SAMSA (South African Maritime Safety Authority)

About SAMSA

The South African Maritime Safety Authority, known as SAMSA, is a state entity created in 1998 under the SAMSA Act. Its job is to protect life and property at sea, prevent pollution from ships and promote South Africa's maritime interests. It also makes sure the country keeps to international shipping conventions. SAMSA sets and enforces standards for vessel safety and for the certification and training of seafarers, and it runs the national ship register. Its head office is at 146 Lunnon Road in Hillcrest, Pretoria, and it has a presence in the main port cities.

How SAMSA supports students

South Africa's maritime economy needs seafarers, marine engineers and nautical scientists. Government has identified a shortage of berths for onboard training as the biggest obstacle to producing them. SAMSA acts as a skills developer here, not as a marketing sponsor.

The National Cadetship Programme is its largest youth effort. SAMSA pays for cadet training places and persuades shipping companies to offer berths at no cost to them. A non-profit body, the South African Maritime Academy, manages the cadets on SAMSA's behalf. The Authority has also supported training on board the SA Agulhas, a dedicated training vessel.

In addition, SAMSA has offered a limited number of bursaries over the years. These include awards for learners at the Lawhill Maritime Centre in Simon's Town, and for students taking maritime diplomas at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology and the Durban University of Technology. Past adverts also offered places for mechanical engineering graduates who wanted to study an MSc in Naval Architecture, with preference for people with disabilities and for designated groups. Separately, the South African International Maritime Institute runs the Sindiswa Carol 'Tu' Nhlumayo Merit Bursary, which is open to maritime-related study at any South African tertiary institution.

What to know before applying

Each bursary has its own rules, and the notices are time-limited. One naval architecture advert, for example, closed in 2020. For that reason, check the SAMSA website for what is open now before you prepare an application.

For the sponsored cadetship, a work-back duty applies. The shipping company that hosts a cadet has first right to employ that person. The cadet's agreement requires at least one year of service with the company after qualifying. The company itself has no matching duty to hire the cadet. SAMSA's other bursaries do not set out terms in the same public material, so ask SAMSA to confirm the conditions.

Applicants usually send certified copies of an ID, matric certificate and academic records with a CV. If any document is missing, the application may be disregarded.