Hot Port News from GAC
26-May-2020
TERMINAL STILL CLOSED
Buckeye Bahamas Hub Terminal, Bahamas
MARINE SITE INVESTIGATION AT TAI PO RAILWAY PIER, TAI PO KAU
Hong Kong
ARCH BRIDGE TO BE INSTALLED OVER WEEKEND
Rotterdam, Netherlands
GRADUAL LIFTING OF FLIGHT RESTRICTIONS
Cyprus
REPATRIATION AND TRAVEL ABROAD OF INDIAN SEAFARERS & CREW
India
CLOSURE OF LOWER FINA ANCHORAGE
Neches River, United States
Terminal still closed
Tuesday, May 26, 2020, Buckeye Bahamas Hub Terminal, Bahamas
Buckeye Bahamas Hub Terminal remains closed due to deteriorating weather. Conditions are expected to improve by midweek, 27-28 May.
A weather assessment was performed at 1730 hours local time yesterday (25 May), which found that weather conditions were unfavorable for operations on the offshore platforms.
Further updates will be provided as conditions change.
(For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in the Bahamas, contact the GAC Houston Hub Agency Center at hub.us@gac.com)
Source: Elnet Maritime Limited – GAC agent
Marine site investigation at Tai Po Railway Pier, Tai Po Kau
Tuesday, May 26, 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):
(A) 22 deg. 26.571’N / 114 deg. 11.037’E
(B) 22 deg. 26.558’N / 114 deg. 11.058’E
(C) 22 deg. 26.545’N / 114 deg. 11.048’E
(D) 22 deg. 26.558’N / 114 deg. 11.027’E
The works will be carried out by one jack-up barge and one work boat. One tug will provide assistance.
A working area of approximately 20 metres around the barge will be established. Yellow flashing lights will be installed at the four corners of the jack-up barge to indicate its position.
The hours of work will be from 0800 to 1800 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.69/2020
Arch bridge to be installed over weekend
Tuesday, May 26, 2020, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Following the installation of the bridge across Rozenburgsesluis in early April, the second steel arch bridge for the Theemswegtracé railway line will shortly also be installed on location – during Whitsun, to be precise…
…The bridge, of which the steel structure alone weighs in at 4,100 tonnes, is 269 m long and 13.7 m wide and stands 28 m tall. It will be spanning both the N15 motorway and the Thomassentunnel.
It will start its journey to its definite location on Saturday, 30 May, around 1 p.m. The operation will continue through Saturday, into the night…
…In the interest of our joint safety, the area around the project site will be closed to the public during the operation. This measure has not only been taken on account of the COVID-19 outbreak, but also to ensure that the structure can be safely transported to its final location…
…Various roads around Caland Bridge will be closed for traffic during the operation. Caland Bridge and the N15 motorway will be closed to motor vehicles from Friday evening, 29 May, 9 p.m. to Monday morning, 1 June, 5 a.m. On Saturday evening, 30 May, the Thomassentunnel/A15 motorway will also be closed from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. for monitoring activities in the tunnel…
(For information about operations in the Netherlands, contact GAC Netherlands at agency.netherlands@gac.com)
Source: Extract from Port of Rotterdam (www.portofrotterdam.com) press release dated 25 May 2020
Gradual lifting of flight restrictions
Tuesday, May 26, 2020, Cyprus
The [Cyprus] Council of Ministers has approved the action plan for the gradual lifting of restriction measures to flights from and to the Airports of Larnaca and Paphos…
…The action plan envisages the reopening of airports and the reconnection of Cyprus with other countries in two phases as follows:
PHASE A – 9 to 19 June 2020
PHASE B – 20 June 2020
The team of special scientists has classified countries on the basis of their epidemiological image in two categories, with which the connection of Cyprus by air is resumed.
Category A: Greece, Malta, Bulgaria, Norway, Austria, Finland, Slovenia, Hungary, Israel, Denmark, Germany, Slovakia, Lithuania.
Category B: Switzerland, Poland, Romania, Croatia, Estonia, Czech Republic.
In Phase A, those coming from countries of both categories must present a laboratory test certificate from an approved laboratory showing a negative result in order to be allowed to board their flight, with the test having taken place 72 hours prior to departure.
Cypriot citizens and permanent residents of Cyprus may alternatively undergo the laboratory testing at their arrival in Cyprus. In this case and until the announcement of the result, they shall remain in self-isolation at home.
In Phase B, which begins on 20 June, passengers coming from countries included in category A will not be required to bring a laboratory test certificate.
For passengers coming from countries included in Category B shall apply the same requirement as for all passengers in the first phase, that is, they have to present a laboratory test certificate from an approved laboratory showing a negative result in order to be allowed to board their flight, with the test having taken place 72 hours prior to departure.
Cypriot citizens and permanent residents of Cyprus may alternatively undergo the laboratory testing at their arrival in Cyprus. In this case and until the announcement of the result, they shall remain in self-isolation at home.
For countries not included in the two phases at any given moment, flights to the Republic of Cyprus will be allowed only with passengers who are Cypriot citizens, permanent residents of Cyprus and persons issued with a special permit.
In these cases, the presentation of a laboratory test certificate from an approved laboratory will be required with a negative result and the examination having taken place 72 hours prior to departure. Alternatively, the test may take place at arrival in Cyprus. In this case, the passengers shall remain at a designated place for 1 day or until the announcement of the result.
All the passengers who come from countries not included in the two categories will repair to their homes in self-isolation for 14 days.
The cost of the laboratory testing as well as the quarantine/self-isolation and transportation cost, if any, shall be borne by the passenger…
…As of Monday, 25 May 2020, at 06:00hrs, the compulsory quarantine is abolished and all those who are today accommodated at quarantine places shall repair to their homes in self-isolation for the remaining days, depending on the category of country whence they came.
For those being repatriated as of 25 May and until 8 June a laboratory test will be carried out at their arrival in Cyprus and they shall remain in an area to be designated for one day or until the result is announced. Thereafter, they shall repair to their homes in self-isolation for 7 days if they come from countries of Categories A and B, and 14 days if they come from any other country…
(For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in Cyprus, contact GAC Cyprus at cyprus@gac.com)
Source: Extract from Cyprus Government Press and Information Office (www.pio.gov.cy) press release dated 22 May 2020
Repatriation and travel abroad of Indian seafarers & crew
Tuesday, May 26, 2020, India
The movement of stranded Indian seafarers/crew is hereby permitted through charter flight arranged by the employing companies in accordance with the Standard Operations Protocol (SOP) for movement of Indian nationals stranded outside the country, dated 05.05.2020, with the following modifications:
a) In para 2(ii) of the SOP, travel to India can be by special charter flight to be arranged by employers or by hiring firms. Such flights would be scheduled after full consultations between MEA, MoCA and the concerned States to which such flights are being proposed.
b) In para(iv) of SOP, the cost of travel will be borne by such travellers, or their employers.
c) In para 2(viii), all travellers shall give an undertaking, before boarding, that they would undergo mandatory institutional quarantine for a minimum period of 14 days on arrival in India at their own cost or at the cost of the employer.
d) Upon completion of 14 days quarantine, Director General of Shipping would enable e-passes, if required, for intra-State/inter-State movement to their native places.
Indian seafarers/crew seeking to accept contracts on vessels can travel on the non-scheduled commercial flights departing from India under the Vanda Bharat Mission or the charter flights arranged by their employers subject to their clearance given by the Ministry of Shipping.
(For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in India, contact GAC India at india@gac.com)
Source: Indian Ministry of Home Affairs memorandum dated 22 May 2020
Closure of Lower Fina Anchorage
Tuesday, May 26, 2020, Neches River, United States
The Lower Fina Anchorage on the Neches River will be CLOSED for anchoring and mid-river turning effective Tuesday, 26 May 2020 for approximately 90 days until the end of August.
This closure is required to facilitate the deepening of this area that is being carried out by the USACOE and the Navigation District as the first step in the Federal Improvement Project for the SNWW.
Agents should allow additional time for vessels calling at TOTAL Refinery Docks and Rainbow Bulk Dock that need to be turned since they will need to use a turning area further upstream.
Upper Fina Anchorage will be available with 28’ draft vessels up to 500’ and larger vessels with forward drafts up to 20’.
(For information about operations in the United States, contact GAC North America at usa@gac.com)
Source: Sabine Pilots Advisory dated 25 May 2020
