HOT PORT NEWS from GAC
Your daily news service from ports around the world.
In this HOT PORT NEWS, read about:
- Germany, Kiel Canal – Lock chamber closure for repairs
- India, Kandla – Restriction on handling coal & mill scale cargo
- China, Dongwan – CIQ inspection of chemical tankers
- Singapore, Singapore – Special Bunkering Anchorage scheme: Compulsory pilotage
DATE: May 07, 2012 – COUNTRY: Germany – PORT: Kiel Canal Lock chamber closure for repairs –
The New Big South Lock Chamber at Kiel-Holtenau will be taken out of service for repairs from 0800 to 1400 hours tomorrow (Tuesday 8 May).
During this period, the New Big North Lock Chamber and the North Lock Chamber of the old locks will remain in service.
(For information about operations in Germany contact the GAC UK Hub Agency Centre at hub.gb@gac.com)
Source: Sartori & Berger, Germany – GAC network agents
DATE: May 07, 2012 – COUNTRY: India – PORT: Kandla – Restriction on handling coal & mill scale cargo
It has been observed that due to increase of overall length of vessels arriving at [Kandla] Port and the southern portion of Berth No.6 being spared for strengthening of dry cargo berth. accommodating four vessels at Berths No.7 to 10 has not been possible at times. With the result, the senior vessels, as per the Berthing Policy, are denied berths and smaller junior vessels are being accommodated.
As a matter of fact, after sparing of northern portion of Berth No.6, berthing of vessel at Cargo Jetty No.7 is possible only from panel 52½ (south).
The total length available at Berths No.7 to 10, i.e. from 52½ to 84¼ is 2545 feet. After deducting 225 feet safety margin between the four ships, the average length available for one ship is 580 feet. The length of vessels berthing at Cargo Berths No.7 to 10 is somewhere between 590 to 623 feet and sometimes, more. In view of this, we may have to berth only three ships at four berths, at times.
In order to address the above issue and to accommodate the senior vessels, as far as possible, it has been decided that Cargo Jetty No.4 will now be opened for the Coal and Mill Scale (which vessels are always lengthy) so that one of the lengthy vessels can be handled sat Cargo Berth No.4 and one smaller vessels can be accommodated at Berths No.7 to 10 along with three lengthy vessels.
As view of the above, the present commodity restriction of handling Coal and Mill Scale at Cargo Berth 4 is removed with immediate effect. However, the berthing of coal and mill scale vessels at Berth No.4 will bed resorted to only in unavoidable circumstances and that too with certain SOPs in order to avoid dust pollution and contamination of cargo at the adjacent berth.
(For information about operations in India contact GAC India at india@gac.com)
Source: Kandla Port Trust Circular dated 5 May 2012
DATE: May 07, 2012 COUNTRY: China PORT: Dongwan CIQ inspection of chemical tankers
Dongguan Customs, Immigration & Quarantine (CIQ) office has advised that its officers will board every chemical tanker for cargo inspection, such as cargo quantity calculation/sampling, before discharging.
Only six officers are available and inspections must be made by two officers together. There may be times when a vessel will have to wait a long time for CIQ officers to board, due to understaffing.
Normally, no night inspections are carried out by CIQ officers.
The CIQ inspection is for overseas trading only.
For information about operations in China contact GAC China at china@gac.com
DATE: May 07, 2012 – COUNTRY: Singapore – PORT: Singapore – Special Bunkering Anchorage scheme: Compulsory pilotage
Currently ships other than Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) vessels, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) vessels, Chemical Tankers, Oil Rigs and Drill Ships, are exempted from compulsory pilotage when proceeding in and out of the special bunkering anchorages located in the eastern and western sector of the Port of Singapore.
Several near miss incidents and contacts had occurred in these anchorages, despite the advice to shipmasters to engage the services of pilot, if they are not familiar with the port waters. The findings from these incidents indicated that the common contributory factors were shipmasters’ lack of knowledge of local environmental conditions, misjudgement of tidal strength and inadequate ship-handling proficiency in port waters. To enhance safety, MPA considered the imposition of compulsory pilotage for vessels proceeding in and out of special bunkering anchorages. MPA has consulted and received the support of the shipping industry including ICS, OCIMF, SSA and INTERTANKO on this.
To enhance the navigational safety of the port waters, all vessels arriving or departing from the special bunkering anchorages will be required to engage the services of a licensed pilot with effect from 1 June 2012 at 0001 hours local time (LT).
The limits of the anchorages under the SBA scheme i.e. Anchorage Eastern Bunkering “A” (AEBA), Anchorage Eastern Bunkering “B” (AEBB), Anchorage Eastern Bunkering “C” (AEBC), Anchorage Sudong Bunkering “A” (ASUBA) and Anchorage Sudong Bunkering “B” (ASUBB) remain unchanged. However, with the implementation of compulsory pilotage, the existing 18 sectors in the eastern bunkering anchorages will no longer be reflected on the nautical chart with effect from 1 June 2012.
(For information about operations in Singapore contact GAC Singapore at singapore@gac.com)
Source: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore Port Marine Circular No.8 of 2012 dated 3 May 2012
