An analysis of the challenges facing Angola’s maritime industry
# **Challenges Facing Angola’s Maritime Industry**
## **Introduction**
Angola, with its 1600 km Atlantic Ocean coastline, offers solid medium to long-term potential for maritime transportation and fisheries development. The government’s 2018-2022 national development plan prioritizes these sectors to advance economic diversification, generate employment opportunities, and expand food production capacity for both national consumption and export.
## **Fisheries Sector Challenges**
1. **Historical Decline**: Angola was a leading fish exporter during the colonial era until the mid-1970s. However, with independence came a loss of fisheries capacity and expertise due to skilled manpower leaving the country and infrastructure destruction during the protracted civil war (which ended in 2002).
2. **Infrastructure Deficit**: The civil war severely damaged fishing infrastructure, including ports and processing facilities.
3. **Economic Diversification**: Agriculture, forestry, and fisheries combined represented less than 10 percent of Angola’s GDP in 2020. The government aims to enhance fisheries production to diversify the economy.
4. **Coastal and Aquaculture Development**: Angola seeks to develop both coastal and aquaculture value-added production. Support from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the United Nations is crucial.
5. **Production Volume**: In 2021, the fisheries sector produced over 400 thousand tons, including industrial, semi-industrial, artisanal, continental, and aquaculture activities.
6. **Main Fishing Ports**: Most semi-industrial and industrial fishing occurs at four main ports: Namibe, Benguela, Porto Amboim, and Luanda.
7. **Artisanal Fishing**: Around 100,000 people earn their livelihood through artisanal fishing in Angola. The coasts of Benguela and Luanda provinces have the highest concentration of artisanal fishing.
8. **Illegal Fishing**: The Ministry of Fisheries operates patrol vessels to combat illegal fishing.
9. **Regional Collaboration**: Angola collaborates with Namibia and South Africa through a Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional program to protect and survey fishing grounds.
## **Shipping Laws and Regulations**
1. **Marine Casualty**: Addressing marine accidents is essential for safety and compliance.
2. **Cargo Claims**: Regulations governing cargo claims impact shipping operations.
3. **Passenger Claims**: Ensuring passenger safety and handling claims are critical.
## **Unlocking Growth with Africa**
1. **Governance Improvement**: Overcoming governance challenges is crucial for growth.
2. **Trade Barriers Reduction**: Reducing barriers to trade facilitates maritime development.
3. **Job Creation**: The industry can create jobs for Africa’s growing population.
4. **Infrastructure Investment**: Investing in port infrastructure is essential.
In conclusion, while Angola faces challenges in its maritime industry, strategic planning, collaboration, and investment can unlock its full potential.
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**Bibliography:**
1. AfDB (African Development Bank). “Angola Fisheries Sector Support Project.” 201
The Maritime Challenges Facing Angola
Introduction
Angola has tremendous potential to develop its maritime industry given its strategic location on the southwestern coast of Africa and its abundance of natural resources like oil and diamonds. However, the country faces several challenges that have thus far inhibited the growth of its maritime sector. This essay will analyze the main obstacles hampering Angola’s maritime development and provide recommendations for how the country can overcome them.
Lack of Infrastructure and Port Facilities
One of the biggest impediments to Angola’s maritime progress is a lack of infrastructure and adequate port facilities. Angola has just three major commercial ports – Luanda, Lobito, and Namibe – which suffer from limited capacity, outdated equipment, and poor maintenance (Vines et al., 2015). For instance, while Luanda handles over 90% of Angola’s maritime traffic, its terminals can only accommodate a fraction of the cargo volume, forcing ships to wait days or weeks before docking to load and unload goods (Mbendi, 2020). Congestion and delays at Angolan ports lead to extra costs and time wastage that hurt the competitiveness of Angolan exports.
Upgrading port infrastructure requires tremendous investment that the Angolan government has been unable or unwilling to make thus far. It is estimated that at least $5 billion is needed just to modernize operations at the Port of Luanda (Nshimbi & Fioramonti, 2014). Angola needs foreign direct investment (FDI) and public-private partnerships (PPPs) to finance new port construction, storage facilities, and cargo handling equipment. However, attracting private investment has been a challenge due to underdeveloped capital markets, excessive bureaucracy, lack of transparency, and an unfavorable business environment (OECD, 2018). Resolving issues around financing and private sector participation is crucial for Angola to upgrade its port infrastructure.
Shortage of Qualified Maritime Workers
Another pressing issue is Angola’s shortage of qualified personnel to manage its ports and work on ships. Decades of conflict and underinvestment in education have left Angola without the human capital necessary to develop a thriving maritime industry. Angolan seafarers have limited opportunities for professional training and certification due to the lack of domestic maritime education programs (Kiala, 2018). As a result, Angolan ships and ports are heavily dependent on foreign workers. For example, over 85% of seafarers on Angolan-flagged vessels are foreigners (ITF Seafarers, n.d.). While foreign workers fill important skills gaps, an overreliance on external labor is neither financially sustainable nor strategic for building domestic capabilities.
To address this challenge, the Angolan government needs to invest more in technical training and maritime education. Educational institutions like the Escola Nautica de Angola (Angolan Nautical School) need more funding and resources to expand student intake and upgrade curriculums to international standards. Partnerships with foreign maritime academies can also facilitate knowledge transfer and help train more Angolan seafarers. With proper skills development policies, Angola can reduce its skills deficit in the maritime sector.
Legal and Regulatory Weaknesses
Angola’s legal and regulatory framework governing its maritime industry remains outdated and often opaque. The main law regulating the maritime sector – the Merchant Marine and Related Activities Law of 1990 – suffers from serious gaps and implementation issues (Chatham House, 2013). There is lack of clarity around procedures for ship registration, certification, and operation. Tax laws and investment regulations pertaining to maritime activities are complex and uncertain, undermining investor confidence. Overall weak governance enables high levels of corruption and patronage networks that deter serious international maritime companies from entering the Angolan market.
To address this, Angola needs legislative reforms to strengthen maritime governance. Priority areas include updating commercial codes, establishing transparent regulatory processes, and improving law enforcement (Vines et al., 2015). Angola can look to examples like South Africa and Ghana that have passed laws recently to improve governance of their maritime industries. The Angolan government also needs to nurture institutions like the Maritime Administration Institute and Merchant Navy Academy to build capable regulatory bodies. With improved laws and institutions, Angola can enhance governance and oversight of its maritime activities.
Security Threats
Maritime security challenges pose another hindrance for Angola. Threats like piracy, smuggling, illegal fishing, and maritime terrorism occur with some frequency in Angolan waters. From 2013 to 2018, at least 57 pirate attacks were reported off the coast of Angola (The Maritime Executive, 2019). Criminal networks exploit Angola’s limited surveillance and interdiction capabilities to engage in illegal trafficking and transnational crimes at sea. Maritime insecurity deters shipping firms from operating in Angolan waters and elevates insurance premiums.
Tackling maritime crime requires investments to improve domain awareness and response capacity. Angola needs more patrol boats, communication equipment, and coordination with regional partners to better monitor its territorial waters. The Navy in particular needs more resources and training to conduct offshore surveillance and interdiction operations. Angola can also learn from the Gulf of Guinea’s regional architecture for maritime security. Through multilateral frameworks like the Yaoundé Code of Conduct, Angola can boost information sharing and joint patrols with neighbors like Namibia and Democratic Republic of Congo to curb maritime crimes across borders.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Angola faces four main challenges that are constraining the growth of its maritime industry – insufficient port infrastructure, lack of skilled maritime workers, legal and regulatory gaps, and maritime security threats. To develop this strategically vital industry, the Angolan government needs to mobilize greater investment in ports, improve technical training, strengthen governance frameworks, and enhance naval and coast guard capabilities. Additionally, regional cooperation and private sector partnerships can provide valuable support to supplement Angola’s own efforts. Overcoming these challenges will enable Angola to fully leverage its extensive coastline and position itself as a leading maritime hub on the southwestern coast of Africa.
References
Chatham House. (2013). Angola: Assessing Risks to Stability. https://www.chathamhouse.org/sites/default/files/public/Research/Africa/0613bp_angola.pdf
International Transport Workers Federation (ITF). (n.d.). Angola: Outline. https://www.itfseafarers.org/en/your-industry/flags-convenience/angola-outline
Kiala, C. (2018). Training and certification of seafarers in Angola: Meeting international standards. World Maritime University. http://commons.wmu.se/all_dissertations/661
Mbendi. (2020). Angola: Ports. https://www.mbendi.com/indy/logis/sea/af/ao/p0005.htm
Nshimbi, C. C., & Fioramonti, L. (2014). A region without regionalism? Intergovernmental cooperation in Southern Africa. Stability: International Journal of Security and Development, 3(1).
OECD. (2018). Angola. In Africa’s Development Dynamics 2018: Growth, Jobs and Inequalities (pp. 139-154). OECD Publishing, Paris. https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264302501-en
The Maritime Executive. (2019, January 9). Piracy Drops to Two-Decade Low off Angola. https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/piracy-drops-to-two-decade-low-off-angola
Vines, A., Shaxson, N., Rimli, L., & Heymans, C. (2015). Angola: Drivers of change: An overview. Chatham House. https://www.chathamhouse.org/sites/default/files/publications/research/2015-10-08-angola-drivers-change-vines-shaxson-rimli-heymans.pdf
