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| Maritime Authority of Cabo Verde | |
|---|---|
| Agency name | Maritime Authority of Cabo Verde |
| Native name | Autoridade Marítima de Cabo Verde |
| Formed | 1996 |
| Jurisdiction | Cabo Verde |
| Headquarters | Praia |
| Chief1 name | Antonio Silva |
| Chief1 position | Director-General |
Maritime Authority of Cabo Verde is the national agency responsible for maritime administration, safety, security, and regulation in Cabo Verde. The authority oversees port operations, navigational safety, search and rescue, and maritime law enforcement across the archipelago centered in Praia. It coordinates with international organizations, bilateral partners, and regional institutions to implement standards, inspections, and training programs.
The agency traces origins to post-independence maritime arrangements between Cabo Verde and Portugal and successive reforms influenced by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and International Maritime Organization standards. Early maritime policing drew on models from the Portuguese Maritime Police and adaptations from Spanish Maritime Safety Agency practices, while infrastructure projects reflected cooperation with European Union development funds and the African Development Bank. Key milestones include port modernization tied to the Praia Port expansion and regulatory alignment after Cabo Verde ratified the SOLAS Convention and the STCW Convention. Regional integration emerged through participation in forums such as the Economic Community of West African States and the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa, with technical assistance from United States Coast Guard programs and the International Maritime Organization coastal state capacity-building initiatives.
The authority is organized into directorates mirroring frameworks used by agencies like the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (UK), the French Maritime Prefectures, and the Spanish Ministry of Transport. Departments include Port State Control modeled after Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control practices, Search and Rescue sections aligned with the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue, and a Marine Environment Protection unit influenced by International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships frameworks. Leadership liaises with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Maritime Affairs (Cabo Verde), municipal ports such as Mindelo Port, and regional bodies including the Gulf of Guinea Commission. Administrative headquarters in Praia coordinates field commands in São Vicente, Sal, and Boa Vista, and maintains liaison officers with entities like the African Union and the United Nations Development Programme.
Primary responsibilities follow international templates used by the International Maritime Organization, the International Labour Organization for seafarer welfare, and the International Chamber of Shipping for commercial standards. Tasks include vessel registration referencing the Cabo Verde Ship Registry system, issuance of certificates under the STCW Convention, port state inspections aligned with the Paris MOU, and implementation of SOLAS safety measures. The authority enforces maritime pollution rules under the MARPOL Convention and administers maritime accident investigation practices akin to the Paris Protocol models. Collaboration extends to the World Maritime University for expertise and the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities for navigational aids.
Search and rescue operations follow regional coordination mechanisms exemplified by the Cape Verde SAR Region cooperation with Portuguese Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre procedures and input from the International Maritime OrganizationSAR guidelines. The authority operates lifeboat stations and leverages assets similar to those of the United States Coast Guard and the Royal National Lifeboat Institution for offshore response. Safety oversight includes inspection of fishing vessels linked to Fisheries Development and Management Authority initiatives and monitoring of tanker traffic in routes used by ships trading to Brazil, Spain, and Senegal. Emergency exercises have been conducted with partners such as ICRC and United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs to test mass rescue operations and oil-spill response.
Law enforcement roles mirror practices from the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code and cooperation with regional law-enforcement bodies like INTERPOL and the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group. The authority enforces customs-related maritime security with coordination alongside the National Police (Cabo Verde), National Guard (Cabo Verde), and port agencies in Mindelo and Praia. Anti-piracy and counter-narcotics patrols have been coordinated with the European Union Naval Force missions and bilateral initiatives with the United States Africa Command and the French Navy to secure sea lanes used by commercial carriers from Portugal, China, and Ghana.
Certification programs for seafarers follow curricula consistent with the STCW Convention and use training centers modeled on institutions like the World Maritime University and regional academies in Senegal and Mauritania. Environmental protection responsibilities implement the MARPOL Convention and the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage frameworks, and collaborate with NGOs such as Oceana and Greenpeace for awareness campaigns. The authority conducts ballast water management in line with the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments and participates in marine spatial planning efforts similar to projects by the United Nations Environment Programme and the European Maritime Safety Agency.
International engagement includes membership and cooperation with the International Maritime Organization, the United Nations, and regional mechanisms such as the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States. Bilateral agreements exist with Portugal, Spain, France, Brazil, and United States agencies for technical assistance, capacity building, and joint operations. The authority implements conventions including UNCLOS, SOLAS, MARPOL, and STCW, and engages with financing partners like the European Investment Bank and World Bank for infrastructure upgrades. Multilateral initiatives include participation in the IMO Global Maritime Distress and Safety System rollout and regional security frameworks led by the Gulf of Guinea Commission and the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa.
Category:Government agencies of Cabo Verde Category:Maritime safety organizations