Hot Port News from GAC

1. The Arabian Gulf and west of India up to port of Kochi. A reduction of 30% of Suez Canal normal dues.
2. East of port of Kochi west of India just up to port of Singapore, a reduction of 40% of Suez Canal normal dues.
3. Singapore and its eastern ports, a reduction of 50% of Suez Canal normal dues.

Conditions of applying:

1. Any company wishing to benefit from this circular has to submit a request before transit through its shipping agency.
2. The ship must not call any port in between port of origin and port of destination for commercial purposes provided that ship’s operator must forward a formal declaration about that.
3. In case of calling at in between ports for non- commercial purposes, the authorities of these ports have to submit a certificate to the SCA, stating the reasons of calling.
4. Submitting a certificate from the last port of origin stating the date of sailing and a certificate from the first port of arrival stating the date of arrival.
   All documents or part of them shall be submitted within 60 days from the date of transit. In case of delay to submit some of these documents or objection to them, they could be completed in a maximum period of 180 days from the date of transit.
5. A statement submitted by ship’s agency undertaking to pay the granted reduction in case of calling in between ports for commercial purposes, or failing to submit the documents during the period stated above.

The tanker has no right to benefit from other rebates granted by SCA to LNG tankers,  beside that rebate subject of this circular.

This circular takes effect as of 1/10/2017 for one year as an experimental period.

(For information about operations in the Suez Canal contact GAC Egypt at suezcanal@gac.com)
Source: Suez Canal Authority Circular No.7/2017

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) requires all vessels transiting the Great Barrier Reef and Torres Strait area have the current user guide on board.

The links for the new guide and marine order M063 vessel reporting system are:

https://www.msq.qld.gov.au/-/media/MSQInternet/MSQFiles/Home/shipping/Shipping-movements/REEFVTS/reef-user-guide-2017.pdf?la=en

https://www.msq.qld.gov.au/-/media/MSQInternet/MSQFiles/Home/shipping/Shipping-movements/REEFVTS/MO63_vessel_reporting_system_2015.pdf?la=en

For information about operations in Australia contact GAC Australia at shipping.australia@gac.com

This is on the basis of instructions conveyed by BOI Head Quarters that no sign on/sign off of seamen is permitted at outer anchorage (Port lighterage area) except in exigencies like medical emergencies where sign off can be done after obtaining permission from the Civil authority and that in normal cases Immigration formalities should be carried out on arrival at existing berth.

(For information about operations in India contact GAC India at india@gac.com)

Source: Deputy Chief Immigration Officer, Cochin International Seaport