Operation Phakisa: Oceans Economy Seminar - Exploring Opportunities: Towards a National Maritime Cluster

Introduction

The Oceans Economy Secretariat, under the Department of Environmental Affairs, hosted the two days Seminar “Operation Phakisa: Oceans Economy - Exploring Opportunities: Towards A National Maritime Cluster”, in collaboration with the South Africa Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU), the South African International Maritime Institute (SAIMI) and the Norwegian Embassy in Pretoria.

The seminar was conceived to bring together leaders from diverse maritime industry sub-sectors, such as marine manufacturing, shipping, cargo owners, finance institutions, academia, government and potential investors, to foster exchange of knowledge and provoke strategic conversations, as jointly crafting a roadmap towards the creation of a South African Maritime Industries Cluster. One of the main goals of this inclusive and collaborative platform was also to discuss about the countless business and innovation opportunities potentially offered by a maritime cluster approach, to boost the Oceans Economy in South Africa. Furthermore, the Seminar also aimed to identify new opportunities for future co-operation and mutual beneficiation between South Africa and Norway, main guest of this event, whose delegation of diplomats, experts and business representatives, contributed to the discussion by sharing the Norwegian multi-year maritime cluster experience.

The Operation Phakisa: Oceans Economy Seminar, attended by over 150 participants, managed to gather a great number of stakeholders and specialists in the maritime space, coming from different sectors, and to engage them in a dialogue focused on the economic growth and competitiveness of the Maritime sector. The tight sequence of presentations and panel discussions mainly analysed the strategic relevance of maritime clusters, with a specific insight into the Norwegian innovation model. Great relevance was also given to the essential role of skills development, research and innovation, in fuelling the competitiveness, hence the economic growth.

Objectives / goals

The Operation Phakisa: Oceans Economy Seminar offered an interactive environment for acquiring knowledge and sharing ideas, with the ultimate goal to lay the foundation for a National Maritime Cluster in South Africa, also starting from a reflection on its first two experiences in the field, the eThekwini and the Nelson Mandela Bay Maritime Clusters, respectively based in Durban and Port Elizabeth.

Conference schedule / programme

Operation Phakisa: Oceans Economy
Exploring Opportunities: Towards a National Maritime Cluster
Date: 6 - 7 June 2016
Venue: Dolphin’s Leap Conference and Events Centre, Shop 14C, Corner LaRoche

DAY 1: Monday, 06 June 2016
A. Opening session: Facilitator: Mr André Share, Head of Oceans Economy Secretariat, Operation Phakisa
No.	Time		Item			Speaker
1.	08:00 - 09:00		Registration and Tea
2.	09:00 - 09:05		Welcoming Remarks			Prof Malek Pourzanjani, CEO, South African International Maritime Institute (SAIMI)
3.	09:05 - 09:15		Remarks from Nelson Mandela Bay Metro			Councillor Dr Danny Jordaan, Executive Mayor, Nelson Mandela Bay Metro
4.	09:15 - 09:25		Opening Address from Norway			Ms Trine Skymoen, Ambassador of Norway to South Africa
5.	09:25 - 09:40		An Overview of South Africa’s Oceans Economy Development Programme (Operation Phakisa)			Ms Judy Beaumont, Acting Director-General, Department of Environmental Affairs Mr André Share, Head: Oceans Economy Secretariat, Operation Phakisa
B			Session Facilitator: Prof Malek Pourzanjani, CEO, South African International Maritime Institute
6.	09:40 - 10:00		Constructing a Maritime Cluster: A bottom-up approach			Mr Peter Myles, Chair: Steering Committee, Nelson Mandela Bay Maritime Cluster
An introduction to clusters, their utility in economic development, innovation, growth and the competitiveness of an industry at a national and regional level
7.	10:00 - 10:40		Facilitated Panel Discussion on Clusters and their utility to industrial development, innovation, collaboration, growth and competitiveness
Dr Karl Klingsheim, Science and Tech Cllr, Norway		Mr Peter Myles (NMMC), South Africa		Mr Sveinung Fjose, Menon Economics Norway	Ms Thato Tsautse, CEO KZN Maritime Cluster, South Africa		Mr Owe Hagesaether, CEO, GCE Subsea, Norway
10:40 - 11:00			Facilitated Questions and Answer Session
11:00 - 11:05			Moderator’s Summary: Dr Ing Alf Egil Jense, Science & Technology Counsellor, Norway
11:00 - 11:15			TEA BREAK

No.

Time

Item

Speaker

Session Facilitator : Mr Ashley Naidoo, Department of Environmental Affairs, South Africa

11:15 - 11:35

A Maritime Development Context and Perspective for South Africa: Towards a Dynamic, Innovative, Collaborative and Competitive Maritime Industry.

Mr Sobantu Tilayi, Acting CEO, South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA)

The circumstances or setting in which maritime industry and commerce takes place and the mental view or outlook for maritime industry cluster development

11:35 - 12:05

Facilitated panel discussion on the need for a maritime cluster towards a sustainable competitive industry

Mr Mthozami Xiphu
SAOGA

Mr Richard Vallihu
TNPA

Dr Kristin Wallevik,
Dean, University of Agder, Norway

Coega Industrial Development Corporation (IDZ)

Mr Sobantu Tilayi Acting CEO, SAMSA

12:05 - 12:25

Facilitated Questions and Answer Session

10.

12:25 - 12:55

The Norwegian Cluster Programme

Dr Aase Kaurin,Research Council, Norway

11.

12:55 -13:00

Moderator’s Summary: Dr Aase Kaurin, The Reseach Council of Norway

13:00 - 14:00

LUNCH BREAK

Session Facilitator: Mr Sean Moses, Department of Trade and Industry, South Africa

12.

14:00 - 14:20

Industry Growth and Productivity: The Norwegian case of Business Clusters

Mr Sveinung Fjose
Menon Economics, Norway

14:20 - 14:40

Building an industry inside a cluster

Mr Owe Hagesaether, CEO, GCE Subsea, Norway

14:40 - 15:10

Facilitated Interactive Panel Discussion

Mr Owe Hagesaether

Mr Sveinung Fjose

Mr Peter Myles, NMMC

Dr Aase Kaurin

Ms Zukiswa
Ncaphayi, Dti

Ms Thato
Tsautse, CEO
KZN Maritime Cluster

15:10 - 15:30

Facilitated Questions and Answer Session

15:30 - 15:35

Moderator’s Summary: Ms Trine Radmann, Senior Advisor, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway

15:35 -15:50

TEA BREAK

Session Facilitator: Mr Howard Theunisen, Faculty of Engineering, NMMU

13.

15:45 - 16:10

Fuelling Marine Manufacturing , Innovation, Technology , Collaboration and Competitiveness

Mr Prasheen Maharaj
CEO
SA Shipyards

14.

16:10 - 16:30

Application of composite materials and structures into new business markets

Dr Ing. Alf Egil Jensen, CEO, FiReCo, Norway

15.

16:30 - 16:50

Delivering the worlds most advanced offshore simulators

CDO Jorgen Dronnen, Offshore Simulation Centre, Norway

Examples of how SMEs have succeeded by working together in clusters and business networks.

16:50 - 17:30

Facilitated discussion on collaboration and clusters for developing marine manufacturing innovation, growth and competitiveness

Ms Sefale Montsi-Zuma

Mr Andy Radford, NMMC

Dr Alf Egil Jensen,
Norway

Mr Richard Vallihu, CE, TNPA

Mr Gianni Johannes Nautic

Mr Yusuf Adam NMMU

17:30 - 18:00

Facilitated Questions and Answer Session

18:00 - 18:25

Facilitated Session: Broader Seminar Engagement Points and Essential Take Aways

18:25 - 18:30

Moderator’s Summary: Mr Sevin Fjose, Menon Economic, Norway

18:30 - 19:00

Signing of the Agreement between Norway and Fish Force (NMMU)

19:00

Cocktail reception

DAY 2: Tuesday, 07 June 2016
F		Session Facilitator: Dr Yona Seleti, Department of Science and Technology, South Africa
NO.	TIME	ITEM				SPEAKER
1.	08:30 - 08:40	Day One Recap				Dr Yona Seleti
2.	08:40 - 09:00	A SAIMI Perspective on South Africa’s Maritime Education, Research Development and Innovation Landscape				Prof Malek Pourzanjani, CEO, South African International Maritime Institute (SAIMI)
3.	09:00 - 09:20	The academic circle: A strong participant				Dr Kristin Wallevik Dean University of Agder, Norway
4.	09:20 - 10:10	Facilitated Panel Discussion on co-developing a closer development relationship for collaboration in the offering of industry maritime education needs, maritime knowledge, research, innovation, technology and enterprise development.
5.	Dr Kristin Wallevik Dean University of Agder, Norway		Dr Karl Klingsheim, Science and Technology Counsellor, the Norwegian Embassy in Pretoria	Prof Malek Pourzanjani, CEO, South African International Maritime Institute (SAIMI)	Mr Xolisa Ngwadla CSIR		Mr Howard Theunissen, Faculty of Engineering, NMMU, South Africa
10:10 - 10:30		Facilitated questions and answers session
10:30 - 10:35		Moderator’s Summary: Dr Kristin Wallevik, Dean, University of Agder, Norway
10:35 - 11:00		TEA BREAK
G		Session Facilitator: Mr Collins Makhado, South African Maritime Safety Authority, South Africa
6	11:00 - 11:15	How to create a winning cluster, the attraction of knowledge and high-quality people				Mr Frank Stoyva Emblem, GCE Blue Maritime
7	11:15 - 12:15	Panel Discussion on setting up a framework and process for establishing a National Maritime Cluster for South Africa.				Mr Sean Moses Ms Zukiswa Ncaphayi Mr Frank Stoyva Mr Mthozami Xiphu Mr Prasheen Maharaj Mr Gianni Johannes Ms Sefale Montsi-Zuma Ms Thato Tsautse Mr Peter Myles Mr Owe Hagesaether Dr Kristin Wallevik
8	12:15 - 12:20	Moderator’s Summary: Dr Karl Klingsheim, Science and Technology Counsellor, the Norwegian Embassy in South Africa
9	12:20 - 12:40	Summary of Outcomes				Mr Alf Hansen, Norway Mr André Share, South Africa
10	12:40 - 12:45	Closing Remarks
12:45 - 13:30		LUNCH
13:30 -		Site Visit to Port of Port Elizabeth

Presentations

Outcomes

The multiple and constructive interactions, taking place during the two days Seminar, produced a number of useful outcomes, in particular the strategic importance of anchoring the South African International Maritime Institute (SAIMI) to assume the coordinating role for cluster development in South Africa. Furthermore a subsequent session of engagement with key industry stakeholders was also proposed, for the second half of this year, while highlighting the instrumental importance of the upcoming South Africa-Norway Science Week (31 October – 2 November 2016), in developing interactions and broader partnership outcomes to further advance the cluster approach.