Your daily news service from ports around the world.
In this HOT PORT NEWS, read about:
* United States, all ports – Ecuador National Holidays/May 2013
* United States, all ports – Hurricane Seasonal Alert Initiated in the Port of New York and New Jersey
* Singapore, Singapore – REPAIR WORK AT TUAS EXPLOSIVE JETTY, TUAS VIEW
* Trinidad & Tobago, all ports – T&T Meteorological Service notice on the start of the rainy season
DATE: May 21, 2013
COUNTRY: United States
PORT: all ports
Ecuador National Holidays/May 2013
Please note that May 24th will be a National Holiday in Ecuador, hence most public services will be closed. Ports and terminals will work normally during these days. Our office will be closed, however skeleton staff will be attending port operations properly. E-mails will be checked on a regular basis.
For further information, please contact Ultramar Ecuador at ecuador.unw@ultramarnetwork.
Source: Ultramar Network Ecuador – GAC agent
DATE: May 21, 2013
COUNTRY: United States
PORT: all ports
Hurricane Seasonal Alert Initiated in the Port of New York and New Jersey
In preparation for hurricane season, the Captain of the Port (COTP) New York recommends the following action to ensure the New York and New Jersey maritime communities are prepared in the event hurricane conditions affect
this area. The following actions apply at this time:
1. Review Coast Guard Captain of the Port New York’s Hurricane and Severe Weather Plan for the Port of New York and New Jersey. The plan is available to download at http://homeport.uscg.mil/
Local Contingency Plans.
2. Conduct training with vessel/facility personnel to ensure all employees are aware of the potential risks and responsibilities associated with hurricanes.
3. Standard Severe Weather Practices for the COTP New York Zone are outlined below. These standards apply year-round, whether resulting from a hurricane, tropical storm, Nor’easter, or any other adverse weather resulting in high winds. The COTP may, at his discretion, impose additional restrictions not specifically listed below and may enact these practices based on actual or predicted conditions. Consult the Captain of the Port New York Hurricane and Severe Weather Plan for additional requirements. a. Winds sustained at 15 kts or gusting to 20 kts from the North or Northwest while on an ebb current:
(1) All barges in the Bay Ridge anchorage shall have tugs alongside.
b. Winds sustained at 25 kts regardless of the wind or current direction:
(1) All barges or “dead ships” in any anchorage not attached to a permanent mooring (i.e., Robbins Reef mooring ball) shall have tugs alongside.
(2) All ships and tugs in an anchorage shall have their engines on-line.
(3) All ships engaged in bunkering or lightering operations may have no more than one barge along side.
c. Gale Conditions: Winds sustained at 34 kts regardless of the wind or current direction:
(1) All ships at anchor in Bay Ridge, Gravesend, Perth Amboy, or Anchorage 19 shall have a pilot aboard.
(2) All lightering and bunkering operations shall be suspended with all barges removed from anchored vessels.
(3) Based on their ship’s particular characteristics and loading conditions, masters of ships at anchor should consider ordering tugs to assist their vessels in maintaining position in the anchorage.
(4) Vessels with a stability letter for protected waters route shall cease all passenger operations.
d. Winds sustained at 40 kts regardless of the wind or current direction:
(1) The transfer of hazardous cargo between vessels or barges and
waterfront facilities shall be suspended.
(2) All ships in Stapleton Anchorage shall have a pilot aboard or on immediate standby. All ships in all other anchorages within the port shall have a pilot aboard.
(3) Barges may be ordered out of specific anchorages by the Captain of the Port. Tug/barge combinations may go to a berth or transit to an area, such as north of the George Washington Bridge, and anchor/ride out the storm. Tug/barge combinations will not be ordered out of the Port of New York and New Jersey.
(4) Depending on the actual harbor conditions, the Captain of the Port may impose restrictions on vessel movements into, out of, or within specific areas of the Upper or Lower Bay.
(5) Unattended barges attached to mooring balls shall have a tug standing by in the immediate vicinity.
e. Winds sustained at 60 kts regardless of the wind or current direction:
(1) The Captain of the Port may impose a complete harbor closure affecting all commercial operations. Light tugs assisting other vessels/barges and emergency vessels will normally be the only vessels allowed to operate during these conditions.
f. Line of severe thunderstorms or Squall line approaching the area with expected winds greater than 25 kts:
(1) The Captain of the Port may impose any of the restrictions outlined above as early as necessary to ensure safety measures are in place prior to the onset of the severe weather.
For any further inquiries, pls contact Commander, United States Coast Guard, Sector New York on (718) 354-2353.
Source: United States Coast Guard
DATE: May 21, 2013
COUNTRY: Singapore
PORT: Singapore
REPAIR WORK AT TUAS EXPLOSIVE JETTY, TUAS VIEW
Pls be advised repair of the jetty will entail piling, concrete works and construction of dolphins deck. Piling and concrete works will be carried out by crane barges. Work barges will be deployed for the transportation of construction materials. Marine surveys will be carried out on completion of construction works.
Safety boat will be deployed in the vicinity to warn other craft to keep clear of the working area.
Please call Capt. Dilshad Ahmad at Tel: 6325 2419 (or Fax: 6325 2430) for clarification of this Port Marine Notice.
Source: MARITIME AND PORT AUTHORITY OF SINGAPORE
DATE: May 21, 2013
COUNTRY: Trinidad & Tobago
PORT: all ports
T&T Meteorological Service notice on the start of the rainy season
This is to inform the arrival of the first rain-producing Tropical Wave for 2013 last night (Sunday, 19 May, 2013) heralds the beginning of the 2013 rainy season. Given our weather-related history it has occurred just on time. This signals for Trinidad and Tobago a consistent intervention of Tropical Waves and the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) into our weather over the next seven (7) months. In essence, expect to see more episodes of rain in the coming months than the daily bouts of sunshine we have been experiencing.
Preliminary analysis indicates this year’s rainy season should be very productive – more so than is usual. Over the years, the months of June, July and August have been coincident with the period our country has received the most amount of rainfall with July in particular standing above the others. There is no reason to believe that the 2013 rainy season will play out otherwise.
At present, the quick succession of Tropical Waves is not firmly established. So, there may be a reprieve following the passage of this wave. The stay, however, will be short-lived especially with the expected start of the Tropical Atlantic Hurricane Season on 01 June, 2013. This year the season is forecast to be a very active one with the formation of 18 named Storms, 9 Hurricanes and 4 Major Hurricanes (Categories 3 and above). Historically, the averages for named
Storms, Hurricanes and Major Hurricanes are 12, 7 and 2 respectively.
Therefore, the overall picture weather-wise calls for a prepared public.
The Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service will continue to do its part in terms of early warning. In this regard, pay attention to the daily weather forecasts and updates. These are released 6:00am, 10:00am, 3:00pmand 6:00pm. forecast updates the previous.
For cases of expected moderate to severe weather impacts, Information or Severe Weather Bulletins will be released accordingly.
Riverine Flood Bulletins will be issued whenever river levels, given current and expected rainfall, threaten to defeat maximum carrying capacities.
Finally, Tropical Storm/Hurricane Watch/Warnings will be issued whenever the effects of these systems are expected to be felt by this country in 36/48 hours.
Source: Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service
