SA Navy annual security conference goes virtual

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South Africa’s maritime service is taking up the cudgels of the virtual information era thrust on the world by COVID-19 and will on Friday host the SA Navy’s first virtual conference centring on the “security of seaways and maritime infrastructure”.

The virtual gathering will, according to the organisers, be streamed from an unnamed Navy vessel in all probability moored alongside in Simon’s Town to “delegates around the world”.

The conference is the third of its kind to be presented by the SA Navy (SAN) and will be hosted by CNavy, Vice Admiral Mosiwa Hlongwane.

In line with local and international efforts to return some form of semblance to economies and their various components including for the maritime sector prevention of poaching, smuggling and pollution, “navigating the challenges” of the pandemic is listed as a key topic.

The conference, again according to the organisers, brings together central role players across government, the military and maritime defence to enable high level discussion and interaction on protection and promotion of “our seas and oceans”.

Other agenda items are South Africa’s maritime security strategy and its impact on the Southern African Development Community (SADC) maritime security domain; a proposed hydrographic strategy for South Africa; and the threats, challenges and opportunities for regional maritime security.