Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, says non-compliance with newly signed offshore ship-to-ship (STS) transfer regulations will carry firm penalty fines of up to R2 million, five years in prison, or both.

The rules, published under the Integrated Coastal Management Act, aim to prevent pollution, protect coastal ecosystems, and secure the survival of the endangered African Penguin.

The department says STS operations will now be banned in marine protected areas, aquaculture zones, and within three nautical miles of the shore.

Operators will also be required to monitor wildlife, comply with weather limits, and have spill-response vessels on standby.

It says the measures set strict standards to ensure maritime activity proceeds in a safe and responsible way. – Reporting by Lerato Dlalisa