Page History

29.07.2020

COVID-19 [South Africa] Bulletin n°1 – CIQP : 29 July 2020 (Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Procedures)

IMPORTATION AND CUSTOMS / IMPORTATION ET DOUANES

 Customs, land, sea 

Sea ports:

Vessels arriving from international ports are not allowed to enter any seaports in South Africa
unless it has been communicated to Port Health prior to arrival. Ports are operational, but
working with a reduced workforce and berths.
All vessels that have undertaken an international voyage must apply for Free Pratique to Port
Health 24-48 hours prior to arriving at port.
A declaration of any crew who joined the vessel from any high or medium risk country and the
transit points they went through and stowaways is required.
All passenger vessels are prohibited from disembarking any passengers or crew at any of South
African sea ports.
No crew change allowed except for crew change for South African seafarers and evacuation.
Masters, Seafarers and Ship Operators are to ensure that each individual seafarer, wishing to
join or sign off a vessel completes a Crew Health Self-Declaration & Daily Temperature Records.
Masters, Seafarers and Ship Operators are to ensure that each individual seafarer, wishing to
join or sign off a vessel completes a Crew Health Self-Declaration & Daily Temperature Records.
Evacuation of seafarers and passengers on board all ships along the South African coastline will
be allowed in terms of Search and Rescue as well as the Merchant Shipping Act, 1957 (Act No.
57 of 1957) and subject to the following: (i) The evacuation must comply with the provisions of
Medical Evacuations as contained in the South African Maritime and Aeronautical Search and
Rescue Act, 2002 (Act No. 44 of 2002) ; (ii) The evacuation to be carried out in terms of the
approved Standard Operating Procedures for evacuation as contained in the Maritime Rescue
Coordination Center Manual obtainable from the South African Maritime Safety Authority
website; and (iii) All evacuated patients will be subjected to mandatory quarantine for a period
of up to 21 days.
All other cargo vessels will be allowed into all the sea ports for purposes of cargo works,
replenishing fuel and provisions.
The following sea ports are open for purposes of handling cargo, refuelling and ship supplies:
Richards Bay; Durban; East London; Coega; Port Elizabeth; Mosselbay; Cape Town; -Saldanha
Bay. No shore leave permitted.

Land Borders:

Land borders to neighbouring countries are closed except for trade. Cross-border road freight to
Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and The Democratic Republic of Congo are moving with
some delays due to capacity and at the borders. Slight delays for cross-border road freights.
(Agility, 13 July 2020)

All movement of goods within South Africa allowed. All movement of goods for Import and
Export allowed, except tobacco products. Cross border transportation of all goods allowed.

Source: https://vosocc.unocha.org....

Forthcoming