Your daily news service from ports around the world.
In this HOT PORT NEWS, read about:
- Germany, Kiel Canal – Lock chambers returned to service
- Singapore, Singapore – Acoustic research at St. John Island
- Hong Kong, all ports – Enhanced management mechanism for conveyance of dangerous goods
- Australia, Dampier – Tropical Cyclone Lua update (16 March 2012)
- Turkey, Turkish Straits – Naval celebration in the Dardanelles
DATE: March 16, 2012 – COUNTRY: Germany – PORT: Kiel Canal – Lock chambers returned to service
The Kiel Canal Authority has announced that both the New Big Lock Chambers at Brunsbuettel are now back in service.
(For information about operations in Germany contact the GAC UK Hub Agency Centre at hub.gb@gac.com)
Source: Sartori & Berger – GAC network agent
DATE: March 16, 2012 – COUNTRY: Singapore – PORT: Singapore – Acoustic research at St. John Island
From 15 March to 15 July 2012, acoustic research work is being carried out off St John Island.
According to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore Port Marine Notice No.35 of 2012, the works is being conducted between 1000 and 1700 hours on weekdays within the working area bounded by the following coordinates (WGS 84 Datum): 1) 01° 13.033’N / 103° 51.088’E 2) 01° 13.077’N / 103° 51.187’E 3) 01° 12.920’N / 103° 51.256’E 4) 01° 12.848’N / 103° 51.113’E
The daily experiments will be done by deploying Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs).
A safety boat will be deployed in the vicinity to warn other craft to keep clear of the working area.
Craft involved in the works will exhibit the appropriate local and international day and night signals.
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 68 (West Control); and (e) Communicate with West Control on VHF 68 for assistance, if required.
For information about operations in Singapore contact GAC Singapore at singapore@gac.com
DATE: March 16, 2012 – COUNTRY: Hong Kong – PORT: all ports – Enhanced management mechanism for conveyance of dangerous goods
For more effective monitoring of the safe conveyance of dangerous goods (DG) by locally licensed vessels, an enhanced dangerous goods management mechanism (the “Mechanism”) will begin a trial run of three months from 1 April 2012, to be followed by mandatory compliance from 1 July 2012.
Pursuant to regulation 12(2) of the Dangerous Goods (Shipping) Regulations, no DG (other than category 1 DG) shall be conveyed in any locally licensed vessel unless a written permission (known as “carriage permit”) has been granted for such goods.
Under the new Mechanism, the validity of a carriage permit will be extended from up to 3 months to up to 12 months as from 1 July 2012, and a dangerous goods notification system (the “System”) will be set up.
The owner or agent of a locally licensed vessel must, for and before every voyage on which DG are carried on the vessel, notify the Marine Department (MD) of the required information about the DG and the voyage according to the new System, the details of which are available on the MD’s website at the address below: http://www.mardep.gov.hk/en/ele_services/dgis.html
For enquiry about the new Mechanism, please contact the Dangerous Goods Unit of the MD on telephone number 2852 4913.
Masters, owners, agents and operators are required to fully comply with the requirements of the new Mechanism.
(For information about operations in Hong Kong contact GAC Hong Kong at shipping.hongkong@gac.com)
Source: Government of Hong Kong SAR Marine Department Notice No.39 of 2012
DATE: March 16, 2012 – COUNTRY: Australia – PORT: Dampier – Tropical Cyclone Lua update (16 March 2012)
The ports of Dampier, Port Walcott and Port Hedland are closed due to the proximity of Tropical Cyclone Lua.
No shipping movements are expected to resume until Sunday at the earliest (Monday is more likely).
Tropical Cyclone Advice No.12 issued at 9:03am WST today (16 March) states that a Cyclone WARNING is current for coastal areas from Cape Leveque to Mardie, including Port Hedland, Karratha, Dampier and Broome, as well as adjacent inland parts of the eastern Pilbara. A Cyclone WATCH is current for the central and eastern inland Pilbara including Telfer, Newman and Paraburdoo, the far western inland Kimberley, the eastern Gascoyne including Meekatharra, and the far western Interior.
At 8:00 am WST Severe Tropical Cyclone Lua, Category 3 was estimated to be 515 km north northwest of Karratha and 540 km north northwest of Port Hedland, moving east southeast at 20 km per hour.
Tropical Cyclone Lua has intensified to a severe tropical cyclone and is now moving towards the east Pilbara coast.
Gales are currently being experienced in offshore Pilbara waters and are expected to develop in coastal areas between Whim Creek and Bidyadanga late Friday night.
Very destructive winds with wind gusts in excess of 170 km per hour are likely to develop in coastal areas near the centre of the cyclone during Saturday.
Gales are expected to extend to remaining coastal areas between Cape Leveque and Mardie during Saturday and then to inland eastern Pilbara areas later on Saturday.
Heavy rainfall is expected near the west Kimberley coast and in coastal and inland parts of the east Pilbara. During Saturday and Sunday areas of heavy rain are likely in the east Gascoyne and northern Goldfields. Heavy surf conditions are expected along the east Pilbara and west Kimberley coast during Friday and Saturday.
For information about operations in Australia contact GAC Australia at shipping.australia@gac.com
DATE: March 16, 2012 – COUNTRY: Turkey – PORT: Turkish Straits – Naval celebration in the Dardanelles
There will be naval celebrations in the Strait of Dardanelles on 17 March (trials) and 18 March (celebration) between 09:00 and 17:00 hours.
Traffic will not be suspended at the Dardanelles, but it will be under the control and constant watch of VTS in line with the naval celebration movements.
For information about operations in the Turkish Straits contact GAC Istanbul at turkey@gac.com
