ICE CONDITION II: Steel Hull Restrictions update
February 18, 2015, United States, Delaware River
The Captain of the Port (COTP) Delaware Bay is notifying mariners that Ice Condition II has been modified to expand STEEL HULL RESTRICTIONS in the Delaware River.
There have been reports of ice formation that may impact navigation throughout the COTP zone. All masters, ship agents, owners, and operators of all vessels, marine facilities, and marinas should review and adhere to the following Ice Condition II procedures for the Delaware River and its tributaries, the Delaware Bay, and NJ and DE coasts:
* Only steel hull vessels may operate in the Delaware River north of the Betsy Ross Bridge, in the Salem River, and within the Chesapeake and Delaware (C&D) Canal.
* Vessels should be able to maneuver unassisted through the ice without needing to stop, back off and ram the ice.
* Vessel moorings should be checked frequently to ensure the vessel is adequately moored.
* Vessels at anchor should maintain their engines on standby at all times when ice is present.
* Vessel sea chests should be checked regularly for ice buildup and precautions should be taken to ensure that the sea chests are kept clear.
* Vessels at anchor should ensure that proper bridge watches are stood at all times.
* Mariners are cautioned that buoys may become extinguished or dragged off station and minor lights and day beacons may become destroyed due to ice.
* The COTP Delaware Bay may establish additional requirements for specific geographic areas of the COTP Zone if conditions warrant such restrictions.
Refer to [the] website for additional information regarding ice operations within the Sector Delaware Bay zone at http: www.uscg.mil/d5/sectDelawarebay.
Updates to ice conditions can be heard by calling the Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay Ice Hotline at (215) 271-4995.
Mariners are also requested to keep the Coast Guard informed of any major ice developments, or discrepant Aids.
(For information about operations in the USA contact GAC USA at usa@gac.com)
Source: U.S. Coast Guard, Sector Delaware Bay, Marine Safety Information Bulletin No.05-15 dated 17 February 2015
Construction of Aviation Park staging ground & Changi East Finger work extension
February 18, 2015, Singapore, Singapore
From 19 February to 31 March, construction works will be carried out for the Aviation Park staging ground & Changi East Finger work extension.
According to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore Port Marine Notice No.21 of 2015, the works will be conducted 24 hours daily – including Sundays & Public Holidays – within the working area bounded by the following co-ordinates (WGS 84 Datum):
1) 01 deg. 21.340’N / 104 deg. 02.416’E
2) 01 deg. 21.464’N / 104 deg. 02.520’E
3) 01 deg. 21.226’N / 104 deg. 02.827’E
4) 01 deg. 20.843’N / 104 deg. 02.821’E
5) 01 deg. 20.707’N / 104 deg. 02.626’E
6) 01 deg. 20.707’N / 104 deg. 02.358’E
7) 01 deg. 20.498’N / 104 deg. 02.387’E
8) 01 deg. 20.495’N / 104 deg. 02.095’E
9) 01 deg. 20.866’N / 104 deg. 01.748’E
The construction of Aviation Park Staging Ground will involve the provision of installation of buoys, construction and management of the staging ground and related activities, including environmental monitoring and surveys.
The construction of Changi East Finger extension will involve sand filling, installation of prefabricated vertical drain, vibro-flotation, stone revetment, scouring protection, construction and removal of instrumentation clusters, as well as the installation and removal of silt barricades. The works will be carried out by the work barges.
Safety boats will be deployed to warn other craft in the vicinity of on-going work.
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 and navigate with caution;
d) Maintain a listening watch on VHF Channel 21 (Sembawang Control);
and
e) Communicate with Sembawang Control on VHF Channel 21 for assistance, if required.
For information about operations in Singapore contact GAC Singapore at singapore@gac.com
Tropical Cyclone Warning for East Queensland
February 18, 2015, Australia, Gladstone
The Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology has issued TROPICAL CYCLONE ADVICE NUMBER 1 at 4:48 am this morning (18 February).
It is expected to shift towards the southwest during today and Thursday, possibly intensifying to a tropical cyclone before crossing the east Queensland coast between St Lawrence and Double Island Point early Friday (in the Mackay and Gladstone regions).
As such preparations have begun to ensure all port sites at Hay Point/DBCT and Gladstone are organised should this event occur.
Gladstone;s Harbour Master has declared that the entire Gladstone Region is at Blue Alert Status (Gladstone Region Extreme Weather Plan at msq.qld.gov.au/Safety/Preparing-for-severe-weather.aspx refers) for both flood and cyclone events.
All vessel owners, Masters and Agents in the Gladstone Region are to take precautions and make plans accordingly.
It is expected that if the Tropical Low continues to intensify, becomes a Tropical Cyclone and follows its predicted track that some or all of the Region will progress to Yellow Alert Status at or after 0600 on tomorrow (Thursday 19 February) and to Red Alert Status at or after 1800. Again plans should be made to fit these expected timings, although they will be refined as the situation develops in the coming hours.
As of 1200 local time today (Wednesday 18 February), shipping movements into Gladstone Harbour, Port Alma and Bundaberg have been suspended. Departures and movements within the Ports will continue as planned at this time.
Once a Yellow Alert is declared, vessels in the Ports will be directed to sail by VTS Gladstone in accordance with the Regional Shipping Schedule.
For further details and information about operations in Australia contact GAC Australia at shipping.australia@gac.com
Heavy snow disrupting operations
February 18, 2015, Turkey, Turkish Straits
Vessel traffic in the Turkish Straits and ports (especially in northern parts) is being disrupted by heavy snowfall.
Most flights into Istanbul have been cancelled.
Further, GAC husbandry operations have been halted due to the snowfall. Services, especailly in the Turkish Straits, will be performed weather permitting.
For information about operations in Turkey contact GAC Turkey at turkey@gac.com
GAC Bunker Fuels Ltd Pricing Alert
Market Price Update 18/02/2015
| COUNTRY | 180 CST | 380 CST | MGO | MDO |  |
|
|
Aberdeen | 0 | 0 | 396.00 | 0 | |
|
Aden | 405.00 | 395.00 | 870.00 | 0 | |
|
Alexandria | 0 | 635.00 | 1, 000.00 | 0 | |
|
Antwerp | 352.00 | 327.00 | 570.00 | 0 | |
|
Aqaba | 0 | 440.00 | 810.00 | 0 | |
|
Bahrain | 0 | 0 | 684.00 | 0 | |
|
Bergen | 0 | 0 | 600.00 | 0 | |
|
Busan | 400.00 | 383.00 | 583.00 | 570.00 | |
|
Cape Town | 445.00 | 0 | 708.00 | 0 | |
|
Colombo | 435.00 | 435.00 | 700.00 | 0 | |
|
Dubai/Sharjah/Rak | 415.00 | 405.00 | 630.00 | 0 | |
|
Durban | 376.00 | 0 | 670.00 | 0 | |
|
Falmouth | 376.00 | 391.00 | 688.00 | 0 | |
|
Fujairah | 410.00 | 395.00 | 760.00 | 0 | |
|
Gibraltar | 390.00 | 372.00 | 609.00 | 0 | |
|
Hambantota | 435.00 | 435.00 | 710.00 | 0 | |
|
Houston | 407.00 | 356.00 | 667.00 | 0 | |
|
Istanbul | 388.00 | 363.00 | 643.00 | 0 | |
|
Jeddah | 400.00 | 390.00 | 850.00 | 0 | |
|
Kuwait | 415.00 | 400.00 | 1, 100.00 | 0 | |
|
Labuan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
|
Las Palmas | 38, 500.00 | 355.00 | 905.00 | 0 | |
|
Malta | 438.00 | 401.00 | 584.00 | 0 | |
|
Mumbai | 665.00 | 400.00 | 848.00 | 0 | |
|
New York/New Jersey | 421.00 | 366.00 | 657.00 | 0 | |
|
Panama | 420.00 | 377.00 | 645.00 | 0 | |
|
Piraeus | 417.00 | 390.00 | 590.00 | 0 | |
|
Port Louis | 0 | 470.00 | 790.00 | 0 | |
|
Port Said | 740.00 | 635.00 | 1, 100.00 | 0 | |
|
Qatar | 0 | 0 | 620.00 | 0 | |
|
Richards Bay | 385.00 | 0 | 1, 008.00 | 0 | |
|
Rio de Janeiro | 371.00 | 347.00 | 778.00 | 0 | |
|
Rotterdam | 342.00 | 323.00 | 564.00 | 0 | |
|
Salalah | 495.00 | 445.00 | 915.00 | 0 | |
|
Santos | 374.00 | 352.00 | 806.00 | 0 | |
|
Seychelles | 0 | 0 | 710.00 | 0 | |
|
Shanghai | 422.00 | 370.00 | 789.00 | 0 | |
|
Singapore | 389.00 | 373.00 | 586.00 | 0 | |
|
St Petersburg | 174.00 | 158.00 | 436.00 | 0 | |
|
Suez | 575.00 | 380.00 | 900.00 | 0 | |
|
West Africa – Abidjan | 450.00 | 388.00 | 670.00 | 0 | |
|
West Africa – Lome | 0 | 380.00 | 655.00 | 0 | |
|
West Africa – Luanda | 480.00 | 431.00 | 671.00 | 0 |
GAC is a global provider of integrated shipping, logistics and marine services dedicated to helping customers achieve their strategic goals at the highest levels of quality, safety and compliance.
“Jo”
