Hot Port News from GAC
10-Jun-2020
DESLOPPING AVAILABLE
Freeport, Bahamas
VEHICLE HANDLING RECOVERING FROM DIFFICULT PERIOD
Gothenburg, Sweden
KEY TOURIST DESTINATIONS TO BE CLOSED
Oman
LOCAL LOCKDOWN EASED
Muttrah, Oman
MARITIME OPERATIONS RESUMED AT ANCHORAGE
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
COUNTRY NOW AT LEVEL 1, SHORE LEAVE & CREW CHANGES ALLOWED WITH CONDITIONS
New Zealand
BULK ORE TERMINAL SHIPPING SHUT SCHEDULE
Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Deslopping available
Wednesday, June 10, 2020, Freeport, Bahamas
Deslopping services are now available with immediate effect for vessels at the port of Freeport in Grand Bahama.
(For further details and information about operations in the Bahamas, contact the GAC Houston Hub Agency Center at hub.us@gac.com)
Source: Elnet Maritime Agency, Bahamas – GAC agent
Vehicle handling recovering from difficult period
Wednesday, June 10, 2020, Gothenburg, Sweden
The Covid-19 pandemic has had a shattering impact in many sectors throughout the world, including the automotive industry. Although vehicle handling at the Port of Gothenburg has been largely affected, there are already signs of a recovery…
…Vehicle handling at the Port of Gothenburg is dealt with by the terminal operators Logent Ports and Terminals, Stena Line and Gothenburg Roro Terminal. The combined volumes at these companies make the Port of Gothenburg the largest vehicle handling port in Sweden.
The Volvo companies are the largest customers, both for exports and imports. At the end of March the Volvo companies shut down production in Gothenburg and Ghent although this did not have any major impact on the number of vehicles shipped during the first quarter, and the total fall in volumes was no more than 1%.
“The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic will be reflected in the Q2 figures although we are already in a recovery process,” said Reine Johansson, chief executive of Logent Ports and Terminals in the Port of Gothenburg.
“We have noted a rise in vehicle exports since the end of April. At Logent Ports and Terminals we mainly serve the overseas markets, such as the USA, Australia, Japan, and China, where Volvo continues to report good sales figures.
Even within what is termed the High & Heavy segment, which includes dumpers, excavators, trucks, and other heavy-duty vehicles, production has restarted, and companies are reporting a steady increase in exports.
There are also significant imports of a number of passenger cars of different brands into Gothenburg, including Volvo, Nissan, and Renault, but the level of recovery is still not on a par with exports…
…As with the Port of Gothenburg as a whole, Logent Ports and Terminals has managed to keep open and operating despite the pandemic. Absenteeism due to illness continues to be low, and all maritime and terminal handling services are operating as normal.
It is not only vehicles that are loaded and discharged at the quayside at Logent Ports and Terminals. When the automotive industry was struck by the Covid-19 pandemic, the vehicle terminal was able to use available space for other types of freight to a greater extent than was the case previously…
(For information about operations in Sweden, contact GAC Sweden at sweden@gac.com)
Source: Extracts from Port of Gothenburg (www.portofgothenburg.com) press release dated 9 June 2020
Key tourist destinations to be closed
Wednesday, June 10, 2020, Oman
Oman’s Supreme Committee on COVID-19 has announced that tourist places such as Masirah, Jabel Akhdar, Jabel Shams, and the Dhofar Governorate will be closed from 12 noon on 13 June until 3 July. No tourist gatherings will be not allowed in these places during this period.
The situation will be evaluated according to the epidemiological data for each region separately.
For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in Oman, contact GAC Oman at muscat@gac.com
Local lockdown eased
Wednesday, June 10, 2020, Muttrah, Oman
The lockdown in Muttrah which started on 1 April has been eased, and the Qurum Heights road (Al-Bustan-Wadi Kabir road) is now open to traffic.
The checkpoints at the Darsait signal has been also lifted, except for vehicles moving towards the areas in isolation.
The gradual isolation of Wilayat Muttrah will be lifted along with some parts of Al Hamriyah, old Muttrah Souq area, and the adjacent areas, as there is an increase in the number of cases observed in these two areas. Some measures will be maintained, including allowing some commercial activities from 7am to 6pm.
For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in Oman, contact GAC Oman at muscat@gac.com
Maritime operations resumed at anchorage
Wednesday, June 10, 2020, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Dubai Maritime City Authority (DMCA) has advised that maritime operations such as repairs, maintenance and other husbandry works on board vessels at Dubai anchorage have resumed.
Persons are permitted to visit vessels to perform such operations, subject to the approval of DMCA and other entities.
All COVID-19 guidelines must continue to be adhered to.
For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in Dubai, contact GAC Dubai at dubai@gac.com
Country now at Level 1, shore leave & crew changes allowed with conditions
Wednesday, June 10, 2020, New Zealand
New Zealand has now moved from level 2 down to level 1, and all businesses are open with no restrictions around social distancing and limiting the size of gatherings, etc.
Restrictions on vessels have not changed under level 1. However, shore leave is permitted for crew if their vessels have passed the 14-day isolation period from last overseas port without any signs of infection onboard.
Crew changes are permitted under level 1 as per previous levels with the previous restrictions around crew transferring direct from airport to vessel to self-isolation and off-signers going direct from vessel to airport.
Obtaining a New Zealand visa may prove difficult as well as flights in and out of the country are still extremely limited. This which will make crew changes challenging to say the least.
Off-signers:
Crew are only permitted to depart the vessel if it has been in New Zealand for 14 days or more or 14 days from when the last crew exchange occurred. Crew must travel direct from the vessel to the international airport.
On-signers:
The process for requesting an exception to enable essential workers (crew members) to enter New Zealand is as follows:
An employer makes an application to the lead agency for the sector it is operating in. The application should set out:
– The name of the business and a short summary of the work it undertakes (including which industry/sector it is a part of). · A short description of the work the employee(s) is undertaking.
– A description of why the work is essential to the business and to the wider community/population of New Zealand.
– Comment on whether the work can be undertaken by someone who is currently present in New Zealand.
– Comment on how the business is currently managing the issue and whether this situation can continue.
– Comment on whether there are any alternatives/work-arounds that can be used (e.g. working remotely, redeployment of staff etc.).
– Whether there are any accompanying travellers. The employer should email their submission to EssentialEscalations@mbie.govt.nz. There is no guarantee that this request will be successful.
The application is considered on a case by case basis by the lead agency, against the following criteria:
– Whether the worker/employer is delivering an essential service
– Whether workers present in New Zealand can be used
– Whether the way the business is currently managing the issue can continue
– Whether requests for accompanying travellers (e.g. family) are appropriate
The lead agency in collaboration with MBIE makes recommendations to Ministers.
Ministers make a decision on the application.
If the request is approved, Immigration New Zealand will invite the person to apply for a special visa.
For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in New Zealand, contact the GAC Singapore Hub Agency Centre at hub.sg@gac.com
Bulk Ore Terminal shipping shut schedule
Wednesday, June 10, 2020, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Transnet Port Terminals has advised that Port Elizabeth Bulk Ore Terminal (PEBOT) will shut to shipping between 4 and 10 July.
The terminal is currently operating at 60% effective level mover the one berth with two day shifts and no night shift.
For information about operations in Port Elizabeth, contact GAC South Africa contact us on shipping.portelizabeth@gac.com
