Your daily news service from ports around the world.
In this HOT PORT NEWS, read about:
- United Kingdom, Lerwick – Quay extension completed
- South Africa, all ports – South Africa signs IMO anti-piracy Code
- Hong Kong, Hong Kong – Marine Works off Wan Chai
- Singapore, Singapore – Area survey off Pulau Busing
DATE: May 15, 2012 COUNTRY: United Kingdom PORT: Lerwick Quay extension completed
Lerwick Port Authority has completed work on an extension to the quay space at Greenhead Base, Lerwick.
The project added a further 82m of quay space to Greenhead base making a overall straight quay length of 468m. The extended quay space has 9 metres water depth and also offers a heavy lift pad and an extensive laydown area.
The quay extension has been developed with the requirements and support of the offshore oil industry in mind, to bring improvements both for current users and also to attract further offshore oil industry traffic to Lerwick.
For further information about the facility, the port of Lerwick and operations there contact GAC Lerwick at agency.lerwick@gac.com
DATE: May 15, 2012 – COUNTRY: South Africa – PORT: all ports South Africa signs IMO anti-piracy Code
The Code of Conduct concerning the Repression of Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in the Western Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden (Djibouti Code of Conduct) was today (15 May 2012) signed on behalf of South Africa by the South African High Commissioner, His Excellency Dr. Zola Skweyiya, who was attending an IMO Conference on Capacity Building to Counter Piracy off the Coast of Somalia.
South Africa has become the 19th State to sign the Code of Conduct, set up by IMO to develop regional capacity to counter piracy in the Gulf of Aden and Western Indian Ocean. The other signatories are: the Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Jordan, Kenya, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Somalia, the Sudan, the United Arab Emirates, the United Republic of Tanzania and Yemen.
Signatories to the Djibouti Code of Conduct, which has been in effect since 29 January 2009, undertake to co-operate in a variety of activities, including:
- the investigation, arrest and prosecution of persons reasonably suspected of having committed acts of piracy and armed robbery against ships, including those inciting or intentionally facilitating such acts;
- the interdiction and seizure of suspect ships and property on board such ships;
- the rescue of ships, persons and property subject to piracy and armed robbery and the facilitation of proper care, treatment and repatriation of seafarers, fishermen, other shipboard personnel and passengers subject to such acts, particularly those who have been subjected to violence; and
- the conduct of shared operations – both among signatory States and with navies from countries outside the region – such as nominating law enforcement or other authorized officials to embark on patrol ships or aircraft of another signatory.
In addition, the Code provides for the sharing of related information, through the three Information Sharing Centres in Sana’a, Mombasa and Dar es Salaam which have been established under the Code.
Signatories to the Code also undertake to review their national legislation with a view to ensuring that there are laws in place to criminalize piracy and armed robbery against ships and to make adequate provision for the exercise of jurisdiction, conduct of investigations and prosecution of alleged offenders.
(For information about operations in South Africa contact GAC South Africa at shipping.capetown@gac.com)
Source: International Maritime Organisation (www.imo.org) media briefing No.14 dated 15 May 2012
DATE: May 15, 2012 COUNTRY: Hong Kong PORT: Hong Kong Marine Works off Wan Chai
For approximately 13 months, marine works involving dredging, loading excavated material, piling, unloading and installation of precast units, reclamation, construction of submarine outfall, seawall and ferry pier will be carried out in the area bounded by straight lines joining the following co-ordinates (WGS 84 Datum) from (A) to (K) and the adjacent shoreline:
- (A) 22º 16.958’N / 114º 10.544’E
- (B) 22º 16.999’N / 114º 10.537’E
- (C) 22º 17.001’N / 114º 10.561’E
- (D) 22º 17.034’N / 114º 10.557’E
- (E) 22º 17.040’N / 114º 10.615’E
- (F) 22º 17.310’N / 114º 10.585’E
- (G) 22º 17.316’N / 114º 10.643’E
- (H) 22º 17.047’N / 114º 10.673’E
- (I) 22º 17.049’N / 114º 10.707’E
- (J) 22º 17.008’N / 114º 10.721’E
- (K) 22º 17.018’N / 114º 10.795’E
The works will be carried out by a flotilla of vessels including one grab dredger, one piling barge, one flat top barge, one crane barge, one semi-submersible barge, two derrick barges, three split hopper barges, three tugs, some works boats and some guard boats. The number of vessels engaged in the works will change from time to time to suit operational requirements.
A working area of approximately 50 metres will be established around each working barge. Yellow marker buoys fitted with yellow flashing lights will be laid to mark the positions of the anchors extending from the barges.
Several silt curtains, extending from the sea surface to the seabed, will be established within the works area. Each silt curtain is a large piece of netting used to contain mud and sediments. Yellow markers fitted with yellow flashing lights will be laid to mark the extent of the silt curtains.
The works will be carried out round-the-clock.
Vessels engaged in the operations will display signals as prescribed in international and local regulations.
Vessels navigating in the vicinity should proceed with caution.
(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.59 of 2012
DATE: May 15, 2012 – COUNTRY: Singapore – PORT: Singapore – Area survey off Pulau Busing
With effect from 15 May to 30 June 2012, an area survey will be carried out off Pulau Busing.
According to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore Port Marine Authority No.66 of 2012, the works will be conducted between 0700 and 1900 hours daily – including Sundays & Public Holidays – within the area bounded by the following co-ordinates (WGS 84 Datum):
- 1) 01° 13.854’N / 103° 44.342’E
- 2) 01° 13.854’N / 103° 44.109’E
- 3) 01° 13.957’N / 103° 44.940’E
- 4) 01° 14.035’N / 103° 44.057’E
- 5) 01° 14.324’N / 103° 44.042’E
- 6) 01° 14.324’N / 103° 43.912’E
- 7) 01° 14.496’N / 103° 43.898’E
- 8) 01° 14.606’N / 103° 43.890’E
- 9) 01° 14.490’N / 103° 44.145’E
- 10) 01° 14.397’N / 103° 44.151’E
- 11) 01° 14.324’N / 103° 44.156’E
- 12) 01° 14.110’N / 103° 44.169’E
- 13) 01° 14.000’N / 103° 44.288’E
- 14) 01° 14.000’N / 103° 44.342’E
The survey will involve diving operations. The survey boat, with safety boat in attendance, will have a circular safety working zone of 50 meters radius centered at the diving deployment boat.
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 (Sinki Control); and
- (e) Communicate with Sinki Control on VHF Channel 68 for assistance, if required.
For information about operations in Singapore contact GAC Singapore at singapore@gac.com
