Port reopened after weather improves Thursday, December 3, 2020, Buckeye Bahamas Hub, Bahamas Due to favorable improvement in weather conditions, Buckeye Bahamas Hub changed its Port Status from Closed to Open at 15.48 hours local time yesterday (2 December).Outer jetties are available for berthing, and operations are back to normal.(For information about operations in the Bahamas, contact the GAC Houston Hub Agency Center at hub.us@gac.com)Source: Elnet Maritime – GAC agent Breakwater reinstatement at Aberdeen South Typhoon Shelter Thursday, December 3, 2020, Hong Kong For approximately 8 months, breakwater reinstatement works will be carried out within the area bounded by straight lines joining the following co-ordinates (WGS 84 Datum) from (A) to(F) and adjacent shoreline: (A) 22°14.186’N 114°09.728’E (B) 22°14.214’N 114°09.727’E (C) 22°14.217’N 114°09.812’E (D) 22°14.152’N 114°09.815’E (E) 22°14.149’N 114°09.730’E (F) 22°14.176’N 114°09.729’E  The works will be carried out by one dumb lighter. One tugboat will provide assistance.A working area of approximately 15 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.A silt curtain, extending from the sea surface to the seabed, will be established within the 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.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. 172/2020 Tug operator in consultation to leave ports Thursday, December 3, 2020, Port Jackson & Geelong, Australia Tug operator Svitzer Australia has announced that they will be consulting on a proposal to exit the Port Jackson and Geelong, following significant financial losses in both ports.The proposed exit date is currently 21 December 2020, subject to the outcome of consultation with employees and the union. Svitzer will continue to provide towage services in Port Jackson and Geelong until the conclusion of the consultation process and a decision is implemented.Svitzer state that the decision is a result of changed market factors and our inability to respond effectively to those changes. Over the last two years, the company has been operating at a significant financial loss in the ports, which is no longer sustainable.They will continue to service vessels under the contract terms, and the proposal to exit Geelong and Port Jackson will not affect their services in other ports around Australia.For information about operations in Australia, contact GAC Australia at shipping.australia@gac.com Notification of industrial action Thursday, December 3, 2020, Geelong, Westernport & Melbourne, Australia Svitzer Australia has received a further notification from the Maritime Union of Australia of protected industrial action by members at the ports of Geelong, Westernport and Melbourne. Specifically, members of the MUA employed by Svitzer Australia will engage in;bans on casual employees working in Geelong and Westernport for a rolling 24-hour period commencing at 12.01am from Friday 4 December, through to 12.01 am Thursday 10 December 2020. bans on breaks being taken away from the ordinary Svitzer tug berth, for example, on a mooring which is required to provide services in certain ports. This ban will take place in Geelong, Westernport and Melbourne from 12.01 am Friday 4 December through to 11.59 pm Sunday 3 January 2021.This protected industrial action replicates a previous notice for a ban on casual employees working in Geelong and Westernport. Its effect is that Svitzer’s casual employees who are members of the MUA can refuse work in the ports of Geelong and Westernport.Svitzer expect to be able continue to provide towage services during the protected industrial action by absorbing additional costs and rescheduling. They are reviewing schedules and crewing requirements to minimise any potential disruption.For information about operations in Australia, contact GAC Australia at shipping.australia@gac.com Vessel run around during transit Thursday, December 3, 2020, Suez Canal, Egypt A 76,620 DWT container ship with a draft of 12.5 metres ran aground at 42 KM in the Suez Canal while transiting in southbound from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea at about 10.30 hours local time today (3 December). 18 vessels in front of the ship in the southbound convoy were not affected by the grounding, but the 7 vessels behind it were detained.The vessel was re-floated at 13:15 hours local time.For information about operations in the Suez Canal, contact GAC Egypt at suezcanal@gac.com
