Your daily news service from ports around the world.
In this HOT PORT NEWS, read about:
* United States, Boston, Massachusetts – New voluntary Right Whale Speed Restriction Zone
* Hong Kong, Hong Kong – Submarine outfall inspection works off Stonecutters Island
* Australia, Cairns – Towage service tariffs to rise
* Ukraine, Sevastopol – Special permission required for vessels at merchant port
DATE: March 04, 2014
COUNTRY: United States
PORT: Boston, Massachusetts
New voluntary Right Whale Speed Restriction Zone
A voluntary vessel speed restriction zone (Dynamic Management Area – DMA)
has been established south of Nantucket to protect an aggregation of 3
right whales sighted in this area on March 1, 2014.
This DMA is in effect immediately through March 16, 2014. Mariners are
requested to route around this area or transit through it at 10 knots or
less.
VOLUNTARY DYNAMIC MANAGEMENT AREAS (DMAs)
Mariners are requested to avoid or transit at 10 knots or less inside the
following areas where persistent aggregations of right whales have been
sighted. Please visit www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/shipstrike for a graphic
depicting this area.
Nantucket DMA — in effect through March 16, 2014
41 13 N
40 33N
070 36W
069 44W
ACTIVE SEASONAL MANAGEMENT AREAS (SMAs)
Mandatory speed restrictions of 10 knots or less (50 CFR 224.105) are in
effect in the following areas:
Cape Cod Bay SMA – in effect through May 15, 2014
Off Race Point SMA – in effect through April 30, 2014
Mid-Atlantic SMAs – in effect through April 30, 2014
Southeast SMAs – in effect through April 15, 2014
For recent right whale sightings, visit:
www.nefsc.noaa.gov/psb/surveys/sasinteractive2.html
Download the whale alert app for iPad and iPhone:
stellwagen.noaa.gov/protect/whalealert.html
For an automatic return email listing all current U.S. dynamic management
areas and seasonal management areas, please send a blank message to:
ne.rw.sightings@noaa.gov
Details and graphics of all ship strike management zones currently in
effect: www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/shipstrike
Acoustic detections in Cape Cod Bay and the Boston TSS:
www.listenforwhales.org
Approaching a right whale closer than 500 yards is a violation of federal
and state law. Please report all right whale sightings to: 866-755-noaa
(8866)
Additional email addresses may subscribe to this distribution list by
visiting: www.nero.noaa.gov/shipstrike/
(For information about operations in the USA contact GAC USA at
usa@gac.com)
Source: NOAA Fisheries – U.S. Department of Commerce
DATE: March 04, 2014
COUNTRY: Hong Kong
PORT: Hong Kong
Submarine outfall inspection works off Stonecutters Island
For a period of approximately one week, submarine outfall inspection works
[are being] carried out [off Stonecutters Island] within the area bounded
by straight lines joining the following co-ordinates (WGS 84 Datum) from
(A) to (D):
(A) 22º 19.083’N / 114º 07.603’E
(B) 22º 19.073’N / 114º 07.588’E
(C) 22º 19.105’N / 114º 07.526’E
(D) 22º 19.115’N / 114º 07.542’E
The works will be carried out by a work boat. A guard boat will provide
assistance.
A working area of approximately 25 metres around the work boat will be
established. The hours of work will be from 0800 to 1700 hours. Vessels
engaged in the works will not stay in the works area outside the hours of
work.
Diving operations will be carried out from time to time during 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 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.30 of 2014
DATE: March 04, 2014
COUNTRY: Australia
PORT: Cairns
Towage service tariffs to rise
Svitzer, the towage provider at Cairns, Queensland, has advised that the
tariff for towage services at the port will increase by an average of 5%
from 1 April 2014.
This follows the conclusion of a tariff review and analysis which
identified cost increases that necessitated the adjustment in order to
maintain operations at current levels and continue to meet the service
requirements of the port
Further, the definition of “job duration” has been amended to be from the
time that the tug leaves the tug berth to the tug is dismissed from the
job. In the event that the tug is performing consecutive jobs, the job time
for the second job will start from when she is dismissed from the previous
job.
For information about operations in Australia contact GAC Australia at
shipping.australia@gac.com
DATE: March 04, 2014
COUNTRY: Ukraine
PORT: Sevastopol
Special permission required for vessels at merchant port
Vessels entering and leaving the merchant port of Sevastopol are doing so with special permission. Operations at Sevastopol fishing port and the Yugtorsan oil terminal are continuing as usual.
All other ports in the country are operating as per usual without any delays.
For information about operations in Ukraine contact GAC-Maxmarin at gac-maxmarin.ukraine@gac.com
GAC is the world’s leading provider of services and solutions for the global Shipping, Logistics and Marine industries.
“Jo”
