NAVIGATE TOGETHER
Coastwise Connect is South Africa’s first dedicated virtual community for maritime professionals — across all sub-sectors. We’re hand-picking 35 founding connectors to help us build it.
We've all walked away from a conference saying:
“We need to collaborate more.”
Then we fly home and the silos continue to rise
up behind us.
Every conference says it. We're finally doing it!
The result is a sea of silos. Duplicated work across sub-sectors. Innovation that stalls at the boundary between disciplines. A workforce that can’t mentor the next generation because there’s no place to find them.
What is this all about?
How will Coastwise Connect differ from engagement on other social media platforms?
Coastwise Connect is built specifically for the South African maritime community. It creates a space for direct engagement, mentorship, mutual support, industry visibility, access to information and collaboration.
What type of information will the Coastwise Connect members have access to?
The community includes open channels with updated relevant maritime legislation and regulations as they are released; and the opportunity for members to engage in realtime to script industry responses where necessary. It will include a dedicated International Maritime Organisation channel for international updates. There's a separate channel to showcase maritime job opportunities, grants and opportunities as well as another channel to ask for help. But, that's just the beginning - the community will evolve to meet the needs of its members as its members evolve.
Who is behind the Coastwise Connect community?
Having heard the continuous call for collaboration within the industry, the Coastwise Connect community is being launched by Colleen Jacka, founding editor of Maritime Review Africa. Maritime Review Africa will provide the support and leverage its access to information for the community. Colleen will be actively involved in ensuring that community members gain access to information, nurture engagement, showcase opportunities and provide an overall leadership function.
Is there a cost involved?
There is no fee to apply and, if you are chosen as one of the Founding Connectors, you will receive a minimum of one year's free access to Coastwise Connect. At the end of the period, you will have the opportunity to decide whether you would like to continue on in an administrative role, which will provide a further period of free access.
There will be a small monthly fee for Coastwise Connect members who are not selected as Founding Connectors.
When will I hear whether I have been selected?
We are reviewing the applications on a rolling basis and aim to finalise our list of Founding Connectors before the end of May 2026.
What if I am not selected as a Founding Connector?
You will be added to the priority list for the soft launch cohort and notified the moment that the public registration opens. The community is for everyone in this industry.
What is expected from the Founding Connectors?
Once selected, our Founding Connectors will be invited to a kick-off session to clearly explain how they can support the Coastwise Community by actively engaging within the group and encouraging interaction.
NAVIGATE TOGETHER
We are not building a generic professional network
We are building the operating system for South Africa’s blue economy to connect. Sector forums. Cross-sector mentorship. SAMSA and IMO updates in one place. A real job board. The Women in Maritime channel. Working groups and more. It is one trusted meeting place for an industry that has never had one.
What do Fouding Connectors actually get?
Being a Founding Connector is not just a participation badge - although there is a cool badge too. It’s a seat at the table while the table is still being built. The 35 people we select will materially shape what Coastwise Connect becomes, and the benefits reflect that.
LIFETIME FOUNDING CONNECTOR STATUS
Recognised as a Coastwise Founding Connector for perpetuity.
OPT-IN AS AN AFFILIATE TO BENEFIT FROM MEMBERSHIP GROWTH
Earn from your community introductions as we grow.
COMPLIMENTARY MEMBERSHIP TO COASTWISE CONNECT
Free access to the Coastwise Connect Community for a minimum of 12 months.
BUILD YOUR OWN DIGITAL COURSE FOR MEMBERS
Got expertise to share? We'll help you create an online course to do it.
REAL INPUT INTO THE PLATFORM AS IT GROWS
Help co-create the structure, norms and content as we develop.
SPEAKER AND PANEL PRIORITY
FOR EVENTS
First refusal on speak slots at Coastwise Connect partner events.
OPTION TO CREATE PRIVATE CHANNELS
Create your own private channels for sub-community engagement.
YOU'LL ALWAYS BE ON OUR INVITE LIST - WHEREVER YOU ARE
Create your own private channels for sub-community engagement.
WHY THIS IS WORTH BEING EARLY FOR?
In ten years, when South Africa’s maritime community looks back at how the industry finally connected itself, there will be a list of names. The 35 people who said yes before there was anything to say yes to. The ones who built the culture rather than inherited it.
That’s the street cred. Not a badge. It's time to claim your position in the origin story of the platform that becomes the default place South African maritime professionals find each other. It's the very platform every conference closing plenary has been asking for.
Are you nodding
your head yet?
Only 35 Founding Connector seats are available. Applications will close when the limit is reached.