KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli has described a boatbuilding partnership between KwaZulu-Natal and Italy as a strategic milestone that is set to unlock significant economic potential for the province.
Ntuli, accompanied by MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA), Reverend Musa Zondi, attended the KZN–NAVIGO Boat Building and Yachting Industry roundtable to strengthen KZN’s boat-building and yachting sector.
Held in Umhlanga, north of Durban, on Tuesday, the high-level engagement brought together Italian maritime stakeholders, including provincial economic development leaders, and industry experts to explore collaborative opportunities in the boatbuilding and marine manufacturing sectors.
Aligned with the objectives of the KwaZulu-Natal Integrated Maritime Strategy, the round table forms part of the provincial government’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its position within the global oceans economy.
The collaboration with NAVIGO, a leading Italian yachting industry cluster with over 400 members across the boat building value chain, aims to explore opportunities for economic growth, technical skills development, global market access, and investment in aftersales services.
Ntuli hailed the partnership as a major milestone for KwaZulu-Natal’s industrial and economic development.
“This is more than a business exchange - it is a platform for economic renewal, capacity building, and global positioning. We welcome this collaboration as a driver of innovation and growth within the maritime sector,” Ntuli said.
The round table served as an opportunity to map out a joint action plan for developing KwaZulu-Natal’s local boatbuilding capacity by leveraging Italy’s extensive experience and advanced marine technologies.
The discussions focused on investment facilitation, local manufacturing, technology transfer, technical training, and establishing KwaZulu-Natal as a competitive hub for marine craft production and export.
The Premier underscored the importance of positioning coastal provinces like KwaZulu-Natal to lead in ocean economy development, in line with South Africa’s Operation Phakisa: Oceans Economy strategy. He also stressed the value of international partnerships that bring tangible benefits to local communities.
“Our goal is to ensure that partnerships like this one translate into real economic opportunities for our people - from the youth being trained in high-demand technical skills to entrepreneurs breaking into global marine value chains,” he said.
The event also highlighted plans to build stronger linkages between industry and academic institutions in KwaZulu-Natal, ensuring that local training programmes align with international standards and equip local talent for future opportunities in the marine sector.
Premier Ntuli reaffirmed the provincial government’s full support for initiatives that promote industrialisation, trade, skills development, and economic inclusion.
“KwaZulu-Natal is open for business and ready to lead in Africa’s emerging maritime economy.” – SAnews.gov.za
