| NEW SUEZ CANAL RULES OF NAVIGATION Egypt, Suez |
| WORLD HOLIDAYS: NIGERIA, 1 JANUARY 2016 Nigeria |
| WORLD HOLIDAYS: TURKEY, 31 DECEMBER 2015 TO 3 JANUARY 2016 INCLUSIVE Turkey |
| WORLD HOLIDAYS: PANAMA, 31 DECEMBER – 2 JANUARY INCLUSIVE Panama |
| MAT SINKING UNIT (MSU) TEMPORARILY DEPARTING LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER USA, New Orleans |
| FIREWORK SAFETY ZONES USA, New Orleans & Baton Rouge |
| VTS RADIO COMMUNICATIONS IN THE 81 MILE POINT AREA USA, New Orleans & Baton Rouge |
| MOORING AND UNMOORING OF VESSELS AT TUAS FINGER ONE PROJECT AREA Singapore, Tuas Finger One |
| New Suez Canal rules of navigation |
| Wednesday, December 30, 2015, Egypt, Suez |
| The Suez Canal Authority advises that items 5, 6 and 7 of Article One, circular number 5/2015, have been amended as follows:5) A new edition of Suez Canal Rules of Navigation, December 2015, has been issued
6) Paper Charts have been issued for the new Suez Canal as follows: SCO1 from Port Said to Great Bitter Lakes (Edition 1, dated 15 July 2015) SCO2 from Great Bitter Lakes to Port of Suez (Edition 1, dated 15 July 2015) 7) The Charts, Rules of Navigation and publications are available from Edwardo Marine Services Co (edwardomarine.com). For information about operations in Egypt, contact GAC Egypt at gac.com/egypt. |
| World Holidays: Nigeria, 1 January 2016 |
| Wednesday, December 30, 2015, Nigeria |
| The Federal Government of Nigeria has declared Friday 1 January 2016 a public holiday to mark the New Year celebrations. Normal work resumes Monday 4January 2016.For information about operations in Nigeria, contact GAC Nigeria at gac.com/nigeria. |
| World Holidays: Turkey, 31 December 2015 to 3 January 2016 inclusive |
| Wednesday, December 30, 2015, Turkey |
| All official institutions and banks will be closed from 31 December to 3 January inclusive. Please take this into consideration when planning crew, spares, provisions and other arrangements. Additionally, some ports may be closed between these dates and service costs (pilotage, towage, mooring, customs) will be increased by 50%. Please check with GAC Turkey before communicating with any Turkish Port.For information about operations in Turkey, contact GAC Turkey at gac.com/turkey. |
| World Holidays: Panama, 31 December – 2 January inclusive |
| Wednesday, December 30, 2015, Panama |
| Banks and government offices will close tomorrow 31 December at noon and remain closed until 3 January when normal services resume. Please take into consideration when planning that clearance of spare parts, OK-to-board Panama Visa and Cash to Masters may be delayed during this period.For information about operations in Panama, contact GAC-Wilford & Mackay at gac.com/panama. |
| Mat Sinking Unit (MSU) temporarily departing Lower Mississippi River |
| Wednesday, December 30, 2015, USA, New Orleans |
| As advised by the Louisiana Maritime Association, the Mat Sinking Unit (MSU) is in the process of departing the Lower Mississippi River (LMR) to assist with bank stabilization concerns in the Corps’ St. Louis District.The MSU is not expected to return to the LMR until new assignments are addressed in the fall of 2016.
For information about operations in the USA, contact GAC USA at gac.com/usa. |
| Firework Safety Zones |
| Wednesday, December 30, 2015, USA, New Orleans & Baton Rouge |
| All vessels are prohibited from entering this safety zone unless they have been granted permission by the Captain of the Port New Orleans or designated representative.Baton Rouge – MM 229.5 to MM 231.0 – effective from 11:45 pm December 31, 2015 until 12:30 am local on January 1, 2016
New Orleans – effective from 11:45 pm December 31, 2015 until 12:30 am local on January 1, 2016. For information about operations in the USA, contact GAC USA at gac.com/usa. |
| VTS Radio Communications in the 81 Mile Point Area |
| Wednesday, December 30, 2015, USA, New Orleans & Baton Rouge |
| Radio communications with New Orleans Traffic in the vicinity of 81 Mile Point operations are below normal standards due to storm damage to equipment at the Vacherie Tower. Patience is requested while repairs are completed.For information about operations in the USA, contact GAC USA at gac.com/usa. |
| Mooring and unmooring of vessels at Tuas Finger One project area |
| Wednesday, December 30, 2015, Singapore, Tuas Finger One |
| The Maritime & Port Authority of Singapore has announced the following update to Port Marine Notice No. 112 of 2015 on the Reclamation Work at Tuas View, off Temasek Fairway, from 01 Oct 2015 to 30 Apr 2016.During this period, bulk carriers, self-propelled barges and pusher tugs with barges in composite unit carrying bulk sand will be transiting the Temasek Fairway to the Tuas Finger One reclamation project area.
Masters of vessels and harbour craft should keep a proper lookout for these vessels, proceed at a safe speed and navigate with extreme caution when in the vicinity of the mooring buoys off eastern part of Tuas View Extension. Mooring buoys ‘HSPBV-MB2’, ‘HSPBV-MB2A’, ‘HSPBV-MB3’ and ‘HSPBV-MB3A’ and with a total of two mooring slots between them have been laid for use by the bulk carriers. The positions of the mooring buoys are as follows (WGS 84 Datum): Name Latitude (N) Longitude (E) Light Characteristic HSPBV-MB2 01deg. 15.469’N 103deg. 38.131’E Fl. Y. 3s HSPBV-MB2A 01deg. 15.469’N 103deg. 38.304’E Fl. Y, 3s HSPBV-MB3 01deg. 15.469’N 103deg. 38.417’E Fl. Y. 5s HSPBV-MB3A 01deg. 15.469’N 103deg. 38.589’E Fl. Y. 5s The mooring and unmooring of vessels will be carried out one at a time during daylight hours between 0700 hrs to 1800 hrs. The mooring buoys will be removed upon completion of the reclamation. For information about operations in Singapore, contact GAC Singapore at gac.com/singapore. |
