Hot Port News from GAC
27-Apr-2020
STAYATHOME ORDER & BORDER CLOSURE EXTENDED
Trinidad & Tobago
TERMINAL OPERATIONS CONTINUING AMID QUARANTINE
Subic Bay, Philippines
PRESIDENT EXTENDS STATE OF EMERGENCY
Kazakhstan
EXTENSION OF PAYMENT DEADLINE FOR PORT DUES
Antwerp, Belgium
FLIGHT BAN EXTENDED
Cyprus
MARINE SITE INVESTIGATION AT JOSS HOUSE BAY
Hong Kong
EXEMPTIONS/REMISSION OF PORT CHARGES
Cochin, India
StayAtHome Order & border closure extended
Monday, April 27, 2020, Trinidad & Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago’s StayAtHome Order and closure of the border has been extended until 15 May and the Government will take additional actions to intensify compliance.
The decision on whether the border will reopen, or the closure be further extended, will be made on 10 May.
For shipping, agents and port authorities are conducting shore side boarding. Masters are requested to send boarding documents to the authorities by email.
For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in Trinidad & Tobago, contact GAC Trinidad & Tobago at trinidad@gac.com
Terminal operations continuing amid quarantine
Monday, April 27, 2020, Subic Bay, Philippines
Amid the extended Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), Subic Bay International Terminal [SBITC] remains open and operational 24/7.
As usual, we are able to berth all vessels upon arrival. As of this morning, our current yard utilization is healthy at 41% with zero (0) trucks on queue.
SBITC, BOC-Subic, and SBMA operating hours remain unchanged as detailed below.
Subic Bay International Terminal Corporation (SBITC)
– Terminal Operations: 24 / 7 hours
– Billing Operations: Monday – Friday, 8:00am – 5:00pm / Saturday: 8:00am – 12:00nn
Bureau of Customs – Subic (BOC-Subic)
– Assessment Division: Monday – Friday, 8:00am – 5:00pm
– Operations Division: Monday – Friday, 8:00am – 5:00pm
– BOC X-Ray Inspection Project (XIP) Field Officers: Monday – Friday, 9:00am – 8:00pm
– Office of the District Collector: Monday – Friday, 8:00am – 5:00pm
*On-call officers will be available to provide service after office hours and as need arises.
Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA)
Seaport Department (on skeletal workforce)
– Port Operations Division: 24 / 7 hours
– Terminal Operations Division: 24 / 7 hours
– Port Management Division (document processing): Monday – Friday, 9:00am – 5:00pm / Documentation cut-off: 3:00pm
Trade Facilitation & Compliance Department (TFCD) (on skeletal workforce)
– Monday – Friday, 9:00am – 5:00pm
Accounting Department (on skeletal workforce)
– Monday – Friday, 9:00am – 5:00pm
TIPO Gate, which is used by containers trucks and other vehicles, remain open for entry and exit of cargoes. SBFZ Entry Protocols remain unchanged from the SBITC Email Advisory sent last March 30, 2020.
(For information about operations in the Philippines, contact GAC Philippines at philippines@gac.com)
Source: Official Subic Bay International Container Terminal Advisory No.2020-00075 dated 27 April 2020
President extends State of Emergency
Monday, April 27, 2020, Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan’s President Tokayev has signed a decree extending of the State of Emergency until 11 May.
The State of Emergency is planned to be lifted on that date, unless a new major outbreak of COVID-19 occurs.
For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in Kazakhstan, contact GAC Kazakhstan at kazakhstan@gac.com
Extension of payment deadline for port dues
Monday, April 27, 2020, Antwerp, Belgium
To support companies in the port in these exceptional circumstances, Antwerp Port Authority has agreed to let them delay payment of port dues for seagoing ships and barges.
Due to the problems caused by the Covid-19 pandemic the Antwerp port community has asked the Port Authority for support measures.
After consulting Alfaport, the Port Authority has agreed to extend the payment deadline for port dues to 48 days instead of 30 days for barges and 18 days for seagoing ships. This deferment of payment applies to all ships calling the port of Antwerp from 1 May to 30 June, and may subsequently be extended if necessary. For maritime shipping, this delay is applied to tonnage dues & berthing dues.
A similar deferment is being prepared for concessions and will be submitted to the Port of Authority Board of Directors for discussion at the end of May.
(For information about operations in Belgium, contact GAC Belgium at agency.antwerp@gac.com)
Source: Alfaport-VOKA/Antwerp Port Authority announcement at www.portofantwerp.com
Flight ban extended
Monday, April 27, 2020, Cyprus
The Cypriot Ministry of Transport, Communications and Works announced on Friday (24 April) that the flight ban in force has been extended from Thursday 30 April until Sunday 17 May.
For information about operations in Cyprus, contact GAC Cyprus at cyprus@gac.com
Marine site investigation at Joss House Bay
Monday, April 27, 2020, Hong Kong
For approximately 2 months, marine site investigation works involving drilling of boreholes will be carried out within the area bounded by straight lines joining the following co-ordinates (WGS 84 Datum) from (A) to (D) and the adjacent shoreline:
(A) 22 deg. 16.009’N / 114 deg. 16.773’E
(B) 22 deg. 16.009’N / 114 deg. 16.932’E
(C) 22 deg. 15.594’N / 114 deg. 16.731’E
(D) 22 deg. 15.780’N / 114 deg. 16.481’E
The works will be carried out by two floating barges and two jack-up platforms. One tug will provide assistance.
A working area of approximately 80 metres around each barge will be established. Yellow marker buoys fitted with yellow flashing lights will be laid to mark the positions of the anchors extending from the barge. Yellow flashing lights will be installed at the four corners of each jack-up platform to indicate its position.
The hours of work will be from 0700 to 1900 hours. No works will be carried out on Sundays and public holidays. Vessels employed for the works will stay in the works area 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.60/2020
Exemptions/remission of port charges
Monday, April 27, 2020, Cochin, India
To support and rebuild the logistic chain which has been adversely impacted due to the COVID-19 pandemic and local-down measures, the Ministry of Shipping (Mos), Government of India, has decided to grant some relief to logistics chain related businesses, including traders, importers, exporters, port operators, shipping lines, transporters, etc.
The MoS has directed to grant exemption/remission of charged levied on the port users during the period of lock-down, i.e. from 22 March to 3 May 2020.
Cochin Port shall grant reliefs in port charges, as directed by the Ministry. M/s India Gateway Terminal Pvt Ltd has also agreed to extend such benefit to the trade…
…The remissions/waivers/deferments stipulated shall be applicable only to port related activities, industries and commercial establishments…
(For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in India, contact GAC India at india@gac.com)
Source: Extract from Cochin Port Trust Trade Notice No.1/2020 dated 27 April 2020
