Maritime Authority
St Helena is situated in the South Atlantic Ocean, at 15° 56′ South, 005° 45′ West; the coast of Africa is 1,200 miles (1,950km) due East, and the coast of South America is 1,800 miles (2,900km) due West.
It is this isolation that has gained the Island a long maritime history, associated with trade routes, slavery, safe haven and exploration, and until 2016, the year of commercial flight inception, the only means of accessing St Helena was still by sea travel.
St Helena is proud of its maritime heritage and in November 2021 the St Helena Maritime Authority was created, the first ever Maritime Authority for St Helena, bringing the Islands maritime elements together and providing a structure for future development within the maritime community.
The Maritime Authority is made up of the Head of Maritime and the Deputy Head of Maritime and is responsible for overseeing the implementation of international and national maritime obligations.
In recognising St Helena’s obligations and the need for acceptable safety standards locally, the Authority has implemented a new Maritime Authority Advisory Board which addresses all maritime matters.
The aim is to develop and manage a maritime administration that meets compliance requirements for maritime safety and environmental protection, in adherence of our international maritime obligations.
The most common of these obligations is Safety of Life at Sea, SOLAS convention.
The Maritime Authority Advisory Board is composed of a number of different government departments, enabling it to conduct the various duties appropriately.
These are
- Port Control
- Sea Rescue Service
- Ship Registry
- Environmental Management
Find out about navigating safely in St Helena waters from Notices to Mariners
Documents associated with maritime
- St Helena Maritime Strategic Framework (April 2025)
- Maritime Risk Assessment, Coastal, by NASH Maritime
Contact Information:
Telephone + 290 25970
Email mia.henry@sainthelena.gov.sh