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Weather bill would cause chaos for captains
The Weather Service Amendment Bill would seriously compromise the captains of ships in South African waters, as they would not be able to comply with South Africa's obligations in terms of the Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea.
(Image: Wikimedia Commons)
Business Day says that the Society of Master Mariners president Ron Whitehead told Parliament every master of every ship had to communicate vital weather information about dangerous conditions to other ships in the vicinity.
The dangerous weather conditions include ice, tropical storms or freezing winds over force 10. He suggested that the bill be amended to allow ships' masters to comply with the international convention.
Several groups have claimed the bill is unconstitutional.
The Department of Environmental Affairs has conceded that the problematic clauses in the bill will have to be "reworked" to focus of false or misleading predictions.
For more:
- Business Day: Captains warn of weather bill chaos
- The Society of Master Mariners: The Society of Master Mariners
