Your daily news service from ports around the world.
In this HOT PORT NEWS, read about:
* Germany, Kiel Canal – Strike action ended
* United States, Houston, Texas – Pilot services suspended due to fog
* United States, Houston, Texas – Texas City Y response continues: port
open to traffic
* United States, Houston, Texas – Houston Ship Channel Safety Zone still in
effect
* Singapore, Singapore – Soil investigation & installation of temporary
jetty
* Singapore, all ports – Online appointment system at one-step document
centre
DATE: March 28, 2014
COUNTRY: Germany
PORT: Kiel Canal
Strike action ended
The strike in the Kiel Canal ended at 0600 hours this morning (28 March).
At Brunsbuettel, the big south lock chamber and both small lock chambers
are back in service.
At Kiel-Holtenau, both big lock chambers and the small north lock chamber
old locks are also back in service.
For vessels with LOA greater than 125m and/or draft of 6, 5m or more, the
the current waiting times prior entering the Canal are:
– Kiel-Holtenau: about 1 hour
– Brunsbuettel: about 9 hours
(For information about operations in Germany contact the GAC UK Hub Agency
Centre at hub.gb@gac.com)
Source: Sartori & Berger – GAC agent
DATE: March 28, 2014
COUNTRY: United States
PORT: Houston, Texas
Pilot services suspended due to fog
—————
Houston and GalTex Pilots have suspended services due to fog.
Dense fog is expected to linger in Galveston Bay with maximum visibility of
4-5 NM mid afternoon. Dense fog is expected to settle again after sunset.
A cold front is expected to arrive at the coast between 0300 and 0500
tomorrow morning (29 March) which will dissipate any fog.
For information about operations in the USA contact GAC USA at usa@gac.com
DATE: March 28, 2014
COUNTRY: United States
PORT: Houston, Texas
Texas City Y response continues: port open to traffic
—————
The Captain of the Port of Houston/Galveston opened the bay to all traffic
yesterday (Thursday 27 March) after multiple clean-up assessments and input
from the Texas Department of State Health Services.
While the safety zone remains in effect, all restrictions are lifted except
to transit using safe distance and minimum safe speeds in the vicinity of
any oil spill response or salvage operations and to avoid all areas of
sheening or visible oil.
If any oil is sighted, boaters should report it to the National Response
Center at 1-800-424-8802.
UPDATE (20:00 hours CET):
A Safety Zone has been established off Matagorda Bay which will impact
ocean vessels but not traffic in the ICW. Ocean vessels will be dealt with
on a case by case basis.
An incident command center has been set-up to handle oil that is projected
to land in the Matagorda Bay area. Coast Guard, Corpus Christi has now
established a Safety Zone in the area which will impact ocean going vessels
but not traffic on the ICW.
De-contamination stations are still in place in Houston-Galveston for
vessels that have been contaminated. Vessels that are currently in the
contaminated zones are requested to perform a self-assessment and report
their status to Coast Guard at 832-244-1870.
The contaminated zones are the ports of Texas City, Galveston and the
channels leading to those ports. In addition, Coast Guard reported that
some oil did pass through the jetties and drifted to the south. – Coast
Guard is asking vessels anchored south of the jetties to perform a self
assessment as well.
CBP has advised that they have issued a blanket 24 hour extension of all
clearances.
For information about operations in the USA contact GAC USA at usa@gac.com
DATE: March 28, 2014
COUNTRY: United States
PORT: Houston, Texas
Houston Ship Channel Safety Zone still in effect
—————
Mariners are advised the safety zone for the “Texas City Y” incident
remains in effect, as follows:
The safety zone encompasses the Houston Ship Channel from Galveston Bay
Entrance Channel Lighted Buoy 1/B to Light 44, the Texas City Channel from
Lighted Buoy 1 to Light 17, the Galveston Channel from Lighted Buoy 1 to
the Pelican Is Bridge, and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway from Bolivar
Light 14 to Galveston Freeport Cut off Channel B 20.
For information about operations in the USA contact GAC USA at usa@gac.com
DATE: March 28, 2014
COUNTRY: Singapore
PORT: Singapore
Soil investigation & installation of temporary jetty
—————
From 31 March to 6 April, soil investigation works and installation of a
temporary jetty on the side of Jurong Island, off Temasek will be carried
out.
According to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore’s Port Marine
Notice No.42 of 2014 dated 28 March 2014, the works will be conducted 24
hours daily – including Sundays & Public Holidays – within the working
area, divided into three sectors, and bounded by the following coordinates
(WGS 84 Datum):
SECTOR 1:
1. 1⁰ 16.499’N 103⁰ 39.558’E
2. 1⁰ 16.417’N 103⁰ 39.617’E
3. 1⁰ 16.263’N 103⁰ 39.399’E
13. 1⁰ 16.142’N 103⁰ 39.228’E
14. 1⁰ 16.333’N 103⁰ 39.362’E
15. 1⁰ 16.433’N 103⁰ 39.440’E
16. 1⁰ 16.061’N 103⁰ 39.496’E
SECTOR 1A:
3. 1⁰ 16.263’N 103⁰ 39.399’E
4. 1⁰ 16.205’N 103⁰ 39.329’E
5. 1⁰ 16.174’N 103⁰ 39.303’E
6. 1⁰ 16.147’N 103⁰ 39.287’E
7. 1⁰ 16.109’N 103⁰ 39.271’E
12. 1⁰ 16.082’N 103⁰ 39.228’E
13. 1⁰ 16.142’N 103⁰ 39.228’E
SECTOR 1B:
7. 1⁰ 16.109’N 103⁰ 39.271’E
8. 1⁰ 16.069’N 103⁰ 39.263’E
9. 1⁰ 16.040’N 103⁰ 39.262’E
10. 1⁰ 16.010’N 103⁰ 39.263’E
11. 1⁰ 15.970’N 103⁰ 39.273’E
12. 1⁰ 16.082’N 103⁰ 39.228’E
Soil investigation work will be carried out by means of borehole drilling
using jack-up barges. One jack-up barge will be working on only one
borehole at a time.
The jack-up barge, with tug boats in attendance, will have a circular
safety working zone of 30 meters radius centered at the barge. Tugboats
will be used for shifting the barge from one borehole location to another.
Installation of temporary jetty in Sector 1 will entail transportation of
logistics and use of crane barge for pilling work and construction of
pontoon.
Safety boats will be deployed in the vicinity of the working areas to warn
other craft of the project work.
Craft involved in the works will exhibit the appropriate local and
international day and night signals.
When in the vicinity of the working areas, mariners are reminded to:
(a) keep well clear and not to enter the working areas;
(b) maintain a proper lookout;
(c) proceed at a safe speed and navigate with caution;
(d) maintain a listening watch on VHF Channel 22 (West Jurong Control);
and
(e) communicate with West Jurong Control on VHF Channel 22 for assistance,
if required.
For information about operations in Singapore contact GAC Singapore at
singapore@gac.com
DATE: March 28, 2014
COUNTRY: Singapore
PORT: all ports
Online appointment system at one-step document centre
—————
The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) will be introducing an
Online Appointment System to help reduce the customer waiting time at
One-Stop Document Centre (OSDC).
With effect from 1 Apr 2014, customers will be able to book their
appointment with MPA online prior to their visit to OSDC. To make an
appointment, customers can access it via the Marinet e-services main page.
Appointments are available for booking from Monday to Friday, 8.30am to
5.00pm (closed from 1.00pm to 2.00pm).
For more information, you may refer to the user guide at the following
link.
(http://marinet.mpa.gov.sg/xr/
.pdf)
Customers are encouraged to book an appointment with OSDC, to avoid long
waiting time, as priority will be given to those with an appointment. In
order to allow other customer to enjoy the benefits of the appointment
system at OSDC, please keep to your appointment date and time, or change
your appointment early if you cannot make it.
(For information about operations in Singapore contact GAC Singapore at
singapore@gac.com)
Source: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore Port Marine Circular No.06
of 2014 dated 27 March 2014
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