Hot Port News from GAC
25-Jun-2020
ESTABLISHMENT OF RESTRICTED AREA AND CLOSURE OF LANDING STEPS AT CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE
Hong Kong
SEAWALL AND PIER REINSTATEMENT WORKS AT DEEP WATER BAY
Hong Kong
UPDATE ON SUBMITTAL OF INFORMATION REGARDING MANEUVERING FUEL
Panama Canal, Panama
SUBMERGED OBJECT IN DELAWARE RIVER – MARCUS HOOK ANCHORAGE
Delaware River, United States
SMART LOCKDOWN FOR SEVEN MORE AREAS
Lahore, Pakistan
TAX & CUSTOMS EXEMPTION FOR IMPORTS OF DRUG
Pakistan
COVID-19 CONTINGENCY MEASURES: STS OPERATIONS TO RESUME
Gibraltar
VLCCS TRANSITING AFTER DISCHARGING AT SUMED PIPELINE
Suez Canal, Egypt
TRANSIT OF CONTAINERSHIPS
Suez Canal, Egypt
LIFTING OF RESTRICTIONS ON COUNTRIES
Bahamas
Establishment of restricted area and closure of landing steps at Convention and Exhibition Centre
Thursday, June 25, 2020, Hong Kong
From 1500 hours on 30 June 2020 to 1000 hours on 1 July 2020, a Restricted Area will be established in Victoria Harbour off the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) as part of the security and public safety arrangements in connection with the celebration of the 23rd Anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
The Restricted Area is formed by straight lines joining the following co-ordinates (WGS 84 Datum) from (A) to (D) and the adjacent shoreline:
(A) 22 deg. 16.978’N / 114 deg. 10.172’E
(B) 22 deg. 17.200’N / 114 deg. 10.245’E
(C) 22 deg. 17.198’N / 114 deg. 10.584’E
(D) 22 deg. 16.991’N / 114 deg. 10.585’E
Two yellow marker buoys fitted with yellow flashing lights will be laid at o-ordinates (B) and (C) to indicate the northern boundary of the Restricted Area.
Launches of the Marine Police will be stationed or will patrol in the vicinity of the Restricted Area.
During the aforementioned period, no vessel, other than Government launches or franchised ferries, will be allowed to enter or remain within the Restricted Area. The public landing steps near Bauhinia Square will be closed to all vessels, except for Government launches engaged in official duties.
Masters, coxswains and persons-in-charge of all vessels navigating in the vicinity should keep away from the Restricted Area. Coxswains of small vessels are advised to make use of other public landing steps during the closure period.
(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.90/2020
Seawall and pier reinstatement works at Deep Water Bay
Thursday, June 25, 2020, Hong Kong
For approximately 5 months, the seawall and pier reinstatement works 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. 14.325’N / 114 deg. 10.545’E
(B) 22 deg. 14.297’N / 114 deg. 10.582’E
(C) 22 deg. 14.238’N / 114 deg. 10.540’E
(D) 22 deg. 14.256’N / 114 deg. 10.513’E
The works will be carried out by one derrick lighter and one work boat.
A working area of approximately 30 metres around the lighter will be established. Yellow marker buoys fitted with yellow flashing lights will be laid to mark the positions of the anchors extending from the lighter.
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.88/2020
Update on submittal of information regarding maneuvering fuel
Thursday, June 25, 2020, Panama Canal, Panama
Effective July 1, 2020, vessels arriving to the Panama Canal shall provide information on the type of fuel they intend to use while in Panama Canal waters by uploading this information to the Fuel Declaration menu on the Panama Maritime Single Window (VUMPA). It will no longer be necessary to forward a copy of the corresponding Bunker Delivery Note (BDN) to fuel-compliance@pancanal.com for evaluation.
Similarly, vessels that intend to use compliant scrubbers as per Section 31 of Panama Canal Notice to Shipping N-01-2020, are required to upload all relevant information to the aforementioned Fuel Declaration menu. For these vessels, it will no longer be required to forward copies of the IAPP Certificates and their Supplement to fuel-compliance@pancanal.com.
The available options for types of fuels will be: Distillate, Residual, LNG, BioFuel, and Other.
Following is a quick reference guide to assist in selecting the applicable fuel to be used in the Panama Canal:
Distillate: Includes fuels such as Diesel, Gasoil, MGO, MDO, LSMGO, DMA, DMB, DMX, and DMZ.
Residual: Includes fuels such as IFO, HFO, VLSFO, ULSFO, HSFO, RMA, RMB, RMD, RME, RMG, and RMK.
LNG: For ships using boil off gas (BOG), or capable of using LNG as fuel.
Biofuel: Manmade fuels such as methanol, ethanol or biodiesel from biomass.
Other: Fuels which are not in any of the preceding groups (i.e., ammonia, hydrogen, etc). Before selecting this option, an inquiry should be sent to fuel-compliance@pancanal.com.
The type of fuel, sulphur concentration, and viscosity reported in VUMPA will be verified on the BDN or corresponding fuel analysis report by Panama Canal Boarding Officers upon the vessel’s arrival to Canal waters. These documents, as well as the IAPP Certificates and their supplements, if applicable, must be readily available on board for verification.
Warships, submarines, dredges, non-self-propelled vessels, and vessels with length up to 125 ft, are exempted from uploading information to the Fuel Declaration menu.
Inquiries on this subject shall be directed to fuel-compliance@pancanal.com.
(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-22-2020 dated 24 June 2020
Submerged object in Delaware River – Marcus Hook Anchorage
Thursday, June 25, 2020, Delaware River, United States
The Captain of the Port, Delaware Bay, is notifying mariners of a submerged object that has been reported in Marcus Hook Anchorage on the Delaware River.
Mariners are advised to use extreme caution when transiting this portion of the Delaware River as depth at mean low low water could be hazardous to navigation. Vessels drafting over 30 feet should avoid this area and transit around the object.
Marcus Hook Anchorage Object:
– Minimum depth 33.4 feet at mean low low water.
– Approximate location 39 deg. 48.000962 N, 075 deg. 24.87166 W.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is currently evaluating the object and assessing the potential for removal.
(For information about operations in the United States, contact GAC North America at usa@gac.com)
Source: U.S. Coast Guard, Sector Delaware Bay, Marine Safety Information Bulletin No.15-20 dated 24 June 2020
Smart lockdown for seven more areas
Thursday, June 25, 2020, Lahore, Pakistan
The Government of Punjab province has imposed a one week ‘smart lockdown’ in another seven areas of Lahore City, where a new cluster of COVid-19 cases has been detected.
For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in Pakistan, contact GAC Pakistan at pakistan@gac.com
Tax & customs exemption for imports of drug
Thursday, June 25, 2020, Pakistan
Pakistan’s Federal Board of Revenue has issued two notifications regarding exemption of Income Tax/Customs Duties on imports of the drug Remdesivir, which is being tested as a treatment for COVID-19.
For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in Pakistan, contact GAC Pakistan at pakistan@gac.com
COVID-19 contingency measures: STS operations to resume
Thursday, June 25, 2020, Gibraltar
With effect from Monday 29 June 2020, the Gibraltar Port Authority will accept notification forms for STS operations. These operations will be resumed with some additional precautionary measures in place which STS Service Providers have been made aware of.
(For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in Gibraltar, contact GAC Gibraltar at agency.gibraltar@gac.com)
Source: Gibraltar Port Authority Port Circular 18 of 2020 dated 25 June 2020
VLCCs transiting after discharging at SUMED pipeline
Thursday, June 25, 2020, Suez Canal, Egypt
The Suez Canal Authority has decided that its Circular No.3/2016 and amending/renewing periodical issued on 12 November 2019 concerning VLCCs with DWT over 250,000 tons that transit the Suez Canal after discharging part of their cargo in SUMED pipeline on their round trip from the Arabian Gulf, and heading to the American Gulf or Caribbean zone, shall remain in force till 31 December 2020.
The last permissible date for VLCCs to transit the Suez Canal is 31 December 2020.
For further details and information about operations in the Suez Canal, contact GAC Egypt at suezcanal@gac.com
Transit of containerships
Thursday, June 25, 2020, Suez Canal, Egypt
As an encouragement to owners and operators of containerships coming from ports on the East Coast of America and heading to ports in south and southeast Asia to transit through the Suez Canal, the Suez Canal Authority has decided:
Containerships coming from Port of Norfolk and its northern ports and heading to Port Klang and its eastern ports shall be granted a rebate of 50%.
Containerships coming from ports south of Port of Norfolk and heading to:
a) Port Klang and its eastern ports shall be granted a rebate of 75%
b) Port of Colombo and its eastern ports up to Port Klang shall be granted a rebate of 55%
The amendment to circ. (2/2016) set by the periodical issued on 5/4/2020 shall remain in force. This amended the period of submitting the original rebate documents to 180 days (starting on the day following the vessel’s transit of the Suez Canal) rather than 60 days. All rebate documents should be submitted as one package.
Other paragraphs and articles of circular (2/2016) and its amendment issued on 13/7/2016 shall remain in force.
For further details and information about operations in the Suez Canal, contact GAC Egypt at suezcanal@gac.com
Lifting of restrictions on countries
Thursday, June 25, 2020, Bahamas
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in consultation with the Ministry of Tourism, is pleased to advise the general public that effective 1 July 2020, the border of The Bahamas will be open to all travellers. Restrictions have been lifted on countries that were previously restricted – China, all Europe, Republic of Korea and Iran.
The requirement for a COVID-19 RT PCR negative test, from an accredited laboratory, is mandatory for all incoming nationals, residents and travellers and it must not be older than ten (10) days. The test results and Bahamas Health Visa are to be presented upon arrival.
Additional information can be found at travel.gov.bs
(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: Bahamas Ministry of Foreign Affairs press release dated 24 June 2020
