Hot Port News from GAC
14-Apr-2020
STAY AT HOME ORDER EXTENDED
Trinidad & Tobago
UPDATED COVID 19 MEASURES
Canada
SMALL CRAFT TRANSITS DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Panama Canal, Panama
PIRACY & ARMED ROBBERY A THREAT TO SHIPS’ CREWS, WARNS IMB
Worldwide
31 FOREIGN WORKERS MOVED INTO FLOATING ACCOMMODATION
Singapore
FREE STORAGE PERIOD FOR CARGO EXTENDED
Muscat, Oman
PIPE IN SHIP CHANNEL
Corpus Christi, United States
Stay at Home order extended
Tuesday, April 14, 2020, Trinidad & Tobago
The Trinidad & Tobago Government has extended its #StayAtHome Order until 30 April and is taking additional action to intensify the compliance in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
With immediate effect:
Members of the public must wear masks when outside
Hardware (electrical and plumbing) stores to be open only 8am-12noon (Mon to Sat)
Retail services (discount stores, supermarkets, fruit/vegetable stalls, bakeries, corner shops that provide food) to close to the public by 6pm daily
Wholesale stores for provision of food/medicine to be closed by 4pm daily
Pharmacies to be closed to public by 8pm daily
Take away/food services completely closed until 30 April
Crew changes are currently affected as sea and air borders are closed until 30 April. Special permission may be given to vessels already in port for disembarking crew only.
For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in Trinidad & Tobago, contact GAC Trinidad & Tobago at trinidad@gac.com
Updated COVID 19 measures
Tuesday, April 14, 2020, Canada
Prior to arriving at port, vessels must report to Transport Canada Marine Safety and Security (TC MSS) and abide by the below guidelines:
96 hours & 24 hours pre-arrival inspection reports (PAIR): Pay particular attention to the health of crew/passengers and report all relevant symptoms with the PAIR form
Report immediately to TC Marine Safety and Security via email
Transport Canada (TC) will advise the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) who will follow up directly with vessel and provide directives to crew
TC and PHAC will notify other entities as needed
Once a vessel has arrived to anchor or berth, it must inform local health authorities, ship’s agent and TC MSS; Local health authority will issue directives.
Marine Sector Workers who have to travel to Canada to perform their duties to board an international flight destined to Canada are exempt from the ban on entering the country. No traveller may board a flight/enter Canada if they are symptomatic with a fever and cough or a fever and breathing difficulties.
Shore leave is prohibited for both symptomatic and asymptomatic foreign nationals for optional or discretionary purposes such as tourism, recreation or entertainment. Essential shore leave that is not optional or for a discretionary purpose may be granted to an asymptomatic seafarer of a ship, but may not exceed four hours in duration. When granting shore leave, the Master of a vessel shall determine that such leave is essential (e.g. a personal, family or medical emergency) and not discretionary.
For ship inspections, Inspectors must maintain a 2-meter distance from others at all times; Inspectors (TC, CFIA, etc) can travel in the same vehicle/launch only if 2-metre separation can be maintained throughout the transit.
For Port State Control (PSC) Inspections:
Canada will continue to use a risk-based approach in selecting vessels for PSC inspections
On-site inspection will be maintained mostly for foreign vessels identified as High Priority (P1) under regional PSC MOUs; Time onboard and interactions with crew will be minimized as much as possible during these on-site inspections
For other selected vessels (including foreign tankers identified as Medium Priority (P2)), verification done through document review – with the possibility of on-site inspection, if document review not satisfactory
If a ship cannot fulfill convention/statutory requirement despite best efforts (e.g.: challenges to revalidate seafarer or ship certificates or delays in completing required audit, surveys, repairs, etc), TC will take a pragmatic approach to compliance – in accordance with the Paris and Tokyo MOUs guidance on PSC inspections under COVID-19 situation – assessing situation on a case by case basis.
For Asian Gypsy Moth (AGM) inspections, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) are to conduct non-compliant inspections (at anchorage) and import inspections at a particular rate based on risk. Other measures may include requesting additional information prior to inspections to reduce the amount of time spent on a vessel and interacting with crew.
(For information about operations in Canada, contact the GAC Houston Hub Agency Center at hub.us@gac.com)
Source: Robert Reford Shipping Agency – GAC agent
Small craft transits during COVID-19 pandemic
Tuesday, April 14, 2020, Panama Canal, Panama
Due to the current outbreak of Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the Republic of Panama and around the world, through the Ministry of Health (MINSA), the Panamanian government has imposed a total quarantine in the Republic of Panama.
Consequently, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP) deems it necessary to implement strict measures to reduce the exposure to COVID-19 and protect the health of its employees, the Panamanian people, as well as vessels’ personnel, in order to prevent further spread of the virus. Therefore, the following procedures will be implemented for all small craft below 20 m (65 feet) in length overall (LOA) effective April 09, 2020:
Upon arrival at Balboa Anchorage or Cristobal Breakwater, the small craft shall contact the corresponding signal station announcing its arrival and requesting anchoring instructions, if applicable.
All crew and passengers arriving in Canal waters on board pleasure yachts are required to remain aboard under observation and surveillance by Panamanian authorities for a period of not less than 14 calendar days, regardless of port of origin or amount of days at sea.
Upon completion of this 14 day period, they will be evaluated by the Ministry of Health (MINSA) to determine if there is any risk of contagion. Likewise, the master/skipper shall report to Canal and Panamanian health authorities if any passenger or crewmember on board shows virus-related symptoms or any other sickness.
In order for personnel on board to properly maintain quarantine, all transit arrangements shall be made by a representative ashore, such as a local agent or the corresponding marina where the small craft is anchored or moored.
The small craft representative shall call the ACP Admeasurement Unit (tel. 272-4577) in order to provide all the required information.
In addition, the small craft representative shall send to NTOT-AS@pancanal.com the following information:
– Yacht SIN number, name, flag, length (m), beam (m), arrival date confirmation (provided by the representative or the marina)
– Arrival crew list
– Yacht’s register
– Profile picture of the yacht
– Signed Release form
– Completed Handline Lockage Request form
– Copy of all crew passports
The agent or representative shall make arrangements for placement of the transit guarantee, or payment in cash, which shall include tolls and other maritime services, as well as the buffer.
Once the guarantee has been confirmed, the representative or marina shall call the ACP vessel scheduler, at 272-4202 to coordinate their transit date.
In addition to the master/skipper, the small craft shall have at least four line handlers available, as required by ACP regulations. These linehandlers must have already been on board the small craft during the quarantine period mentioned in (2) above.
All other transit requirements remain the same and are available at: http://pancanal.com/common/maritime/forms/4352-2020.pdf
On the day of transit, only the ACP transit advisor will board the small craft and disembark once his assignment has been completed. Only ACP personnel will be permitted to board or disembark the small craft.
The ACP is continuously monitoring the current situation with the COVID-19 pandemic and will announce any changes to these measures in a timely manner.
(For information about operations in the Panama Canal, contact GAC Panama at operations.panama@gac.com)
Source: Panama Canal Authority Advisory To Shipping No. A-14-2020
Piracy & armed robbery a threat to ships’ crews, warns IMB
Tuesday, April 14, 2020, Worldwide
Seafarers face continuing threats from pirates and armed robbers on the world’s seas, says the ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB), reporting 47 attacks in the first three months of 2020, up from 38 in the same period last year. Pirates boarded 37 ships in the first quarter of 2020.
The Gulf of Guinea remains the world’s piracy hotspot. Seventeen crew were kidnapped in three incidents in these waters, at distances of between 45 and 75 nautical miles from the coast…
…IMB’s 24-hour Piracy Reporting Centre (PRC) recorded 21 attacks in the Gulf of Guinea in Q1 2020. Of these, 12 were on vessels underway at an average of 70 nautical miles off the coast. All vessel types are at risk. The perpetrators are usually armed. They approach in speedboats, boarding ships in order to steal stores or cargo and abduct crewmembers to demand a ransom.
While ten vessels were fired upon worldwide for the whole of 2019, four already reported being fired at within Nigerian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the first quarter of 2020. This includes a container ship underway around 130 nm southwest of Brass.
In another incident around 102 nm northwest of Sao Tome Island, another container ship was boarded by pirates. The crew retreated into the citadel and raised the alarm. On receiving the alert, the IMB PRC liaised with Regional Authorities and the vessel operator until the vessel was safe and the crew had emerged from the citadel…
…With many more attacks going unreported, IMB advises seafarers in the region to follow the recently published Best Management Practices West Africa – BMP WA.
…Strategic deployment of Marine Police patrol vessels has resulted in a continued decline in attacks on ships in most Indonesian anchorages and waterways – thanks to positive cooperation between the IMB PRC and the Indonesian Marine Police (IMP). In Q1 2020, just five anchored vessels were reported boarded. These are often low-level armed robbery attacks. The IMB PRC is monitoring the situation and continues to liaise with the IMP as well as other local and regional authorities.
Five ships were boarded while underway in the Singapore Straits – where no attacks were reported in Q1 2019. These low level armed robbery attacks are a distraction to crews navigating in congested waters. In one incident the crew managed to lock their assailants in the storeroom, which enabled their later arrest.
Other violence against seafarers includes the kidnapping of five crew for ransom in an attack on a fishing vessel off Sabah, Malaysia in January 2020. In March, at Macapa Anchorage, Brazil, a watchman was confronted while on duty and held temporarily by a group of robbers. Meanwhile, in the anchorage of Callao, Peru, three crew were apprehended by nine robbers who boarded their vessel to steal ship’s stores. Two crew were injured during the incident. Callao recorded five incidents in the last quarter of 2019 and three this quarter…
(For information about operations around the world contact the respective GAC office. Details may be found at www.gac.com)
Source: Extract from International Maritime Bureau (www.icc-ccs.org) media update dated 14 April 2020
31 foreign workers moved into floating accommodation
Tuesday, April 14, 2020, Singapore
As part of Singapore’s efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19, the first batch of healthy foreign workers has moved into one of the three floating accommodations berthed at Tanjong Pagar Terminal. About 1,300 healthy workers will be progressively relocated to the floating accommodations in batches over the next few weeks.
All workers moving in today have undergone health checks including swab tests and screening for fever or respiratory symptoms. They have also been informed that round-the-clock medical assistance will be available.
To minimise interaction among workers, each room will accommodate only two to three occupants, with sufficient space among workers for safe distancing. All workers will undergo temperature checks twice a day. They may leave their rooms for at least an hour each day at staggered timings for scheduled activities on the open deck. In addition, meals will be delivered directly to their rooms.
Upon arrival, occupants are issued care packs containing masks, thermometers, snacks and instant beverages. They have Wi-Fi access onboard and will each receive a SIM card for internet surfing and communication. They have been advised on a mobile remittance service. Each room is also provided with a kettle and a cleaning kit.
Captain M Segar, Assistant Chief Executive (Operations) of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), said, “By relocating healthy workers to the floating accommodations, we aim to provide a safe environment for them from the spread of COVID-19. We recognise their efforts and contributions to Singapore, and will do our best to take care of their needs and well-being amid the COVID-19 outbreak.”
(For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in Singapore, contact GAC Singapore at singapore@gac.com)
Source: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore news release dated 13 April 2020
Free storage period for cargo extended
Tuesday, April 14, 2020, Muscat, Oman
New facilities have been provided to extend the period of free storage for shipments to the cargo terminal of Muscat International Airport, in order to avoid the spread of coronavirus.
The new free period for general cargo is 96 hours instead of 48 hours and the new free period for perishable cargo and dangerous goods is 72 hours instead of 24 hours.
These changes will be valid until 15 May.
For information about operations in Oman, contact GAC Oman at muscat@gac.com
Pipe in Ship Channel
Tuesday, April 14, 2020, Corpus Christi, United States
Orion Marine reported that three pieces of 24-inch diameter steel pipe are laying on the floor of the Corpus Christi Ship Channel, in approximate position 27 deg. 49’06″N, 097 deg. 11’47″W in vicinity of Flint Hills Ingleside.
The Captain of the Port has established a 44-feet draft restriction from position 27 deg. 49’08″N, 097 deg. 11’38″W (just west of the ICW intersection) to position 27 deg. 49’01″N, 097 deg. 12’13″W (adjacent to light 33) until the pipe pieces have been recovered. No vessels with drafts greater than 44-feet shall transit through the area.
To facilitate safe recovery of the pipe pieces, the Captain of the Port will establish a safety zone in the Corpus Christi Ship Channel from position 27 deg. 49’08″N, 097 deg. 11’38″W (just west of the ICW intersection) to position 27 deg. 49’01″N, 097 deg. 12’13″W (adjacent to light 33) on Thursday April 16, 2020 from 9 A.M. through 3 P.M. No vessel shall transit through the safety zone without permission from the U.S. Coast Guard.
(For information about operations in the United States, contact GAC North America at usa@gac.com)
Source: U.S. Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi Marine Safety Information Bulletin 28-20 dated 13 April 2020
