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V&A Waterfront and Port of Cape Town tapping into the local market to bounce back
28 October 2020
Maritime and Industrial sector slowly sailing into re-opening international cruising business.
The V&A Waterfront is situated in a bustling working port, where you will find cruise ships, yachts, cargo ships, pleasure boats and fishing vessels. The port of Cape Town has served as a harbour to all kinds of shipping for centuries and boast decades of experience in marine manufacturing and boatbuilding.
The City of Cape Town recently caught up with the V&A Waterfront Marine and Industrial Executive Manager, Andre Blaine, to find out about operations during the lockdown and beyond the pandemic to help facilitate the Marine and Industrial sector.
The V&A Waterfront and the port of Cape Town is fast-becoming known as the ‘turn-around’ port for inbound and outbound international arrivals and departures. Each year, 80 to 200 cruising yachts pass Cape Town from the Indian Ocean en-route to the Caribbean. It also makes the Mother City a bustling port for several marine manufacturing, maintenance and repair companies that service local and international enterprises here.
Given the pandemic, many sectors including the Maritime and Industrial sector, faced new challenges when national government put strict measures in place to limit the spread of COVID-19. With these lockdown regulations, safety measures were implemented at the V&A Waterfront and the port of Cape Town.
As regulations relaxed, operations have changed at the V&A Waterfront and Cape Town’s Port in response to COVID-19. Blaine explained that businesses in the V&A Waterfront, especially in the marine component, have re-opened with measures and protocols in place to meet the required health and safety standards.
Turning to the local market for recovery
According to Blaine, with the limited international travel bans, the operation of these businesses is currently directed at the local market. He continued, “Effectively businesses in this category, such as charter boat operators, are trying to get back on their feet.”
Blaine added that even though the lockdown level has dropped to level 1 the Port ISPS (relates to international standards associated with port safety that is applied internationally) level remains at level 2. He said that this means cruising on an international level is still locked down.
In the next month, Blaine revealed that cruising in the America/Bahama’s region would be under review again. Blaine went on to highlight that certain countries with access to river cruising and cruising into the Arctic region have re-opened on a small-scale with strict protocols in place – particularly testing and social distancing. The industry has been of great assistance in putting protocols in place to open and run businesses, with Blaine commenting, “The Cruise Line International Association (CLIA), has established protocols published after consultation with industry on operations in a COVID environment.”
With so many sectors being severely impacted by the pandemic, the City is actively looking to support wherever possible. Looking from the V&A Waterfront’s perspective, the City has a collaborative relationship with the Maritime and Boatbuilding sector as it plays a vital role in contributing to the ocean economy.
Blaine concluded by saying, “We need to have international travel return to some form of normality as this is a driver on the ocean tourism side and it’s inclusive of the cruise line business.” He added that it will take a huge amount of innovation, effort, dedication and collaboration from those involved in the sector to continue pushing to get the industry to full production within a COVID environment.
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