Hot Port News from GAC

A non-specified channel with a width of about 110 metres is provided for vessels navigating along the Tung Chung buoyed channel to pass through the works area.

A working area of approximately 50 metres will be established around each working vessel. Yellow marker buoys fitted with yellow flashing lights will be laid to mark the positions of the anchors extending from the working vessels.

The hours of work will be round-the-clock.

Vessels engaged in the works will display signals as prescribed in international and local regulations.

Vessels navigating in the vicinity should proceed with caution.

(For information about operations in Hong Kong contact GAC Hong Kong at shipping.hongkong@gac.com)

Source: Government of the Hong Kong SAR  Marine Department Notice No.125 of 2017

For information about operations in the United States contact GAC USA at usa@gac.com

All USCG regulated facilities within the COTP zone shall conduct a self-assessment as outlined in the Sector Houston-Galveston Heavy Weather Contingency  Plan – Annex E and  submit it to houstonfac@uscg.mil or MSUTexasCityFacilities@USCG.mil as appropriate.  The “Comments” section under each question provides space to document any issues or non–conformities and provide a summary of your plans to ensure safe and secure cargo transfers in the interim.

Once assessments are received Coast Guard personnel will assume your facility is ready for operations.

Any vessel moored to a facility that has submitted their assessment to the Coast Guard and is capable of facilitating safe cargo operations may do so in accordance with their Operations Manual.

The Coast Guard will work diligently to complete checks of all regulated facilities.  These checks focus on the ability to safely conduct cargo operations, maintain adequate security, and the ability to enact the facility’s response plan. Facilities that are currently ready for normal operations will not have their operations unduly delayed solely due to these checks; however, all  regulated  facilities will be subject to a check as a part of the port restoration process.

As a reminder, the recent increase in current and water levels may have altered the bottom conditions at your berths, you are reminded that it is the facility’s responsibility to provide safe berth to all visiting vessels.  It is highly encourage that facility operators conduct a dock survey to ensure vessels docking have sufficient water depth.

As the waterway opens, Vessel Traffic Services will coordinate movements within the Vessel Traffic Service area.

The Sector Houston-Galveston Heavy Weather Contingency Plan can be found at:  http://homeport.uscg.mil/houstongalveston

(For information about operations in the United States contact GAC USA at usa@gac.com)

Source: U.S. Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston Marine Safety Information Bulletin 13-17

• Draft restriction not to exceed 43′. Coordinate closely with Aransas-Corpus Christi Pilots to avoid meeting/overtaking situations.
• All foreign registered vessels 100 gross tons or larger, all domestic tank vessels 10,000 gross tons or larger, and all domestic non-tank vessels 1,600 gross tons or larger must
  1) conduct one way transits only;
  2) have a minimum of 2 pilots for each transit; and
  3) transit during daylight hours only.

The Calhoun Port Authority/Matagorda Ship Channel is open with the following restrictions:

• Draft restriction not to exceed 30′. Coordinate closely with Matagorda Bay Pilots to avoid meeting/overtaking situations.
• All foreign registered vessels 100 gross tons or larger, all domestic tank vessels 10,000 gross tons or larger, and all domestic non-tank vessels 1,600 gross tons or larger must
  1) conduct one way transits only; and
  2) transit during daylight hours only.

The Port of Brownsville is open with no restrictions.

The Gulf Intracoastal Waterway is open between Mile Marker 492 (Victoria Barge Canal) West to Mile Marker 668 (Brownsville).

For information about operations in the United States contact GAC USA at usa@gac.com

1. Pre-Arrival (formally eqpar)
2. Pre-Arrival for Non first port of entry
3. Ballast Water
4. Human Health
5. Domestic Ballast Risk Assessment

The new forms are available online at http://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity/avm/vessels/mars/mars-offline-forms#offline-forms

For information about operations at Australian ports, contact GAC Australia at shipping.australia@gac.com