Mid-way along the Europe-Asia sea route, the bay's deep-water port was an obvious choice for South Africa's first offshore bunkering operation.
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Since 2016, mostly cargo ships have pulled in for ship-to-ship (STS) refuelling, allowing them to carry more freight, bypass port fees and save time.
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But conservationists, ecotour operators and nature lovers are alarmed about the long-term impact in a marine biodiversity hotspot and major foreign tourist magnet. | A colony of penguins is seen on St. Croix island in Algoa Bay.
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They claim the bunkering takes place too close to foraging and breeding grounds, disrupting the ecosystem and exposing sea animals to oil spills. | A school of dolphins is seen is seen swimming outside St. Croix island in Algoa Bay outside Port Elizabeth.
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They claim the bunkering takes place too close to foraging and breeding grounds, disrupting the ecosystem and exposing sea animals to oil spills. | Volunteers feed baby African penguins rescued from Algoa Bay at the SANCCOB Seabird rehabilitation centre in Port Elizabeth.
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The risk has been highlighted by the catastrophic oil spill which began earlier this month into a protected marine park off the pristine coastline of Mauritius, after a bulk carrier ran aground on July 25.
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Scientists are also studying whether the noise, pollution and increased ship traffic could affect the marine animals.
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Algoa Bay - an inlet off the city of Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape province - is home to myriad species of seabirds, including just under half the global population of African penguins, classed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. | A volunteer feeds a baby African penguin rescued from Algoa Bay
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African penguins, distinct by their bray-like call and black horseshoe marking across their chest, only breed in South Africa and Namibia but are found in Mozambique too.
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Over three decades, their numbers have fallen by more than 60 percent due to climate change, oil spills, human activity, overfishing and habitat destruction, experts say.
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In Algoa Bay, the population has also fallen sharply - from 10,900 breeding pairs in 2015, to 6,100 in 2019, according to figures from South Africa's Environmental Affairs department.
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Parts of Algoa Bay last year were declared a Marine Protected Area. The 2019 university report on the Eastern Cape coastline, centred around the bay, also highlighted that it was a foraging area for seabirds, sharks, cetaceans and turtles, on the migration route for loggerhead and leatherback turtles and home to the world's largest Cape gannet colony.
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However, scientists and conservationists say they have observed changes in animal behaviour which they suspect are a consequence of bunkering activity - even without spillage. | A volunteer moves a baby African penguin rescued from Algoa Bay at the SANCCOB Seabird rehabilitation centre in Port Elizabeth.
Image Credit: AFP
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