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 –   18-Jan-2016
  –   18-Jan-2016
| TEMPORARY OBSTRUCTION OF RIVER Mobile River, Alabama, USA |
| ESTABLISHMENT OF EMISSION CONTROL AREAS IN CHINESE COASTAL WATERS Hong Kong |
| RELOCATION OF SAFETY BUOYS Izmit Bay, Turkey |
| Temporary obstruction of river |
| Monday, January 18, 2016, Mobile River, Alabama, USA |
| There will be a partial blockage of the Mobile River on or about Tuesday, January 19, 2016 from approximately 0600 until 1500 in the Mobile River in the vicinity of Austal Shipyard and BAE shipyard to facilitate the roll out and launching of the EPF-7.During the operations, there will be limited passing of vessels in that location. There may be times during the operations that vessels can proceed at a slow bell in that vicinity but only after agreement from the on scene Harbor Pilots. The Harbor Pilots will be conducting the movement of the EPF and they can be reached on channel 13 or 65 VHF/FM to arrange for passing arrangements, if deemed possible.The Contact person for Austal Shipyard is Susan Brigitha of Austal’s Marine test and activation division and can be reached at (251) 401-5950. Contact this office if you have additional questions.(For information about operations in the USA contact GAC USA at usa@gac.com)
Source: Alabama State Port Authority Harbor Master Notice to Shipping No.01-16 dated 15 January 2016 |
| Establishment of Emission Control Areas in Chinese Coastal Waters |
| Monday, January 18, 2016, Hong Kong |
| On 4 December 2015, the Ministry of Transport of China (MOT) announced the scheme to establish emission control areas (ECAs) in the three main coastal waters of Pearl River Delta, Yangtze River Delta and Bohai Rim in order to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides and particulate matter from ships and to improve the air quality of the Mainland cities, in particular in the vicinity of the coastal and inland waters.The main control measures of the scheme which will be implemented on and after 2016 in the ECAs are summarized below: a. Starting from 1 January 2016, the existing requirements for control of emissions of nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides and particulate matter from ships as set out in the Annex VI of the MARPOL Convention and domestic regulations will be strictly enforced. Ports with favorable conditions within the ECAs may implement measures which are more stringent than the mandatory control measures, e.g. to require ships at berth to use fuel oil with sulphur content not exceeding 0.5% m/m; b. Starting from 1 January 2017, ships shall switch to use fuel oil with sulphur content not exceeding 0.5% m/m while berthing (except for the first hour after arrival and the last hour prior to departure) in core ports inside the ECAs; c. Starting from 1 January 2018, ships shall switch to use fuel oil with sulphur content not exceeding 0.5% m/m while berthing (except for the first hour after arrival and the last hour prior to departure) in all ports inside the ECAs; d. Starting from 1 January 2019, ships enter ECAs shall use fuel oil with sulphur content not exceeding 0.5% m/m; and e. Ships may use shore power, clean fuel and exhaust gas treatment system as an alternative means to the above mentioned measures.The scheme is applicable to ships which are sailing, anchoring or operating within the ECAs, but military vessels, sport boats and fishing vessels are excluded.The announcement (in Chinese) can be found on MOT’s webpage at http://www.moc.gov.cn/zfxxgk/ Owners, masters and operators with ships operating in the designated ECAs in the Mainland should observe the new requirements. (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.10 of 2016 dated 15 January 2016 |
| Relocation of safety buoys |
| Monday, January 18, 2016, Izmit Bay, Turkey |
| The safety buoys at Izmit Bay have been relocated as follows due to works on Izmit Bay Suspension Bridge.Red Buoys R-1 40 45 11.8336 N 029 30 25.0038 E R-2 40 45 06.1614 N 029 31 25.0680 E Green Buoys G-1 40 44 58.9729 N 029 30 22.8244 E G-2 40 44 53.2936 N 029 31 22.9652 EAll vessels trading in the area must sail between the coordinates 029 30 E and 029 32 E at maximum 5 knots and reading at all times VHF 16 and 12. Please inform the masters of your vessels trading in the area to act in line with VTS instructions and take all related precautions accordingly.For information about operations in Turkey contact GAC Turkey at turkey@gac.com |
