HOT Port News from from GAC

 Your daily news service from ports around the world.

In this HOT PORT NEWS, read about:
* Worldwide – TCDD Port of Iskenderun
* Worldwide – AUSTRALIAN COAL AND IRON ORE PORT LINEUPS
* United States, Corpus Christi, Texas – Pilot Tariff to increase

DATE: December 28, 2011-COUNTRY: Worldwide-TCDD Port of Iskenderun
No service will be offered at TCDD Port of Iskenderun and it will be closed to maritime and road traffic as of 00:00 on 31.12.2011 due to commencement of transfer transactions within the scope of privatization procedures.
Source: Turkish State Railways Port Operations Directorate Iskenderun

DATE: December 28, 2011-COUNTRY: Worldwide-AUSTRALIAN COAL AND IRON ORE PORT LINEUPS
ABBOT POINT
There is currently one vessel loading with four other vessels at anchor.

Planned Maintenance
There is no maintenance scheduled at this point in time.

HAY POINT COAL TERMINAL & DALRYMPLE BAY COAL TERMINAL
NEW YEAR OPERATIONS 2011 / 2012
At this time both the Hay Point Coal Terminal and DBCT will be operating 24/7 over the New Year period 2011 / 2012. This may change but will be subject to shipping movements and cargo availability during the period.

GAC Mackay office will be operating as normal throughout the period, after hours and public holidays emails and phone will continue to be monitored by on call staff as required.

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS
Sunday 01 January 2012            New Years Day
Monday 02 January 2012          New Years Day Public Holiday
Thursday 26 January 2012        Australia Day

Hay Point Coal Terminal:
Vessels Alongside:  2, Vessels at Anchor: 5
Delays – 5 – 7 Days (Average) depending on Cargo Grade

Scheduled Shutdowns:
–       Hay Point Coal Terminal will close berth no.1 in April 2012 for a prolonged period due to the expansion project of berth no.3. Details of dates when berth no.1 will closed during this period will be provided by the terminal at a later date. Berth no.2 will be operating during this period.

Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal:
Following a review of the work program associated with Shiploader 2 (L8), a return-to-service date of January 10, 2012 has been determined as being the earliest possible operational date for this system.

This date is subject to weather impacts, equipment arrival and work program stability however DBCT PL is committing all possible and available internal and external resources to this project.

Moranbah North Coal Mine (owners Anglo American) has ceased production due to roof collapse in the under ground mind. We understand the mine maynot be operational until early next year. Employees at the mine site have been asked to take annual leave.

Shippers ‘Anglo American’ will not elaborate to us the possibility on when the mine will re-commence production. Shippers are advising their customers directly on this matter and if information is required about the mine and its production, we must contact the customers.

Vessels Alongside: 2, Vessels at Anchor: 19

Delays – 15 – 20 Days (Average) depending on Cargo Grade

Scheduled Shutdowns:
Inloading –        Regular fortnightly 12 hour shutdowns to coincide with QR maintenance days.
Outloading –      Nil

GLADSTONE

RG Tanna Coal Terminal:
3 Vessels at berth with 18 at anchor.
Present delays: Average waiting time approx 8-12 days subject to cargo/berth availability.

Scheduled Maintenance
January 17-19 / 3 days  – Shiploader No2 Scheduled Maintenance

January 30-February 2 / 4 days – Ship Loader No3 Scheduled Maintenance

Barney Point Coal Terminal:
1 Vessel at anchor with 1 at berth.
Present delays: Waiting time approx 4-6 days.
No maintenance scheduled at present
NB: Shippers prefer to use RG Tanna Coal Terminal due to limited stock pile capacity at Barney Point.

Please Note: Terminal is scheduling vessels for loading when all cargo received at port which leads to some vessels berthing out of order.

BRISBANE
1. Shippers Peabody Wilkie Creek are having productions problems with their vessels expected to be delayed approx 10 to 15 days from vessels arrival.

NEWCASTLE
Coal Terminals PWCS and NCIG operate 24/7 all year and will not stop operations due to public holidays.

Our Office will closed 24th December 2011 – 27th December 2011 inclusive and 31st December 2011 – 02nd January 2012 inclusive, emails will be monitored periodically during this time, if urgent response is required please contact on call officer on +61 2 4961 0941.

From all at GAC Newcastle wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

NOTE 2
The Newcastle Port Corporation ‘Vessel Arrival System’ commenced  17 June 2010.  All rules of the Vessel Arrival System will be enforced.  Please contact Newcastle GAC Agent direct should you require a copy of the rules.

SUMMARY – DYKE BERTHS
Currently 02 ships  is  loading at the Dyke Coal Terminal.
14 ships have passed their Notified Arrival Time to load at the Dyke Coal
Terminal
The current berthing delay is around  14-18  days
Normal Port Practice is for ships to berth and load based on turn of arrival.  However currently many ships are berthing/ loading are loading out of turn.

Summary – Kooragang Coal Loader
Currently 3  ships are   loading at the Kooragang Coal Terminals.
29 Ships have passed their Notified Time of Arrival to load at the Kooragang Coal Loader

The current berthing delay is around 12-19 days

Normal Port Practice is for ships to berth and load  based on turn of arrival.  However currently many ships are berthing/ loading are loading our of turn.

Summary – NCIG Coal Loader (K8/ K9)
Currently  1  ship is  loading at the NCIG Coal Terminal
05  Ships have been issued a Notified Time of Arrival to load at the NCIG Coal Loader.

The current berthing delay is around 03-6 days

PORT KEMBLA
There is currently 1 vessel alongside and 12 vessels at anchorage with the next vessel due on the 3rd Jan 12.
There are between 7-15 days delay for most vessels waiting at anchorage that arrived during December due to heavy congestion and it should ease by end January.

PILOTAGE SERVICES/DELAYS
The shortage of un-restricted Marine Pilots due to a combination of injury and annual leave that has been experienced in the last couple of months is starting to ease. One Pilot has returned from injury leave (albeit in a limited role initially and working into full roster integration through January) and another trainee has recently achieved his Level 2 license (225m LOA, excluding PCC).

Services for this week Monday 26th Dec until Sunday 1st Jan will be provided by unrestricted pilots all week. The exception is Thursday night 29th Dec (1800-0600hrs) which will be covered by a restricted pilot
undertaking pilotage for ships within their range of license (202m LOA and 191m LOA, excluding Pure Car Carriers respectively)

Services for next week Monday 2nd Jan until Sunday 8th Jan will be provided by un-restricted pilots all week.

The Port Authority will continue to work in minimising disruption to port users during this period.

The shortage of pilots is coursing major delays to the coal loading shipping program and also having an effect on cargo availability at the Coal Terminal.

NEW YEAR PERIOD
The Coal Terminal will be operating as normal during the New Year Period.

This office will be closed Monday 2nd Due to Public Holidays and email communications will be monitored.

MID SHIP GANGWAY CONCRETE PLATFORM
We have received notification from Port Kembla Coal Terminal (PKCT) that the Berth 102 mid ship gangway concrete platform is showing signs of concrete cracking and as such, been barricaded and signposted off to prevent access.

An under-berth structural inspection has been carried out and until repairs can be carried out the platform cannot be used.

It is estimated to be out of action for 4 weeks.

During this time, PKCT asks that any vessel due to berth within the next month requiring a mid-ship gangway position be communicated to PKCT as soon as possible, together with the mid ship platform to Bridge distance (mts), so that PKCT can determine the best position to berth the vessel.

Towage – Bunker Fuel Surcharge (BFS)
The bunker charges that were first introduced in Dec 2004 and is presently A$160.63/tug will effective increase from 1st January 2012 to A$161.46/tug as follows:- Cape/panamax – A$ 963.76

DAMPIER
Port Summary – Dampier – East Intercourse Island
East Intercourse Island:
Currently 1 vessel alongside and 1 vessel at anchor
Present delays 1-2 days.
Currently SHIPPERS ADVISING NO MAINTENANCE SHUTDOWN AT EII:

Parker Point Berth 2 – 3 and 4 – 5:
Currently 2 vessels loading, 2 vessel alongside and 5 vessels at anchor
Present delays 1 – 4 days.
Currently SHIPPERS ADVISING NO MAINTENANCE SHUTDOWN for Parker Point berths
2 & 3 SHIP LOADER 3:

Currently SHIPPERS ADVISING NO MAINTENANCE SHUTDOWN for Parker Point berths
4 & 5 SHIP LOADER 2:

Port Summary  – Port Walcott ( Cape Lambert ).
Currently 2 vessels loading, 1 vessel alongside and 4 vessels at anchor
Present delays 2-6 days.

Currently SHIPPERS ARE ADVISING NO MAINTENANCE SHUTDOWN TO SL2 (B1 & B2):

Currently SHIPPERS ARE ADVISING NO MAINTENANCE SHUTDOWN TO SL3 (B3 & B4):

Please note Shippers have advised that there will be no change to their operations over the Christmas/New Year Period at either Dampier or Port Walcott Terminals.

PORT HEDLAND
New years operations hours.
Re Iron Ore operations for BHPB and FMG.
All terminals for these two shippers will be working as normal through out the New Year period.

Re Utah Point (Iron Ore) and the General Cargo Berths

Please note following advice from P & O for working arrangements

31st December 0600 – 1500 Normal operations
31st December 1500 – 0600 Closed port – call for volunteers
1st January 0600 – 1800 Closed port – call for volunteers
1st January 1800 – 0600 Normal operations

In accordance with the terms and conditions of our EBA, POAGS require four days prior notice for any labour requirements during the above closed port times.

Please note POAGS cannot guarantee labour to service all operations throughout this period

Please note today’s iron ore line ups.
Please note today’s agents line ups.
Please note below summary.

1) Nelson Point A
1 vessel alongside.
2 vessels at anchorage.
No maintenance stoppages listed.
2)Nelson Point B
1 vessel alongside.
2 vessels at anchorage.
No maintenance stoppages listed.
3)Finucane Island C
1 vessel alongside.
1 vessel at anchorage.
No maintenance stoppages listed.
4)Finucane Island D
1 vessel alongside.
1 vessel at anchorage.
No maintenance stoppages listed.
5)Finucane Island B
1 vessel alongside
1 vessel at anchorage.
No maintenance stoppages listed.
6) Finucane Island A
1 vessel alongside.
2 vessels at anchorage.
No maintenance stoppages listed.
A further  2  vessels are at anchorage awaiting allocation of berths at BHPB facilities.
7) Anderson Point
1 vessel alongside.
5 vessels at anchorage.
No maintenance stoppages listed.
8) Utah Point
1 vessel alongside
No vessel at anchorage.
Maintenance scheduled for 36 hrs from 0600/01/02 until 1800/02/02.

GERALDTON
Minimal delays expected
ESPERANCE
Minimal delays expected
DARWIN
Following Ex T/C Grant heavy flooding has occurred in parts of the Northern Territory.  On December 27 a freight train was derailed on the line between Katherine and Darwin near Edith Falls. Cargo deliveries to the port of Darwin may be delayed as a result.

DATE: December 28, 2011-COUNTRY: United States-PORT: Corpus Christi, Texas-Pilot Tariff to increase

A 4% increase in pilotage rates for the Aransas-Corpus Christi Pilots comes into effect on 1 January 1, 2012.
The increase is part of a tiered, four-year rate increase, as follows:
– 6%, effective January 1, 2009
– 4%, effective January 1, 2010
– 4%, effective January 1, 2011
– 4%, effective January 1, 2012
For information about operations in the USA contact GAC USA at usa@gac.com