Hot Port News from GAC
06-Aug-2020
PORT IMMIGRATION OPEN FOR CREW CHANGES
Fujairah & Khor Fakkan, United Arab Emirates
PORT UNDER ARMED FORCES CONTROL
Beirut, Lebanon
OPERATIONS HALTED DUE TO HEAVY RAIN
Mumbai, India
CREW CHANGE REQUIREMENTS
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Port Immigration open for crew changes
Thursday, August 6, 2020, Fujairah & Khor Fakkan, United Arab Emirates
Fujairah and Khor Fakkan port Immigration have opened for crew changes. The procedure is as below.
ON SIGNERS
– Crew to arrive with 96 hours Seaman Visa
– Crew should carry their valid PCR test results and travel to Dubai
– Upon arrival at Dubai Airport, crew will undergo COVID19 test, carried out by airport authorities
– If test not done at airport, agent must arrange COVID19 test at an approved hospital
– Crew should await results at hotel. Upon receipt of results, they may join the vessel by completing seaport immigration formalities. IMPORTANT NOTE: Crew Must join the vessel within 72 hours of their COVID test report.
OFF SIGNERS:
– Medical team to board vessel to take sample for off signing crew
– Once report received, crew can disembark from vessel (it takes 24-48 hours from the time the lab receives sample to get report).
The cost of the COVID-19 PCR test is as follows:
Normal rate (Result 24-48 hours from the time samples reach shore): AED 400/crew member
Priority rate (Result within 8 hours from the time samples reach shore): AED 800/ crew member
Offshore Boarding Fee, Day boarding (0800-1800 hours): AED 2000/
Offshore Boarding Fee, Night boarding (1801-0759 hours): AED 3000/ Public holidays
In-Port Boarding Fee, Day boarding (0800-1800 hours): AED 1000/
In-Port Boarding Fee, Night boarding (1801-0759 hours) & Public Holidays: AED 1500/
Technician attendance at Khor Fakkan is not yet confirmed.
For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in Fujairah and Khor Fakkan, contact GAC Fujairah at fujairah@gac.com
Port under armed forces control
Thursday, August 6, 2020, Beirut, Lebanon
Beirut port is under the control of the Lebanese Armed Forces and no civilians may enter. The extent of the damage caused to the port’s infrastructure by Tuesday’s massive explosion is yet to be assessed.
A State of Emergency has been declared until 18 August.
Despite the fact that GAC’s office in Beirut was severely damaged, staff are working from mobile work stations. GAC’s port operations at the port of Tripoli are unaffected and are running normally.
For information about operations in Lebanon, contact GAC Lebanon at lebanon@gac.com
Fredrik Nyström, GAC’s Group Vice President for the Middle East, says: “We are deeply shocked by the devastating explosion near Beirut port, and extend our profound sympathy and solidarity with everyone affected. We are constantly monitoring the situation and will provide further updates as they become available.
“The GAC Lebanon office building at the entry of the port has been severely damaged and we will further assess the situation when it is safe to do so. All GAC staff in the area are unharmed, and they continue to monitor email communications.
“Our immediate priority is the welfare of our staff and our continuing support for customers and the wider community impacted by the incident.”
For media enquiries please contact: germaine.ng@gac.com or teamGAC@blue-comms.com
Operations halted due to heavy rain
Thursday, August 6, 2020, Mumbai, India
Vessel operations at Mumbai & JNPT were suspended from yesterday evening (5 August) due to heavy rainfall and rough sea conditions.
Heavy rain over the last two days has inundated large parts of the city and disrupted businesses and services. 33.2cm of rainfall were recorded in 24 hours through to 08:30 hours local time today (6 August), the highest downpour for a single day.
More spells of moderate to heavy rainfall are forecast, accompanied by strong winds of up to 80 km per hour.
The weather department has issued an orange alert for several districts in Maharashtra state.
For information about operations in India, contact GAC India at india@gac.com
Crew change requirements
Thursday, August 6, 2020, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
For sign-on and sign-off for seafarers with and without UAE resident visa in Sharjah ports, the following procedures to be adopted:
CREW CHANGE
Agent should notify the Marine Department and Radio Room 48 hours prior to vessel arrival with the requirement to sign on and sign off on a subject vessel.
Agent should provide the Marine Department and Radio Room (focal point of contact) a copy of the crew list, travel detail of the crew, a list of crew that will be changed and an Undertaking Letter in the prescribed format.
Agent should appoint the Sharjah Ports Approved Medical Service Provider to arrange for COVID 19 PCR test of the crew at the anchorage/port.
After completion of the COVID test and if all negative results obtained, the Medical Service Provider should provide a letter stating the negative results (you can stamp and write the statement in the crew list).
To complete the crews change agent should provide the following to immigration office:
– COVID result statement
– Crew list with list of crew to be signed off/signed on
– Letter of Undertaking in the prescribed format
– Copy of Vessel Maritime Declaration of Health
SHORE LEAVE (SHORE PASSES) PROCEDURES FOR CREW MEMBERS
Twenty four hours leave is permitted only for crew vessels who have been I the ports of the UAE for a period of more than 14 days, provided they comply with all enforced COVID 19 requirements.
Agents should give the crew COVID 19 precautions adopted by the UAE and take an acknowledgement from the crew member for his understanding of the precautions and the penalties if violated.
Implementation of the above circular shall take place with immediate effect, until further changes will be notified.
(For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in Sharjah, contact GAC Sharjah ay sharjah@gac.com)
Source: Sharjah Ports, Customs and Free Zones Authority circular No.DPC/ADM/2020/058
