Hot Port News from GAC
09-Oct-2020
MARINE WORKS AT MA TAU KOK
Hong Kong
INSTALLATION OF TEMPORARY FLOATING REFUSE CONTAINMENT BOOM
Hong Kong
PORT CONDITION ZULU SET FOR HURRICANE DELTA
Beaumont, Port Arthur, Orange & Lake Charles, United States
ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES FOR ANNEX VI COMPLIANCE
India
DELTA BRINGING HURRICANE CONDITIONS & LIFE-THREATENING STORM SURGE
Gulf Coast, United States
Marine works at Ma Tau Kok
Friday, October 9, 2020, Hong Kong
For approximately 6 months, marine works involving construction of temporary reclamation, reinstatement and dredging of seabed, removal of pipeline, construction of tunnel and landing steps facilities will be carried out in the following works areas:
WORKS AREA 1
This area is bounded by straight lines joining the following co-ordinates (WGS 84 Datum) from (A) to (D) and the adjacent shoreline:
(A) 22°19.120’N / 114°11.902’E
(B) 22°19.060’N / 114°11.826’E
(C) 22°19.027’N / 114°11.733’E
(D) 22°19.125’N / 114°11.669’E
WORKS AREA 2
This area is bounded by straight lines joining the following co-ordinates (WGS 84 Datum) from (E) to (H) and the adjacent shoreline:
(E) 22°19.034’N / 114°11.623’E
(F) 22°19.024’N / 114°11.645’E
(G) 22°18.966’N / 114°11.615’E
(H) 22°18.975’N / 114°11.594’E
The works will be carried out by a flotilla of vessels including five dumb lighters, two hopper barges, one crane barge, two tugboats and one work boat. The number of vessels engaged in the works will change from time to time to suit operational requirements.
A working area of approximately 50 metres around each lighter and each barge will be established. Yellow marker buoys fitted with yellow flashing lights will be laid to mark the positions of the anchors extending from the lighters and barges.
A silt curtain, extending from the sea surface to the seabed, will be established within each works area. The silt curtain is a large piece of netting used to contain mud and sediments. Yellow marker buoys fitted with yellow flashing lights will be laid to mark the extent of the silt curtain.
The hours of work will be from 0700 to 1900 hours. No works will be carried out on Sundays and public holidays. Vessels employed for the works will stay in the works areas outside the hours of work.
Diving operations will be carried out from time to time during the hours of work.
Vessels engaged in the works will display signals as prescribed in international and local regulations.
Vessels navigating in the vicinity should proceed with caution and keep clear of the works areas at slow speed, bearing in mind there are divers working in the works areas.
(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.141/2020
Installation of temporary floating refuse containment boom
Friday, October 9, 2020, Hong Kong
From 12 October 2020 and for approximately one month, marine works involving installation of one floating refuse containment boom will be carried out [in Western District Public Cargo Working Area] within the area bounded by straight lines joining the following co-ordinates (WGS 84 Datum) from (A) to (B) and the adjacent shoreline:
(A) 22°17.276’N / 114°08.067’E
(B) 22°17.280’N 114°08.081’E
A floating refuse containment boom will be installed near the rainwater drainage outlets in Western District Public Cargo Working Area with two ends of the boom fixed on the vertical seawall. No working boat will be engaged in the works.
The purpose of the floating refuse containment boom is to intercept general floating refuse, and the boom comprises a 25 meters long polyethylene float with reflective material.
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.143/2020
Port Condition Zulu set for Hurricane Delta
Friday, October 9, 2020, Beaumont, Port Arthur, Orange & Lake Charles, United States
A Hurricane Warning is in effect for the southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana coastline…
…Effective at 8:00pm CDT, October 8, 2020, the Captain of the Port, Port Arthur (COTP) has set Port Condition ZULU for the ports of Beaumont, TX; Port Arthur, TX; Orange, TX; and Lake Charles, LA, including all tributaries and connecting waterways…
…The following guidance applies:
1. Cargo transfer operations must be completed before sustained winds reach gale force (34 kts / 39mph).
2. All vessel movements within the affected waterways are prohibited with the following exceptions:
Fleet boats may transit light boat in the vicinity of their fleets to conduct necessary safety checks on fleets and/or respond to emergencies without contacting the Vessel Traffic Center prior to movement.
Other vessel movements occurring on protected inland waters may be authorized on a case-by-case basis.
Except in an emergency or to prevent/mitigate a potentially hazardous condition, all vessels shall contact the Coast Guard prior to movement. If a vessel moves due to an emergency, notify the Coast Guard as soon as practicable.
3. Requests for deviation from the requirements of Port Condition ZULU should be directed to the Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) Port Arthur for the Sabine-Neches Waterway and to MSU Lake Charles for the Calcasieu Waterway.
(For information about operations in the United States, contact GAC North America at usa@gac.com)
Source: U.S. Coast Guard, Marine Safety Unit Port Arthur, Texas, Marine Safety Information Bulletin dated 8 October 2020
Additional guidelines for Annex VI compliance
Friday, October 9, 2020, India
Further guidelines have been issued for the ports of Dahej, Hazira, Kattupalli and Krishnapatnam related to compliance with Annex VI of MARPOL which prohibits the carriage of non-compliant fuel oil for propulsion or operation on board a ship unless the vessel is equipped with an Exhaust Gas Cleaning System (also known as scrubbers).
From 1 November 2020:
vessels with hybrid type of scrubbers should switch over to closed loop mode of operations before entering port limit
ships with closed loop can continue using the system and ensure that it is in good working order
ships may not use the open loop system at the ports
ships with open loop type scrubber should change over to compliant fuel before entering port
if there is failure of any of the permitted systems the guidelines and reporting as per the circular needs to be strictly followed
ships must submit certification for compliance with the above
ships may be subject to Port state control inspection for validation
For information about operations in India, contact GAC India at india@gac.com
Delta bringing hurricane conditions & life-threatening storm surge
Friday, October 9, 2020, Gulf Coast, United States
At 700am CDT (1200 UTC), the center of Hurricane Delta was near latitude 27.5 North, longitude 93.8 West.
Delta is moving toward the north near 12 mph (19 km/h), and this motion is expected to continue today followed by a north-northeastward motion by tonight. On the forecast track, the center of Delta will move inland within the hurricane warning area this evening.
Maximum sustained winds are near 120 mph (195 km/h) with higher gusts. Delta is a category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Slow weakening is expected to begin as Delta approaches the northern Gulf coast later today, with rapid weakening expected after the center moves inland.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 40 miles (65 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 160 miles (260 km)…
…The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline…
…Hurricane conditions are expected within the hurricane warning area by this afternoon, with tropical storm conditions expected within this area later this morning. Tropical storm conditions are expected within the tropical storm warning areas later today.
Today through Saturday, Delta is expected to produce 5-10 inches of rain, with isolated maximum totals of 15 inches, from southwest into central Louisiana. These rainfall amounts will lead to significant flash, urban, small stream flooding, along with minor to major river flooding…
…A few tornadoes are possible today and tonight over southern portions of Louisiana and Mississippi.
Swells from Delta are affecting portions of the northern and western Gulf coast. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions…
(For information about operations in the United States, contact GAC North America at usa@gac.com)
Source: Extracts from National Hurricane Center, Miami FL, Hurricane Delta Intermediate Advisory No.19A issued at 0700am CDT on Friday 9 October 2020
