Hot Port News from GAC
04-Sep-2019
UNIFICATION OF RULES FOR REBATES FOR TRANSITING VESSELS
Suez Canal, Egypt
DORIAN FORECAST TO MOVE ‘DANGEROUSLY CLOSE’ TO FLORIDA & GEORGIA
United States
PORTS CLOSE AHEAD OF HURRICANE DORIAN
United States
Unification of rules for rebates for transiting vessels
Wednesday, September 4, 2019, Suez Canal, Egypt
The Suez Canal Authority has a new periodical unifying the rules of all rebates granted to vessels transiting Suez Canal on long haul trips, effective from 31 October 2019.
It amends the period for submitting rebate documents to one calendar year (1 year) starting from the day following the date on which the vessel transited Suez Canal, instead of three years (3 years).
The item concerning the submission of the rebate documents within six months (6 months) shall be cancelled where all rebate documents concerning the vessel’s voyage should be submitted as one package.
For further details and information about operations in the Suez Canal, contact GAC Egypt at suezcanal@gac.com
Dorian forecast to move ‘dangerously close’ to Florida & Georgia
Wednesday, September 4, 2019, United States
At 500am EDT (0900 UTC), the center of Hurricane Dorian was near latitude 29.2 North, longitude 79.5 West and moving toward the north-northwest near 8mph (13 km/h), with a northwest or north-northwest motion is expected through this morning. A turn toward the north is forecast by this evening, followed by a turn toward the north-northeast on Thursday morning.
On this track, the core of Hurricane Dorian will move dangerously close to the Florida east coast and the Georgia coast through tonight. Its center is forecast to move near or over the coast of South Carolina and North Carolina Thursday through Friday morning.
Maximum sustained winds are near 105mph (165 km/h) with higher gusts. Some weakening is expected during the next couple of days, and Dorian is expected to remain a powerful hurricane during the next few days.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 60 miles (95km) from the center, and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 175 miles (280km).
WIND: Tropical storm conditions are currently affecting portions of the northeastern coast of Florida, and should begin along the Georgia coast later this morning.
Hurricane conditions are expected somewhere within the Hurricane Warning area in Florida today. Tropical storm conditions will begin within the Hurricane Warning area in the Carolinas later today, with hurricane conditions by tonight.
STORM SURGE: The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline.
RAINFALL: Dorian is expected to produce the following rainfall totals through Friday:
– Coastal Carolinas: 5-10 inches, isolated 15 inches.
– Atlantic Coast from Daytona Beach, Florida to the Georgia-South Carolina border: 3-6 inches, with isolated 9 inches near the Georgia coast.
– Southeast Virginia: 3-6 inches.
This rainfall may cause life-threatening flash floods.
SURF: Large swells will affect the northwestern Bahamas, and the entire southeastern United States coast from Florida through North Carolina during the next several days. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
TORNADOES: A tornado or two are possible near the immediate east coast of Florida through tonight. This risk will shift to along the immediate Georgia coast and the coastal Carolinas today into Thursday.
(For information about operations in the Americas, contact the GAC Houston Hub Agency Center at hub.us@gac.com)
Source: Extracts from National Hurricane Center, Miami FL, Hurricane Dorian Advisory No.44 issued at 500am EDT on Wednesday 4 September 2019
Ports close ahead of Hurricane Dorian
Wednesday, September 4, 2019, United States
The ports of Charleston SC, Jacksonville FL and Savannah GA were closed yesterday (3 September) and today (4 September) as Hurricane Dorian approaches parts of the Georgia and Carolina coast.
Port Everglades, which had been closed on Sunday (1 September), re-opened yesterday.
Meanwhile, Hurricane Port Status Yankee is set at the ports of Tampa FL and Wilmington DE, X-Ray at Norfolk VA and Whiskey at Philadelphia PA.
For information about operations in the United States, contact GAC North America at usa@gac.com
