Hot Port News from GAC
29-Feb-2020
WORLD HOLIDAYS: 1-14 MARCH 2020
Worldwide
PREVENTIVE MEASURES AGAINST COVID-19
Cotonou, Benin
PORTS’ PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES
France
CREW CHANGE OR VESSEL ATTENDANCE
Turkey
World Holidays: 1-14 March 2020
Saturday, February 29, 2020, Worldwide
Public holidays around the world in the coming two weeks include the following:
Mon 2 Mar – Clean Monday (Greece/Cyprus)
Sun 8 Mar – International Women’s Day
Tue 10 Mar – Holi (India)
For information about operations around the world contact the respective GAC office. Details may be found at www.gac.com
Preventive measures against COVID-19
Saturday, February 29, 2020, Cotonou, Benin
Cotonou port being a maritime border which is regularly used by several users and foreigners, the Cotonou Port Authority invites all it staff and users to implement the following preventive measures to reduce the risk of infection on the port platform:
– Wash your hands regularly with soap and water or with hydro alcoholic gel;
– Avoid direct physical contact with sick people;
– Wear a mask or gloves if you go to densely populated areas (boarding formalities);
– Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or the crook of your elbow before coughing or sneezing;
– Do not come into contact with objectively sick animals;
– Do not consume undercooked meat, unpasteurized dairy products, raw foods (salads, fruits, raw vegetables) if you cannot be sure that they have been previously washed with decontaminated water;
– Avoid close unprotected contact with people having fever and cough and consult a doctor in case of fever, cough and breathing difficulties.
All port operators (stevedores, shipping agents, forwarding agents, transporters) are invited to implement the above measures in order to preserve the health of their staff and port users to avoid the horrors of this virus.
(For information about operations in Benin, contact the GAC Dubai Hub Agency Centre at hub.ae@gac.com)
Source: OMA Benin – GAC agent
Ports’ precautionary measures
Saturday, February 29, 2020, France
As part of precautions being taken to prevent/control the spread of coronavirus, many French ports request calling vessels to submit a Maritime Declaration of Health (MDH), and follow the instructions of the regional health agency.
At Rouen, Brest and Montoir/Donges, vessels must remain at anchorage until further notice and health agency instructions are received.
At La Rochelle/Pallice, they must also await at anchorage/await instructions, and confirm the 10 last ports of all as well as the nationality of crew members. If Chinese nationals are on board, it will be checked if they came on board within the last 14 days. If the MDH is negative but crew members have come aboard within 14 days, the vessel will remain at anchorage for 14 days. If the vessel has called at an infected zone during the last 14 days, it will remain at the anchorage until the 14 days since leaving the infected zone is completed.
At Fos/Martigue, in the case of a positive MDH, the vessel must comply with regional health agency instructions.
At Lyondellbasell Terminal, the last three ports and crew list will be checked. Crew change is forbidden and all crew must remain on board. All personnel boarding the vessel (agents, surveyors, etc) must wear a protection mask.
At Bordeaux and Bayonne, the MDH is not currently requested but the last ten 10 last port calls and crew members’ nationality will be checked. For any problem, the regional health agency will take the necessary decision. If in doubt, it is recommended to call French emergency medical services “call 15”.
(For further details and updates, or information about operations in France, contact the GAC Dubai Hub Agency Centre at hub.ae@gac.com)
Source: SEA-invest Shipping Agency – GAC agent
Crew change or vessel attendance
Saturday, February 29, 2020, Turkey
Captains of vessels that plan to conduct a crew change or have a technician, surveyor, etc attend while calling at a Turkish port must complete the Passenger & Crew Health Declaration, and share the same with their agent to present to the authorities.
For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in Turkey, contact GAC Turkey at turkey@gac.com
