Hot Port News from GAC
22-May-2020
CONSTRUCTION WORKS SOUTH-EAST OF AIRPORT
Hong Kong
TEMPORARY WIND MONITORING STATION OFF BASALT ISLAND, SAI KUNG
Hong Kong
EXTRA CHARGES FOR BOATMEN’S SERVICES
Nantes, Montoir, Donges & Saint Nazaire, France
ENHANCEMENT TO CREW CHANGE FOR CARGO SHIPS
Singapore
SEVERE WEATHER FORECAST FOR WEEKEND
Port Kembla, Australia
UPDATED BERTHING POLICY & TARIFF STRUCTURE
Mundra, India
EID HOLIDAY
Turkey
PORT OPS TO CONTINUE THROUGH EID HOLIDAY
Sohar, Oman
Construction works south-east of airport
Friday, May 22, 2020, Hong Kong
For approximately 24 months, marine works involving removal of toe loading platform and barging point, and reinstatement works will be carried out [south-east of the Hong Kong International Airport] in the area bounded by straight lines joining the following co-ordinates (WGS 84 Datum) from (A) to (E) and the adjacent shoreline:
(A) 22 deg. 18.749’N / 113 deg. 56.561’E
(B) 22 deg. 18.639’N / 113 deg. 56.663’E
(C) 22 deg. 18.134’N / 113 deg. 56.599’E
(D) 22 deg. 17.777’N / 113 deg. 56.409’E
(E) 22 deg. 17.687’N / 113 deg. 56.303’E
Yellow marker buoys fitted with yellow flashing lights will be laid to mark the boundary of the works area at co-ordinates from (B) to (D).
The works will be carried out by a flotilla of working vessels including two derrick lighters, one pelican barge, two guard boats, and one bulk carrier. One tugboat and one work boat will provide assistance. The number of vessels engaged in the works will change from time to time to suit operational requirements.
A working area of approximately 50 metres will be established around each of the derrick lighters and barge. Yellow marker buoys fitted with yellow flashing lights will be laid to mark the positions of the anchors extending from the working vessels.
Silt curtains, extending from the sea surface to the seabed, will be established within the works area. The silt curtain is a large piece of netting used to contain mud and sediments. Yellow marker buoys fitted with yellow flashing lights will be laid to mark the extent of the silt curtains.
The hours of work will be from 0800 to 2000 hours daily including Sundays and public holidays. Vessels employed for the works will stay in the works area outside the hours of work.
Diving operations will be carried out from time to time during 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 and keep clear of the works area at slow speed, bearing in mind there are divers working 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.67/2020
Temporary wind monitoring station off Basalt Island, Sai Kung
Friday, May 22, 2020, Hong Kong
A temporary wind monitoring station situated to the east of Basalt Island for collecting wind data will continue to operate for a period of approximately 18 months.
The station is a large offshore platform. The particulars of the station and its aids to navigation are as follows:
The Station
Position (WGS 84 Datum): 22 deg. 17.990’N / 114 deg. 25.463’E
Elevation of the main platform: 15 metres above mean sea level
Supporting Trunk: Yellow
Meteorological Mast: Orange and white stripes
Aids to Navigation of the Station
Light: Mo (U) 15s
Foghorn: Mo (U) 30s
Radar Reflector: Fitted
Automatic Identification System: Fitted
Vessels navigating in the vicinity should proceed with caution and give a wide berth to the station.
(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.68/2020
Extra charges for boatmen’s services
Friday, May 22, 2020, Nantes, Montoir, Donges & Saint Nazaire, France
Lamanage Huchet / Desmars has advised of extra charges on their invoices for boatmen’s charges at the ports of Nantes, Montoir, Donges and Saint Nazaire from 1 May until the end of the COVID-19 health crisis.
This follows a review and revision of rules of operation, organisation and hygiene to enable them to maintain their services whilst guarantee the safety of staff and customers and meet legal requirements. Measures taken in the context of COVID-19 generate additional costs, including additional PPE, health products and measures, doubling of vehicles, accommodation, etc.
These costs will be passed on to the mooring costs of the vessels calling at the GPMNSN in the form of packages depending on the billing categories of the vessels concerned and called COVID-19 additional cost package, as follows:
Categories 1 to 2: 20 € HT
Categories 3 to 4: 50 € HT
Categories 5 to 11: 95 € HT
For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in France, contact the GAC Dubai Hub Agency Centre at hub.ae@gac.com
Enhancement to crew change for cargo ships
Friday, May 22, 2020, Singapore
Following the tightening of entry of short-term visitors to Singapore, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) continued to facilitate crew change under the following special circumstances:
a) the crew has served his/her maximum time on board (and no further extension of the employment contract is granted by the flag State)
b) compassionate grounds (e.g. death of family member)
c) the crew is no longer medically fit to work on board the ship
MPA appreciates the collaboration with shipping companies to effect the many cases of crew change. Our procedures have also allowed us to attend to crew that require emergency medical care.
MPA has since worked closely with the Singapore Shipping Association (SSA), Singapore Maritime Officers’ Union (SMOU), Singapore Organisation for Seamen (SOS) and the industry as well as other government agencies to enhance the existing procedures.
In addition to the special circumstances mentioned in paragraph 1, the following circumstances will also be considered in allowing crew change for cargo ships in Singapore:
a) crew whose employment contract has expired
b) additional crew on board whose sign-off would not affect the safe manning of the ship
c) change of crew due to the sale or purchase of ship
d) personnel who are not part of the ship’s crew such as superintendents and service engineers
The requirements for crew change are revised as follows:
Signing-off
(a) confirmation that the crew has not gone ashore in the last fourteen (14) days before leaving the ship, and remained well throughout that period
(b) fit-to-travel medical certificate issued by a doctor in Singapore
(c) proof of expiry of employment contract or unfit-for-work medical report, where applicable
(d) relevant documentation supporting required crew change (e.g. sale/purchase agreement of ship)
Signing-on
(a) confirmation that the crew has been in quarantine for at least 14 days prior to departing his/her home country and has been well throughout that period
(b) COVID-19 test (polymerase chain reaction (PCR) type) with negative result at his/her home country not more than 48 hours prior to his/her departure flight
(c) fit-to-travel medical certificate issued by a doctor at his/her home country not more than 24 hours prior to his/her departure flight
Transfer Arrangements
(a) the crew must be transferred directly between the ship and point of arrival/departure in Singapore
(b) the ship will not be allowed to depart Singapore until the sign-off crew has departed Singapore and/or the sign-on crew has boarded the ship
Ship owners/managers/agents should apply for crew change in Singapore by writing to shipping@mpa.gov.sg and pms@mpa.gov.sg at least 14 days in advance of the planned crew change.
MPA is also exploring other initiatives relating to crew change, with SSA, SMOU, SOS, industry and government agencies. These include development of a guidebook on crew change procedures in Singapore and the chartering of dedicated flights for crew change.
(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 Port Marine Circular No.26 of 2020 dated 22 May 2020
Severe weather forecast for weekend
Friday, May 22, 2020, Port Kembla, Australia
Forecast high winds and seas could disrupt shipping movements through Port Kembla in the upcoming weekend.
The duty pilot will assess the weather conditions on a case-by-case basis to gauge if it is safe to proceed or to delay arrival or departure movement for more favourable conditions.
The anchorage was closed to shipping yesterday (21 May) as precaution.
For the latest weather updates, go to http://www.bom.gov.au/nsw/forecasts/illawarracoast.shtml or http://www.bom.gov.au/nsw/warnings/marinewind.shtml
For information about operations in Australia, contact GAC Australia at shipping.australia@gac.com
Updated Berthing Policy & Tariff Structure
Friday, May 22, 2020, Mundra, India
An updated Berthing Policy & Tariff Structure in is effect at Mundra port from 16 May.
For details of the new tariffs, as well as information about operations in India, contact GAC India at india@gac.com
Eid holiday
Friday, May 22, 2020, Turkey
All official institutions and banks in Turkey will be closed from 24 to 27 May, due to the Eid holiday.
Some ports may suspend their operations during the holiday. Official services such as pilotage, towage, mooring and customs may be increased by 50%. Ship owners and operators are urged to check before their vessels call at any Turkish port.
Arrangements for spares, provisions, etc at Turkish ports should be made in advance in order to ensure timely handling.
GAC Turkey will be on duty during the holiday.
For information about operations in Turkey, contact GAC Turkey at turkey@gac.com
Port ops to continue through Eid holiday
Friday, May 22, 2020, Sohar, Oman
Sohar Industrial Port Company will continue operations during the Eid Al-Fitr holiday, the first day of which will fall on Sunday 24 or Monday 25 May, depending on the sighting of the moon.
The Oil Tanking terminal will work 24/7 throughout the holiday.
For information about operations in Sohar, contact GAC Oman at shipping.sohar@gac.com
