The government of Mozambique plans to regulate access to the sea through a Sea Strategic Policy, which will take effect this year, said the Minister of the Sea, Fisheries and Inland Waters, Agostinho Mondlane, quoted by daily newspaper O País.

The minister said that the adoption of that strategic policy, which will make access to the sea for activities such as fishing or research cease to be free, is intended to make use of the potential of the Mozambican coast.

Stressing that the sea in Mozambique is currently exploited without rules, Agostinho Mondlane stressed that the government wants to change this, including requiring that vessels only go out to sea with due administrative authorisation.

“A major challenge for 2017 is to change the Law of the Sea to be more comprehensive, as it was designed with the sole aim of developing maritime transport,” said the minister.

In addition to the preparation of the Strategic Policy of the Sea, the government intends to adopt a regulation on maritime concessions in order to extend rules that apply on land to the sea.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Transport and Communications, Carlos Mesquita, said a process is underway for selection of a company to partner Transmarítima to start coastal shipping services later this year.

In August 2016 the government approved a set of measures to make better use of the sea to transport people and goods, making coastal shipping an alternative to road transport.

Source: Macauhub