Exploring challenges and opportunities for green shipbuilding in South Africa : a maritime energy management perspective
Date of Award
11-1-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Master of Science in Maritime Affairs
Specialization
Maritime Energy Management
Campus
Malmö, Sweden
Country
South Africa
First Advisor
Aykut Ölcer
Abstract
Is South Africa capable of becoming a green shipbuilding nation? This study aims to answer this question, from a maritime energy management perspective by exploring the challenges and opportunities for green shipbuilding in South Africa. An evaluation of the current state of the ship building industry in South Africa is presented as well as a case study on Turkish shipyards that have successfully implemented green ship building practices, to determine the desired state for the South African shipbuilding industry to thrive. A MEM perspective encompasses the implementation of principles which are aimed at aligning the maritime industry with global decarbonisation goals and URN reduction. These include energy efficiency, use of renewable energy sources, digitalization and the use of alternative fuels. The study uses a mixed methods approach and analyses quantitative data collected from 20 survey responses and qualitative data from 18 semi-structured interviews, case studies and a literature review. Data was analysed using descriptive statistic, rank-order analysis, and thematic coding in NVivo. The key findings indicate that the top three barriers to MEM adoption in South Africa are lack of financing (18% of survey responses), inadequate regulatory framework (18%) and lack of economies of scale (18%). Major strengths identified included abundant renewable energy sources (31% of survey responses), existing shipyard infrastructure (31%) and a strategic location along a major shipping route (27%). The study proposes a detailed strategy which provides guidelines on the integration of MEM principles in South African shipyards, with a particular focus on URN mitigation and efficient energy use. This strategy is meant to provide guidance for South African shipbuilding stakeholders (regulatory bodies, shipyards, ship owners, etc) in the decision-making process when it comes to venturing into green shipbuilding, hence answering the initial question with a yes, South Africa is capable of becoming a green shipbuilding nation.