In this HOT PORT NEWS, read about:
* Worldwide – IMO anti-piracy campaign bearing fruit
* Singapore, all ports – Notification of Arrival reporting procedures for
vessels less then 300GT
* Singapore, Singapore – Coastal protection & restoration of mangrove
biodiversity
DATE: December 19, 2011 – COUNTRY: Worldwide- IMO anti-piracy campaign bearing fruit
At the end of a year in which the World Maritime Day theme of “Piracy: orchestrating the response” has been central to the work of IMO, the Organization can look back on 12 months of relatively good progress that have laid the foundations for cautious optimism about the future.
Recently compiled statistics show that the number of ships and seafarers held captive by Somali pirates have reduced from a peak of 33 and 733 in February to 13 and 265 respectively, at the beginning of December. The number of reported attacks has also declined from a high of 45 per month in January 2011 to 14 for the month of November 2011; and the proportion of successful attacks has been cut from 20 per cent in January 2011 to just 7 per cent in November 2011.
Throughout 2011, IMO engaged at the political level (mainly through the UN Security Council) to bring about a solution to the piracy problem and thus facilitate and expedite the release of seafarers and any other persons held hostage. In addition, the Organization intensified its work to strengthen the protection of persons (seafarers, fisherman and passengers), ships and cargoes in piracy-infested areas and also preserve the integrity of shipping lanes of strategic importance and significance, such as the Gulf of Aden.
Improvements were made to the accessibility and distribution of IMO guidelines and industry best management practice guidance; steps were taken to ensure that ships’ crews are aware of how to access naval protection and implement effectively the preventive, evasive and defensive measures recommended by IMO and the industry. The Organization also addressed the issue of carriage of privately contracted armed security personnel aboard ships and developed guidelines on the subject, involving, in this particular instance, flag, port and coastal States.
IMO helped promote greater levels of coordination among navies, and further
co-operation between and among States, regions and organizations.
Information-sharing, the coordination of military and civil efforts and the development and implementation of regional initiatives, such as the IMO-led
Djibouti Code of Conduct, were at the heart of the Organization’s work. The
establishment of information sharing centres in Dar es Salaam, Mombasa and Sana’a and the laying of the foundation stone of the building set to house a regional training centre in Djibouti were significant, tangible steps towards building regional capability to counteract pirate activities.
Working with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and other agencies,
IMO also undertook initiatives to build the capacity of States, in piracy affected regions and elsewhere, to deter, interdict and bring to justice those who commit acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships, working to enhance maritime law enforcement and the safety of life at sea. Helping States develop their maritime law enforcement capacities and protect their maritime resources was another key element of IMO’s work during 2011.
During the year, IMO maintained close co-operation with the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS) and communicated with the Executive Head of the World Food Programme (WFP) concerning the potential for chartering bigger, faster ships to deliver food aid to Somalia, and shortening the distances they are required to run through pirate-infested waters….
At the start of 2011, IMO adopted an anti-piracy action plan with six specific objectives, namely:
1. Increase pressure at the political level to secure the release of all hostages being held by pirates;
2. Review and improve the IMO guidelines to Administrations and seafarers and promote compliance with industry best management practices and the recommended preventive, evasive and defensive measures ships should follow;
3. Promote greater levels of support from, and coordination with, navies;
4. Promote anti-piracy coordination and co-operation procedures between and among States, regions, organizations and industry;
5. Assist States to build capacity in pirate infested regions of the world, and elsewhere, to deter, interdict and bring to justice those who commit acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships.
6. Provide care for those attacked or hijacked by pirates and for their families….
(For information about operations worldwide contact the respective GAC
office. Details may be found in the ‘Contact’ section of www.gac.com)
Source: Extracts from International Maritime Organization (www.imo.org)
briefing dates 16 December 2011
DATE: December 19, 2011- COUNTRY: Singapore – PORT: all ports Notification of Arrival reporting procedures for vessels less then 300GT
From 1 January 2012 at 0001hrs, the owner, agent, master or person-in-charge of a vessel of less than 300 GT shall notify the Port Master at least 12 hours prior to the arrival of the vessel at Singapore.
The Notification of Arrival report shall be addressed to the Port Master…. ….It shall be transmitted by any of the following means:
MARINET – An Electronic Data Interchange system for electronic transaction between shipping community and MPA
E-mail: noa@mpa.gov.sg – Telefax: (65) 6224 5776- Telex: RS 34970 (Answer Back PORTPM 34970)
A vessel returning from a location in the Singapore Strait may transmit the notification of arrival report via VHF radio immediately on departure from the location. This report shall be transmitted on VHF Channel 10 for a vessel in the VTIS East sector, VHF Channel 14 for a vessel in the VTIS Central sector or VHF Channel 73 for a vessel in the VTIS West sector of the Singapore Strait.
(For information about operations in Singapore contact GAC Singapore at
singapore@gac.com)
Source: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore Port Marine Circular No.10 of 2011 dated 19 December 2011
DATE: December 19, 2011- COUNTRY: Singapore- PORT: Singapore – Coastal protection & restoration of mangrove biodiversity
The working period and details have been revised for coastal protection works and restoration of Mangrove biodiversity at Pulau Tekong.
According to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore’s Port Marine Notice No.169 of 2011, the work will be carried out 24 hours daily – including Sundays & Public Holidays – from 4 January 2012 to 3 July 2012, within the working area bounded by the following coordinates (WGS 84 Datum):
A) 01° 25.841’N / 104° 03.642’E
B) 01° 25.945’N / 104° 03.685’E
C) 01° 25.905’N / 104° 03.782’E
D) 01° 25.879’N / 104° 03.859’E
E) 01° 25.796’N / 104° 04.028’E
F) 01° 25.780’N / 104° 04.085’E
G) 01° 25.726’N / 104° 04.218’E
H) 01° 25.674’N / 104° 04.301’E
I) 01° 25.643’N / 104° 04.347’E
J) 01° 25.545’N / 104° 04.460’E
K) 01° 25.513’N / 104° 04.520’E
L1) 01° 25.375’N / 104° 04.707’E
M1) 01° 25.272’N / 104° 04.636’E
N) 01° 25.519’N / 104° 04.363’E
O) 01° 25.612’N / 104° 04.214’E
P) 01° 25.648’N / 104° 04.128’E
Q) 01° 25.709’N / 104° 03.965’E
R) 01° 25.784’N / 104° 03.820’E
S) 01° 25.799’N / 104° 03.760’E
Coastal protection and restoration of mangrove biodiversity works will entail installation of wooden piles, filing of existing berm with biodegradable sacks and shoreline stabilization using stones.
A safety boat will be in attendance throughout the duration of the construction works to warn other craft of the works in the vicinity.
When in the vicinity of the working area, mariners are reminded to:
(a) Keep well clear and not to enter the working area;
(b) Maintain a proper lookout;
(c) Proceed at a safe speed & navigate with caution;
(d) Maintain a listening watch on VHF channel 21 (Sembawang Control); and
(e) Communicate with Sembawang Control on VHF 21 for assistance, if required.
For information about operations in Singapore contact GAC Singapore at
singapore@gac.com
