Hot Port News from GAC
13-Oct-2020
LATEST COVID-19 PROTOCOL
Ras Laffan, Qatar
POST-HURRICANE DELTA PORT STATUS
Lake Charles & Port Arthur, United States
MARINE SOIL INVESTIGATION WORKS AT TUAS WEST COAST
Singapore
SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR 2020/21 SEASON
Australia
TROPICAL STORM NANGKA
Hong Kong
DEEP DEPRESSION BRINGS HEAVY RAINS AND ROUGH SEAS
Bay of Bengal, India
Latest COVID-19 protocol
Tuesday, October 13, 2020, Ras Laffan, Qatar
Permission is not being given for shore leave at Ras Laffan port, except in the case of medical emergencies, as per the latest information from Qatar Petroleum (QP) Health Department.
QP Protocol need to follow for vessel boarding as well as vessel clearance.
Processing of Seaman & Business visas is still on hold.
Signing off of crew members onboard vessel those arrived as riding crew from the last port is also suspended.
Crew members those who arrived via airport and joined through Ras Laffan port may sign-off upon submission of valid exit ticket. A minimum of 2-3 working days are needed to acquire Port/ Immigration & GDIS approval, process the seaman transit pass, and arrange swab test in the port clinic for crew who require a swab test result at their destination).
For information about operations in Qatar, contact GAC Qatar at qatar@gac.com
Post-Hurricane Delta port status
Tuesday, October 13, 2020, Lake Charles & Port Arthur, United States
The US Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Lake Charles held a Port Coordination Team yesterday (12 October) held a conference call and advised the following port reconstitution and reopening post-Hurricane Delta:
LAKE CHARLES
The Calcasieu channel is now open with vessels of less than 25′ draft with daylight restrictions.
The oil rig is still in the approach and may not be removed until Wednesday or Thursday.
A sunken vessel was found at mile 22 and assessment is underway.
The Lake Charles Pilot Station has suffered some structural damage but has full power and is now operating from 0800-1700 daily. Lake Charles Pilots will return to 24/7 operations on Thursday (15 October).
PORT ARTHUR
The Gulf Intracoastal Waterway is open from the Calcasieu River Intersection westbound.
Port Condition Recovery effective since 12 October for all ports and waterways within the Sector.
The US Army Corps of Engineers are working with USCG and NOAA assets to conduct surveys and assessments. Shoaling surveys are underway.
Black Bayou and Grand Lake bridges are both operational however they are not ready to reopen due to damage to the signage and signals. Black Bayou Bridge operations are expected to return to normal today.
For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in the United States, contact GAC North America at usa@gac.com
Marine soil investigation works at Tuas West Coast
Tuesday, October 13, 2020, Singapore
From 15 October 2020 to 28 February 2021, marine soil investigation works will be carried out at Tuas West Coast, at the following co-ordinates:
MBH-N1) 01° 18·930’N / 103° 37·387’E
MBH-N2) 01° 18·813’N / 103° 37·337’E
MBH-N3) 01° 18·772’N / 103° 37·320’E
MBH-N4) 01° 18·862’N / 103° 37·298’E
MBH-N7) 01° 18·857’N / 103° 37·247’E
MBH-N8) 01° 18·832’N / 103° 37·242’E
MBH-N9) 01° 18·770′ N /103° 37·218’E
MBH-N11) 01° 18·755’N / 103° 37·215’E
MBH-N12) 01° 18·978’N / 103° 37·255’E
MBH-N13) 01° 18·913’N / 103° 37·247’E
MCPT-N1) 01° 18·965’N / 103° 37·400’E
MCPT-N2) 01° 18·897’N / 103° 37·375’E
MCPT-N3) 01° 18·862’N / 103° 37·362’E
MCPT-N5) 01° 18·780’N / 103° 37·280’E
MCPT-N7) 01° 18·843’N / 103° 37·265’E
MCPT-N9) 01° 18·810’N / 103° 37·213’E
MCPT-N10) 01° 19·001’N / 103° 37·258’E
MCPT-N11) 01° 18·945’N / 103° 37·250’E
MCPT-N13) 01° 18·822’N / 103° 37·183’E
According to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore Port Marine Notice No.072 of 2020 dated 12 October 2020, the works will be carried out 24 hours daily, including Sundays and Public Holidays.
A jack-up barge with a rotary drilling rig will be used to carry out the soil investigation work. Movement of the jack-up barge will be assisted by tug and during daylight hours only. The jack-up barge will be held in place by steel legs anchored into the seabed.
A safety boat will be deployed in the vicinity to warn other craft about the works.
Craft involved in the works will exhibit the appropriate local and international day and night signals.
When in the vicinity of the working area, mariners are reminded to:
a) Keep well clear and not to enter the working area;
b) Maintain a proper lookout;
c) Proceed at a safe speed and navigate with caution;
d) Maintain a listening watch on VHF Channel 22 (Jurong Control);
and
e) Communicate with Jurong Control for assistance, if required.
For information about operations in Singapore, contact GAC Singapore at singapore@gac.com
Severe Weather Outlook for 2020/21 season
Tuesday, October 13, 2020, Australia
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has released a forecast for severe weather, including Tropical Cyclones, for 2020 / 21. The cyclone season in Australia runs from 1 November to 30 April.
An average to slightly-above-average number of tropical cyclones are expected for the 2020–21 Australian tropical cyclone season. On average, there are 9 to 11 tropical cyclones each season in the Australian region, four of which typically cross the coast.
La Niña conditions in the tropical Pacific Ocean and average to warmer-than-average ocean temperatures to the north of Australia have influenced this year’s tropical cyclone outlook. In La Niña years, the first cyclone to develop across the Australian region typically occurs earlier than normal, around the middle of December. During average years, the date of the first tropical cyclone to make landfall over Australia is typically in early January.
At least one tropical cyclone has crossed the Australian coast each season since reliable records began in the 1970s.
Cyclone formation is rarely spread evenly throughout the season; often quiet periods are followed by bursts of activity. Tropical lows that do not intensify into cyclones, or lows that are the remnants of older cyclones, can still produce damaging winds, widespread rainfall, and dangerous flooding. These impacts can extend beyond the tropics into southern areas of the country.
The number of tropical lows that form during La Niña years is typically greater than the number which form during non-La Niña years.
Further details can be found at http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/cyclones/australia/#tabs=Outlook
For information about operations in Australia, contact GAC Australia at shipping.australia@gac.com
Tropical Storm Nangka
Tuesday, October 13, 2020, Hong Kong
No.8 Typhoon Signal has been hoisted and is expected to remain in force of most of the day today (13 October).
The latest Tropical Cyclone Warning Bulletin issued by the Hong Kong Observatory stated that at 8 a.m., Tropical Storm Nangka was about 450 kilometres south-southwest of Hong Kong (near 18.4 degrees north, 112.9 degrees east) and is forecast to move west or west-northwest at about 22km per hour towards the vicinity of Hainan Island and intensify gradually.
Under the combined effect of Nangka and the northeast monsoon, gale force winds are gradually affecting the offshore waters and the high ground in the territory. Winds are generally stronger over the southern part of Hong Kong.
With Nangka moving to the southwest of Hong Kong, local wind direction will gradually change from northeast to east to southeast. Areas which are previously sheltered may become exposed. The heavy rain band associated with Nangka to the southeast of Hong Kong will also move gradually towards the eastern coast of Guangdong, bringing squally showers to the region. The Gale or Storm Signal No. 8 is expected to remain in force for most of the day today.
Maximum sustained winds recorded at Waglan Island, Cheung Chau Beach and Tate’s Cairn were 73, 67 and 55 km per hour with maximum gusts exceeding 78, 80 and 72 km per hour respectively.
For information about operations in Hong Kong, contact GAC Hong Kong at shipping.hongkong@gac.com
Deep depression brings heavy rains and rough seas
Tuesday, October 13, 2020, Bay of Bengal, India
The deep depression over the Bay of Bengal crossed the north Andhra Pradesh coast close to Kakinada around 0630-0730 IST today (13 October). Under its influence, very heavy rainfall was experienced over coastal Andhra Pradesh, south Odisha causing waterlogging at low lying areas.
Sea conditions will continue be “rough to very rough” along and off the Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coasts until this evening.
For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in India, contact GAC India at india@gac.com
