Hot Port News from GAC
03-Jul-2020
SMART NAVIGATION SYSTEM TESTS & MANOEUVRES
Singapore
NEW TRANSSHIPMENT TERMINAL SOON TO BECOME OPERATIONAL
Gothenburg, Sweden
INCOMING VESSEL RESTRICTIONS AT PORT LOUIS, MAURITIUS
Port Louis, Mauritius
UPDATED CREW CHANGE APPLICATION FORM
Singapore
UPDATE ON CREW CHANGES FOR FOREIGN SEAFARERS AT SRI LANKAN PORTS
Colombo & Galle, Sri Lanka
Smart navigation system tests & manoeuvres
Friday, July 3, 2020, Singapore
From 6 to 8 July 2020, smart navigation system tests and manoeuvres will be carried out off Raffle Reserved Anchorage (ARAFR) within the working area bounded by the following co-ordinates (WGS 84 Datum):
1) 01 deg. 11.364’N / 103 deg. 46.801’E
2) 01 deg. 10.735’N / 103 deg. 47.222’E
3) 01 deg. 09.704’N / 103 deg. 45.433’E
4) 01 deg. 10.352’N / 103 deg. 45.015’E
According to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore Port Marine Notice No.043 of 2020 dated 2 July 2020, the working hours will be from 1000 hours to 1600 hours daily.
The craft will conduct smart navigation system tests and manoeuvres during the stated period in the working area. Activities will be suspended during the movements of Very Large Crude Carriers to SHELL Single Buoy Mooring.
A safety boat will be deployed to warn other craft in the vicinity of the working area.
Craft involved in the works will exhibit the appropriate local and international day signals.
When in the vicinity of the working area, mariners are reminded to:
a) Keep well clear and comply with COLREGs;
b) Maintain a proper lookout;
c) Proceed at a safe speed and navigate with caution;
d) Maintain a listening watch on VHF Channel 68 (West Control);
and
e) Communicate with West Control on VHF Channel 68 for assistance, if required.
For information about operations in Singapore, contact GAC Singapore at singapore@gac.com
New transshipment terminal soon to become operational
Friday, July 3, 2020, Gothenburg, Sweden
A completely new transshipment terminal, located between the Port of Gothenburg container and ro-ro terminals, is gradually emerging. The terminal will receive incoming forest products by rail from Swedish mills and then transfer the products to containers for onward transport to various parts of the world. Volumes equivalent to 60,000-100,000 twenty-foot-equivalent units will be handled at the terminal each year.
The terminal, named the Svea Terminal, will offer 45,000 square metres of storage space. Around half the area, 21,600 square metres, is covered by the world’s largest storage tent, which was recently erected.
On the inside, the goods can be loaded into weather-protected containers and the area will be used partly for intermediate storage. The tent measures 360 metres by 60 metres and is up to 15 metres in height. The steel beams that support the tent weigh 450 tonnes…
…The terminal has rail connections and can house a 350-metre train. By doing so, sensitive products such as pulp and paper rolls can be transported directly into the facility by rail, where under cover they are transferred into a container before being loaded on board the ship.
At present around 60% of the Port of Gothenburg container volumes arrive at or leave the port by rail. A figure that makes the Port of Gothenburg world-class in terms of rail operations…
…Investments include the current expansion of the double-track Port Line and construction of the Arken Combi Terminal, which has already led to a substantial reduction in road traffic in Gothenburg. A further investment is APM Terminals’ modernisation and capacity expansion on its marshalling line, where trains are loaded and unloaded inside the container terminal.
The Port of Gothenburg has also adopted one of the world’s most forward-thinking climate goals where they have undertaken to reduce the whole of the port’s carbon emissions by 70% through to 2030. One of the ways of achieving this goal is to continue investing offensively in the Railport concept in an effort to increase the proportion of rail-borne freight even further…
(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 2 July 2020
Incoming vessel restrictions at Port Louis, Mauritius
Friday, July 3, 2020, Port Louis, Mauritius
The Senior Public Health and Food Safety Inspector, Ministry of Health and Wellness, Mauritius has advised that with immediate effect, no vessel will be granted a green light to enter port limits if a crew change has been carried out during the last 14 days.
For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in Mauritius, contact the GAC Dubai Hub Agency Centre at hub.ae@gac.com
Source: Celero Shipping, Mauritius – GAC agent
Updated crew change application form
Friday, July 3, 2020, Singapore
Following a recent case whereby a signing on crew member was diagnosed with COVID-19 on arrival at Singapore, the Maritime Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has issued an addendum to the crew change application form.
Ship owners, managers and manning officers are advised to read the addendum and take note of the legal undertaking for all crew change applications, specifically the following clauses:
Consequences of Breach
43. We /our Principal(s) acknowledge and accept that should any Event of Breach occur:
(a) MPA will deny ALL crew change in respect of this application;
(b) MPA will revoke ALL prior in-principle crew change approval(s) granted by MPA:
(i) to us, whether made on behalf of our Principal(s) or any other person;
(ii) to any person (whether to our Principal(s) or to any person acting on behalf of our Principal(s)) in respect of any vessel(s) owned, operated, or managed by our principal(s);
(c) MPA may disqualify us and/or our Principal(s), whether permanently or for a specified period, from making and/or authorising the making of any further applications for crew change and/or transit stay by crew in any designated holding facility under procedures outlined in Port Marine Circular No.s 26 and 27 of 2020;
44. We/our Principal(s) will be liable to pay all costs and expenses incurred by the Government of Singapore and its agencies, including MPA, in connection with any Event of Breach, including all costs and expenses of cleaning and disinfecting any premises or vehicle, and of providing medical treatment, accommodation and transport for the crew and other incidental or ancillary costs relating thereto, including where any crew is required by Singapore authorities to remain in Singapore for any inquiry or investigation.
45. We/and our Principal(s) acknowledge and accept that:
(a) any actions taken by MPA hereunder are without prejudice to any other action that MPA may take against us/our Principal(s) for an Event of Breach, including, where any offence is committed, prosecuting us/our Principal(s) under applicable law;
(b) in taking any action, MPA has full discretion to proceed against any one or more parties (whether ourselves or any or all of our Principal(s)) as it deems appropriate.
For information about operations in Singapore, contact GAC Singapore at singapore@gac.com
Update on crew changes for foreign seafarers at Sri Lankan ports
Friday, July 3, 2020, Colombo & Galle, Sri Lanka
Disembarkation of foreign seafarers will be temporarily suspended with effect from 5 July.
Only direct bulk crew transfers carried out through exclusive charter flights and embarkation and disembarkation of Sri Lankan seafarers will be allowed.
For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in Sri Lanka, contact GAC Sri Lanka at srilanka@gac.com
