Your daily* news service from ports around the world.
In this HOT PORT NEWS, read about:
* Worldwide – Piracy falls in 2012, but seas off East and West Africa remain dangerous, says IMB
* Hong Kong, Hong Kong – Marine site investigation at Reserved Dangerous Goods Anchorage
* Hong Kong, Hong Kong – Seawall reinstatement, landing steps construction & drainage outfall reconstruction
* Mexico, all ports – Ports close for foul weather
* Bunker Update – MARKET PRICE UPDATE 16/01/12
DATE: January 16, 2013 COUNTRY: Worldwide – Piracy falls in 2012, but seas off East and West Africa remain dangerous,
says IMB
Piracy on the world’s seas has reached a five-year low, with 297 ships attacked in 2012, compared with 439 in 2011, the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) International Maritime Bureau (IMB) global piracy report revealed today.
Worldwide figures were brought down by a huge reduction in Somali piracy, though East and West Africa remain the worst hit areas, with 150 attacks in 2012.
Globally, 174 ships were boarded by pirates last year, while 28 were hijacked and 28 were fired upon. IMB’s Piracy Reporting Centre also recorded 67 attempted attacks. The number of people taken hostage onboard fell to 585 from 802 in 2011, while a further 26 were kidnapped for ransom in Nigeria. Six crewmembers were killed and 32 were injured or assaulted….
….In Somalia and the Gulf of Aden, just 75 ships reported attacks in 2012 compared with 237 in 2011, accounting for 25% of incidents worldwide. The number of Somali hijackings was halved from 28 in 2011 to 14 last year.
IMB says navies are deterring piracy off Africa’s east coast, with pre-emptive strikes and robust action against mother ships. So too are private armed security teams and crews’ application of “Best Management Practices”.
But the threat and capability of heavily armed Somali pirates remains strong….
….Pirate mother ships and skiffs were reported in the Gulf of Oman, southern Red Sea and the Somali basin, with a number of attacks close to the Straits of Hormuz and the energy routes out of the Arabian Gulf. As of 31 December 2012, Somali pirates still held 104 hostages on eight ships and 23 more were detained on land, pending negotiations for their release.
In Somalia, and elsewhere, vessels most commonly attacked are container ships, bulk carriers and tankers loaded with oil, chemicals and other products. Fishing vessels and other smaller boats are also at risk.
As for West Africa, piracy is rising in the Gulf of Guinea, with 58 incidents recorded in 2012, including 10 hijackings and 207 crew members taken hostage. Pirates in this area are particularly violent, with guns reported in at least 37 of the attacks. Benin is an exception, showing a sharp fall from 20 incidents (including eight hijackings) in 2011 to two (including one hijacking) in 2012.
Nigeria accounted for 27 incidents in 2012, with four vessels hijacked, 13 vessels boarded, eight fired upon and two attempted attacks. Only 10 incidents were reported in 2011, including two hijackings. Togo has also seen an increase from five reports in 2011 to 15 in 2012, including four hijackings.
Off the Ivory Coast, five incidents were reported in 2012, up from one in 2011. In the last quarter of 2012, a panamax product tanker was hijacked by suspected Nigerian pirates off Abidjan, the first such recorded vessel hijacking off the Ivory Coast. This shows the increased range of Nigerian pirates.
Elsewhere, in Southeast Asia four vessels were hijacked, including a Malaysian tanker which was subsequently recaptured in Vietnam in the last quarter of 2012.
Across the Indonesian archipelago, there were 81 reports of petty theft, accounting for more than a quarter of global incidents in 2012. Thirty vessels were attacked in the last quarter of 2012. Reports from Indonesia have increased yearly since 2009. Vessels were boarded in 73 incidents and 47 crew members taken hostage. Fourteen incidents were reported at Belawan
by ships anchored or berthed.
IMB offers the latest piracy reports free of charge. To request a PDF version of the report by email, please visit:
http://www.icc-ccs.org/piracy-
Latest attacks may also be viewed on the IMB Live Piracy Map at: http://www.icc-ccs.org/piracy-
(For information about operations worldwide contact the respective GAC office. Details may be found in the ‘Contacts’ section of www.gac.com)
Source: Extracts from International Maritime Bureau (www.icc-ccs.org) news briefing dated 16 Januaru 2013
DATE: January 16, 2013 COUNTRY: Hong Kong PORT: Hong Kong – Marine site investigation at Reserved Dangerous Goods Anchorage
For approximately 4 weeks, marine site investigation works involving drilling of boreholes will be carried out [at the Reserved Dangerous Goods Anchorage, East of Kau Yi Chau] in the area bounded by straight lines joining the following co-ordinates (WGS 84 Datum) from (A) to (D):
(A) 22 deg. 17.378’N / 114 deg. 05.555’E
(B) 22 deg. 17.457’N / 114 deg. 05.742’E
(C) 22 deg. 17.101’N / 114 deg. 05.899’E
(D) 22 deg. 17.019’N / 114 deg. 05.717’E
The works will be carried out by one flat top barge. One tug and one motor boat will provide assistance.
A working area of approximately 50 metres will be established around the barge. Yellow marker buoys fitted with yellow flashing lights will be laid to mark the positions of the anchors extending from the barge.
The hours of work will be from 0700 to 1900 hours. No work will be carried out on Sundays and public holidays. Vessels employed for the works will stay in the works area outside the hours of work.
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.8 of 2013 dated 15 January 2013
DATE: January 16, 2013 COUNTRY: Hong Kong PORT: Hong Kong – Seawall reinstatement, landing steps construction & drainage outfall reconstruction
For approximately 6 months, marine works involving seawall reinstatement, landing steps construction and drainage outfall reconstruction will be carried out [at Tseung Kwan O] within the area bounded by straight lines oining the following co-ordinates (WGS 84 Datum) from (A) to (J) and the adjacent shoreline:
(A) 22º 18.267’N / 114º 15.900’E
(B) 22º 18.260’N / 114º 15.915’E
(C) 22º 18.109’N / 114º 15.831’E
(D) 22º 18.067’N / 114º 15.796’E
(E) 22º 18.058’N / 114º 15.751’E
(F) 22º 18.058’N / 114º 15.432’E
(G) 22º 17.994’N / 114º 15.434’E
(H) 22º 17.994’N / 114º 15.364’E
(J) 22º 18.093’N / 114º 15.364’E
The works will be conducted by one split hopper barge and two derrick barges. One tug will provide assistance. 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 around each derrick barge will be established. Yellow marker buoys fitted with yellow flashing lights will be laid to mark the positions of the anchors extending from the barges.
A silt curtain, extending from the sea surface to the seabed, will be established within the works area. The 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 curtain.
Diving operations will be carried out from time to time during the hours of work.
The hours of work will be from 0700 to 1900 hours. No works will be carried out on Sundays and public holidays. Vessels engaged in the works will stay in the works area outside the hours of work.
Vessels engaged in the works will display signals as prescribed in international and local regulations.
Vessels navigating in the vicinity should proceed with caution and keep clear at slow speed, bearing in mind there are divers working in the area.
(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.6 of 2013
DATE: January 16, 2013 COUNTRY: Mexico PORT: all ports -Ports close for foul weather
It is understood that the Cayo Arcas terminal, FSO Ta’kuntah and FPSO Yuum Kak Naab will close today (16 January) on the basis of bad weather forecast for the Gulf of Mexico.
Pemex Terminal is also reported to be considering the possible closure of the Pemex Cayo Arcas port for about three days. Ports and terminals are expected to re-open on 19 January.
The expected foul weather is the result of a new cold front bringing strong winds of up to 90 km per hour (about 45 knots) and high seas. The affected area includes Tampico, Cd. Madero, Altamira, Tuxpan, Veracruz, Coatzacoalcos, Pajaritos, Dos Bocas and the Cantarell (Cayo Arcas) area.
For information about operations in Mexico, contact GAC-Tomas Ruiz at gac-tomasruiz.mexico@gac.com
DATE: January 16, 2013 Bunker Update: MARKET PRICE UPDATE 16/01/12
GAC Bunker Fuels Ltd Pricing Alert
MARKET PRICE UPDATE 16/01/12
180 CST 380 CST MGO MDO
Aberdeen 0 0 0 0
Aden 725.00 0 1, 110. 0 0
Alexandria 720.00 710.00 1, 170.00 0
Amsterdam 621.00 596.00 923.00 0
Antwerp 634.00 604.00 954.00 0
Aqaba 0 0 1, 050.00 0
Bahrain 0 0 1, 068.00 0
Barrow 0 0 0 0
Busan 659.00 643.00 980.00 970.00
Cape Town 668.00 0 1, 095.00 0
Colombo 730.00 705.00 1, 115.00 0
Dubai 640.00 625.00 850.00 0
Durban 635.00 0 1, 110.00 0
Falmouth 684.50 639.00 996.50 0
Fawley 0 0 0 0
Felixstowe 0 0 0 0
Fujairah 645.00 617.00 1, 010.00 0
Gibraltar 726.50 690.50 1, 004.50 0
Grangemouth 0 0 0 0
Harwich 0 0 0 0
Hong Kong 650.50 647.00 968.00 963.00
Houston 718.00 625.00 1, 000.00 0
Immingham 0 0 0 0
Invergordon 0 0 0 0
Istanbul 675.50 645.50 1, 013.50 0
Jeddah 705.00 690.00 1, 090.00 0
Kaohsiung 671.00 664.00 1, 014.00 999.00
Kuwait 626.50 621.50 0 989.00
Leith 0 0 0 0
Malta 713.50 686.50 974.50 0
Mersey 0 0 0 0
Milford Haven 0 0 0 0
Mumbai 651.50 646.50 1, 069.00 0
New York & New Jersey 660.00 630.00 1, 040.00 0
Newport 0 0 0 0
Nigg Bay 0 0 0 0
Panama 725.00 640.00 1, 050.00 0
Piraeus 736.50 708.50 978.50 0
Plymouth 0 0 0 0
Port Said 710.00 685.00 1, 095.00 0
Qatar 0 0 925.00 0
Ramsgate 0 0 0 0
Rio de Janeiro 649.00 625.00 1, 020.00 0
Rotterdam 629.00 604.00 931.00 0
Salalah 697.00 657.00 1, 175.00 0
Shanghai 674.50 657.50 1, 074.00 0
Sharjah 640.00 625.00 850.00 0
Sheerness 0 0 0 0
Singapore 638.00 631.00 937.00 0
St Petersburg 583.50 568.50 0 0
Suez 695.00 680.00 1, 090.00 0
Tees 0 0 0 0
Thames 0 0 0 0
Present in seven locations worldwide, GAC Bunker Fuels, part of the GAC group, is a global broker and trader of marine fuels and lubricants.
The prices listed are for indication purposes only, and local offices should be approached directly for firm prices.
Middle East & Africa:bunker.ae@gac.com Europe: bunker.gb@gac.com Egypt & Mediterranean: bunker.eg@gac.com Americas:bunker.us@gac.com Asia Pacific: bunker.sg@gac.com Indian Subcontinent: bunker.sl@gac.com
Contact Martyn McMahon on +971 566032534 or Martyn.mcmahon@gac.com quoting HPN for more information or with your bunker enquiry.
* For the 15th of Jan 2013
