
effective collaboration with other state and non state agencies including the Navy and
Maritime Authority in the fight against piracy and armed robbery at sea.
10.On collaboration with the Port Management Association of East and
Southern Africa (PMAESA), the meeting strongly recommended the need for the
PMAESA region to also establish a Harbour Masters’ Network as soon as
possible.
The meeting noted that such initiative could help promote the birth of a Pan
African Network of Harbour Masters and synergize efforts towards promoting safe
and secure navigation at the continental level. This will boost the port sector’s
contribution toward the realization of relevant objectives of the various key
instruments of the African Union Commission, which include the African Maritime
Strategy 2050, Agenda 2063, and the recent 2016 AU’s Lome Charter on Maritime
Security and Development.
As a result, the Secretary General of PMAESA strongly recommended that the
next (4th
) meeting of the PMAWCA Harbours Network in 2017 should be held in
Mombasa, Kenya so that the PMAESA Harbour Masters could also attend, learn
from PMAWCA and set up their own Network.
11.Other Business - Tenure of the Bureau of the Network
On this item, the meeting unanimously agreed that the Harbour Master of Conakry
should continue as Chairman of the Network until the next meeting in 2017 when
he could then handover to the Harbour Master of Tema Port (Ghana), the current
Vice Chairman.

8. Port Management Association de Gestion
Association of West des Ports de l’Afrique
and Central Africa de l’Ouest et du Centre
Associação de Gestão
dos Portos da Africa
do Oeste E Centro
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12.Agenda for the 4th
Meeting of the Network
The meeting proposed the following key subject items as the for the 4th
Meeting in
2017:
i. Review of the state of implementation of the 3rd
Meeting’s
recommendations
ii. One day seminar on Port State Control implementation
iii. Knowledge sharing session with Harbour Masters of East and Southern
Africa
iv. Technical Round Table Presentations by each port on specific subjects of
common interest
v. Installation of New Executives (Chairman and Bureau members) for the
Harbour Masters’ Network for the period 2017 - 2019
Done in Cape Town, South Africa on 26th
October 2017.
3rd
Meeting of the PMAWCA Harbour Masters’ Network