Your daily news service from ports around the world.
In this HOT PORT NEWS, read about:
* Germany, Kiel Canal – Kiel Canal remains closed
* Mozambique, all ports – Caution urged in Mozambique ports
* United States, all ports – Nontank Vessel Response Plan Final Rule
* Singapore, Singapore – Construction of offshore containment bund
DATE: October 30, 2013
COUNTRY: Germany
PORT: Kiel Canal
Kiel Canal remains closed
The Kiel Canal remains closed until further notice as the damaged vessel
involved in a collision earlier in the week has not yet been stabilised in
satisfactorily.
Further securing measurements are in progress.
A decision as to whether the Canal can be opened for vessels up to a
certain size will be taken tomorrow (31 October) at the earliest.
(For information about operations in Germany contact the GAC UK Hub Agency
Centre at hub.gb@gac.com)
Source: Sartori & Berger, Germany – GAC agent
DATE: October 30, 2013
COUNTRY: Mozambique
PORT: all ports
Caution urged in Mozambique ports
Ship owners and operators with vessels calling at Mozambique’s ports are
being urged to exercise caution, in particular at the port of Beira, in
light of the increasing difficult political situation in the country.
The past few months have seen renewed hostilities between the Mozambique’s
opposition party Renamo and the government forces of the ruling Frelimo
party, culminating in an attack on the Renamo headquarters on 21 October.
At the country’s principal ports – Maputo, Beira, Quelimane, Nacala and
Pemba – security is reported to be intact. All hostilities so far have been
inland.
Ship owners and operators trading to Mozambique are urged to request
updated information from their agents and warn crew members going ashore
and leaving the confines of ports to exercise particular care. This applies
particularly in Beira which is in Sofala district and where the Renamo
headquarters were attacked.
For information about operations in Mozambique contact the GAC Hub Agency
Centre in Dubai at hub.ae@gac.com
DATE: October 30, 2013
COUNTRY: United States
PORT: all ports
Nontank Vessel Response Plan Final Rule
The “Nontank Vessel Response Plans and Other Response Plan Requirements”
(NTVRP) final rule, which was published in the Federal Register on
September 30, 2013, requires vessel owners or operators of nontank vessels
400 gross tons and above to prepare and submit oil spill response plans for
vessels operating on the navigable waters of the United States.
Additionally, the final rule requires the submission of a Vessel Response
Plan (VRP) Control Number with the vessel’s advance notice of arrival.
Since August 2008, the Coast Guard has been enforcing the statutory
requirement to prepare and submit oil spill response plans for nontank
vessels 1, 600 gross tons or greater and has been issuing 2-year Interim
Operating Authorization (IOA) letters to demonstrate compliance.
EFFECTIVE DATE VS. IMPLEMENTATION DATE
The NTVRP final rule has both an effective date and implementation
(compliance) date. The effective date of October 30, 2013 is when the final
rule enters into force. The final rule also establishes January 30, 2014 as
the date of compliance by which a vessel owner or operator is required to
submit and operate under a vessel response plan that meets the new
regulatory requirements of Title 33, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR),
Part 155, Subpart J.
As a result, existing IOAs will remain valid until the compliance date of
January 30, 2014, or until they are replaced with a new approval letter or
IOA that specifically refers to compliance with “Title 33, Code of Federal
Regulations, Part 155, Subpart J.” Nontank vessels with existing IOAs must
resubmit their plan, with required revisions, for approval before the
compliance date in order to receive a Subpart J compliant approval letter
or IOA.
NOTICE OF ARRIVAL REQUIREMENTS
This final rule also requires the submission of VRP Control Numbers for
both tank and nontank vessels as part of already required notice of arrival
information listed in Title 33, Code of Federal Regulations, Part
160.206(a). The Coast Guard’s electronic notice of arrival (eNOA) online
form already requires a submitter to check a box when they have a nontank
VRP and provides a control number entry field when the box is checked in
the affirmative.
Nontank vessels should continue to submit their VRP Control Number in this
manner. At this time, no such prompt or entry field exists for tank
vessels. Therefore, until an entry field is added to the eNOA submission
form for tank vessels, the Coast Guard advises tank vessel owner or
operators to list their tank VRP Control Numbers in the eNOA comments
field.
Since the October 30, 2013 effective date of this requirement does not
align with the January 30, 2014 compliance date for submission of nontank
VRPs, and to ensure consistency with our previous enforcement policy for
nontank vessels 1, 600 gross tons and above, the Coast Guard will enforce
this new notice of arrival submission requirement by the following eNOA
submission timelines:
1. October 30, 2013 – Tank Vessels
2. October 30, 2013 – Nontank Vessels (1, 600 gross tons or greater; use VRP
Control Number listed in existing IOAs)
3. January 30, 2014 – Nontank Vessels (400 – less than 1, 600 gross tons)
Additional questions regarding this matter should be forwarded to the
Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance, VRP Program by email at
vrp@uscg.mil.
(For information about operations in USA contact GAC USA at usa@gac.com)
Source: U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Information Bulletin No.38-13 dated
25 October 2013
DATE: October 30, 2013
COUNTRY: Singapore
PORT: Singapore
Construction of offshore containment bund
From 1 November 2013 to 1 April 2014, construction work for an offshore
containment bund will be conducted off Tuas View.
According to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore’s Port Marine
Notice No.145 of 2013 dated 30 October 2013, the work will be carried out
24 hours daily – including Sundays & Public Holidays – within the working
area bounded by the following coordinates(WGS 84 Datum):
1) 01° 15.333’N / 103° 37.094’E
2) 01° 15.333’N / 103° 38.769’E
3) 01° 14.926’N / 103° 38.769’E
4) 01° 14.647’N / 103° 38.769’E
5) 01° 14.647’N / 103° 38.660’E
6) 01° 14.647’N / 103° 38.143’E
The construction work will involve the supply and delivery of sand, filling
and formation of sand bund, provisions of temporary moorings and temporary
facilities, management of dumping and related activities including
environmental monitoring and management, surveys and tracking of vessels.
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 appropriate VHF Channel 22;
and
e) communicate with Jurong Control on VHF Channel 22 for assistance, if
required.
For information about operations in Singapore contact GAC Singapore at
singapore@gac.com
GAC is the world’s leading provider of services and solutions for the
global Shipping, Logistics and Marine industries.
