Hot Port News from GAC

The hours of work will be from 0700 hours to 1900 hours from Monday to Saturday.  Vessels employed for the works will stay in the works locations outside the hours of work.

Vessels engaged in the operations 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.112 of 2018

Silt curtains will be established within the works area.  A silt curtain is a large piece of netting used to contain mud and sediments.

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

Vessels navigating in the vicinity should proceed with caution, bearing in mind the changing depths in the works area.

(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.113 of 2018

Several major LNG investments have been made since then, including initiatives by a number of Swedish shipping companies. This has had a positive impact on the environment, including reduced emissions of sulphur dioxide, particles and nitric oxide into the air in western Sweden.

The Gothenburg Port Authority is now set to extend the discount period and is already outlining a renewed environmental discount.

As part of the Gothenburg Port Authority environmental discount scheme, vessels that report good environmental performance receive a 10% discount on the port tariff, assuming they achieve a certain level according to the globally recognised environmental indexes ESI and CSI. Vessels that run on LNG receive an extra discount of 20% each time they call.

The LNG discount is subject to a time limit and is due to run to the end of this year, although the Port Authority is considering extending the discount period.

LNG is currently the cleanest marine fuel available for large-scale shipping. Use of the fuel began to gather momentum at the Port of Gothenburg in the second half of 2016…

…“A catalyst was necessary to break the deadlock, and the energy discount has been a strong contributing factor behind many players choosing to follow the LNG route,” said Edvard Molitor, Environmental Manager at the Gothenburg Port Authority.

“It took time before it really took off, but today these players are at the LNG forefront at the Port of Gothenburg. Now that the discount period is drawing to a close, we can see that the upward trend is continuing at the port with a growing number of LNG calls. We aim to maintain our support for this development, and we are therefore planning to extend the four-year discount period by a further two years.”…

…In 2019, the LNG discount will be 20% as previously, before being phased out during 2020 with a reduction to 10%. However, during the phase-out period the Port Authority will focus on developing the regular indexed environmental discount, which takes greater account of the vessels’ environmental impact rather than the technology or the fuel used to run the vessel…

…“We will of course continue to support vessels that offer a good environmental profile, but we won’t make any distinction in the discount between vessels that produce the same environmental outcomes. As the environmental effects of LNG operation continue to be good, these will also be incorporated into our future environmental control system,” said Edvard Molitor…

(For information about operations at Swedish ports contact GAC Sweden at sweden@gac.com)

Source: Extracts from Port of Gothenburg (www.portofgothenburg.com) Press Release

According to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore Port Marine Notice No.072 of 2018, the works are being conducted 24 hours daily – including Sundays & Public Holidays –  within the working area bounded by the following coordinates (WGS 84 Datum):
1) 01 deg. 13.323’N / 103 deg. 36.876’E
2) 01 deg. 14.507’N / 103 deg. 36.976’E
3) 01 deg. 14.507’N / 103 deg. 36.901’E
4) 01 deg. 14.289’N / 103 deg. 36.900’E
5) 01 deg. 14.289’N / 103 deg. 36.979’E
6) 01 deg. 14.200’N / 103 deg. 37.005’E
7) 01 deg. 14.210’N / 103 deg. 37.352’E
8) 01 deg. 14.290’N / 103 deg. 37.444’E
9) 01 deg. 14.290’N / 103 deg. 38.553’E
10) 01 deg. 14.380’N / 103 deg. 38.755’E
11) 01 deg. 14.344’N / 103 deg. 38.755’E
12) 01 deg. 14.344’N / 103 deg. 38.991’E
13) 01 deg. 13.851’N / 103 deg. 39.178’E
14) 01 deg. 13.851’N / 103 deg. 37.870’E
15) 01 deg. 13.772’N / 103 deg. 37.688’E
16) 01 deg. 13.486’N / 103 deg. 37.825’E
17) 01 deg. 13.486’N / 103 deg. 37.481’E
18) 01 deg. 13.296’N / 103 deg. 37.571’E
19) 01 deg. 13.296’N / 103 deg. 37.300’E
20) 01 deg. 13.193’N / 103 deg. 37.300’E
21) 01 deg. 13.193’N / 103 deg. 36.901’E
22) 01 deg. 13.323’N / 103 deg. 36.901’E

The soil investigation works will entail borehole drilling, seabed surface sampling and marine cone penetration test. Jack-up barges and crane barges will be used to carry out the soil investigation work. Tug boats will be used to shift the jack-up barges and crane barges. The circular safety zone for the borehole drilling and marine cone penetration test are 50m and 150m respectively.

Self-Discharge Sand Carriers (SDSC) and Trailer Suction Hopper Dredger (TSHD) will discharge sand at the designated temporary area.

A safety boat will be deployed to warn other craft in the vicinity of the working area.

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 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 22 (Jurong Control);
and
e) communicate with Jurong Control on VHF Channel 22 for assistance, if required.

For information about operations in Singapore contact GAC Singapore at singapore@gac.com