Mozambique

Spill Notification Point

Maritime Administration & Safety Authority (SAFMAR)
Ave. Marqués do Pombal, 297
PO Box 4317
Maputo

Tel: +258 1 301963/420552

Fax: +258 1 424007

Contact may be made to the nearest port authority.

Competent National Authority

Maritime Administration & Safety Authority (SAFMAR) - Contact details as above.

Response Arrangements

Oil spill response arrangements in Mozambique are very much in their infancy. The designated national agency charged with responding to oil pollution at sea within the country’s 12 nm territorial limit is the Maritime Administration and Safety Authority (SAFMAR), part of the Ministry of Transport and Communications. A draft National Contingency Plan has been prepared and a working group established, which involves relevant public institutions, NGOs and the oil industry. Whilst overall charge of any marine spill response mounted rests with SAFMAR, responsibility for shoreline clean-up falls to the local city councils. The relevant port authorities are charged with responding to those spills occurring within the country’s ports and responsibility for responding to land based spills rest with the Ministry of Environment (MoE) as SAFMAR’s mandate only allows jurisdiction 100 metres inshore of the high water mark. These responsibilities are primarily governed by two pieces of national legislation; the Maritime Law (1996) and the Environmental Law (1997). 

Response Policy

The clean-up policy is not known. However, the lack of resources would likely restrict response measures to the protection of key sites and manual shoreline clean-up.

The lack of easily available dispersant stocks in Mozambique further ensures that dispersant application has so far not been significantly employed as a primary response strategy. While formal dispersant application guidelines have not yet been developed, the presence of significant areas of mangroves, coral reefs and shallow waters such as those located in Maputo Bay, may restrict the practicality its application in the event of a spill.

Access to certain areas of the country may become difficult in the rainy season as not all roads are tarred. In addition, the shallow nature of Maputo Bay has in past incidents prevented an effective nearshore response as anti-pollution vessels have been denied access to certain remote sections due to draft restrictions.

Equipment

Government & Private

Stocks of specialised response equipment are extremely limited and reliance would be placed international sources in the event of a serious incident.  At present SAFMAR are able to provide a functioning communications network in the event of a spill and are capable of mobilising small amounts of fishing and coastal vessels. However, the lack of available specialised equipment reduces any worthwhile role these vessels can play in mounting an ‘at sea response’. The Ministry of Environment along with the Hydrographic office is capable of providing environmental and oceanographic data.

Previous Spill Experience

The KATINA P (1992) spilt approximately 500 tonnes of HFO in Maputo Bay following hull failure. Although equipment was flown in from abroad, the majority of clean-up work was undertaken using local manpower on the shorelines. The ship eventually broke up and sank in the Mozambique Channel loosing the remainder of its cargo. 

Conventions

Prevention & Safety

MARPOL Annexes
73/78IIIIV V VI

Spill Response

OPRC '90 OPRC HNS

Compensation

CLCFundSuppHNS*Bunker
'69 '76 '92 '92Fund

* not yet in force 

Regional & Bilateral Agreements

  • Nairobi Convention (with states of the East African Region).

Date of issue: February 2006

Terms & Conditions

These Country & Territory Profiles are provided in good faith as a guide only and are based on information obtained from a variety of sources over a period of time.  This information is subject to change and should, in each case, be independently verified before reliance is placed on it. Country & Territory Profiles may have been re-issued solely to incorporate additional or revised information under one heading only.  Each Profile has therefore not necessarily been completely verified or updated as at the stated Date of Issue.

ITOPF Limited (“ITOPF”) hereby excludes, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any and all liability to any person, corporation or other entity for any loss, damage or expense resulting from reliance on or use of these Country & Territory Profiles.

©ITOPF Limited 2018.

These Country & Territory Profiles may be reproduced by any means for non-commercial distribution without addition, deletion or amendment, provided an acknowledgement of the source is given and these Terms & Conditions are reproduced in full. 

These Country & Territory Profiles may not be reproduced without the prior written permission of ITOPF either for commercial distribution or with addition, deletion or amendment.