Hot Port News from GAC
27-Jan-2021
MARINE PILE REPAIR WORKS
Singapore
ADJUSTED TOWAGE SERVICES FEE
Dampier, Australia
AMENDED PORT NAVIGATION DEPTHS
Townsville, Australia
OPTIMIZATION OF SUPPLY ROUTES FOR COVID-19 VACCINE DISTRIBUTION
Panama Canal, Panama
SMART BOLLARD TRIAL
Rotterdam, Netherlands
ARRIVAL DRAFT
Aden, Yemen
DUTY EXEMPTION ON SHIPS’ STORES
South Africa
CZECH REPUBLIC ADDED TO LIST OF RESTRICTED COUNTRIES
Philippines
RELAXATION OF HEIGHT RESTRICTION AT TSING MA BRIDGE AREA
Hong Kong
REINSTATEMENT OF LATERAL MARK BUOYS
Hong Kong
Marine pile repair works
Wednesday, January 27, 2021, Singapore
From 31 January to 30 July, marine pile repair works will be carried out at the ExxonMobil Terminal, Pulau Ayer Chawan.
According to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore Port Marine Notice No.006 of 2021, the works will be conducted within the working area bounded by the following co-ordinates (WGS 84 Datum):
1) 01° 16·612’N / 103° 41·411’E
2) 01° 16·847’N / 103° 41·627’E
3) 01° 16·836’N / 103° 41·639’E
4) 01° 16·601’N / 103° 41·423’E
The working hours will be 0800-2000 hours Mondays to Saturdays and 0800-1700 hours on Sundays.
The marine repair works entail strengthening of piles and concrete encasement of steel pipe piles at ExxonMobil Pulau Ayer Chawan Berths OE1, OE2 and OE3.
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
Adjusted towage services fee
Wednesday, January 27, 2021, Dampier, Australia
This is to formally advise of the towage services fee adjustment effective from 1 February 2021 for ships utilising the North West Shelf and Pluto terminals, respectively.
CURRENT RATE: $83,900
NEW RATE (effective 1 February 2021): $93,822
[Rates above are exclusive of GST]
The new rate will take effect for all ship-movements utilising the respective terminals as of 1 February 2021.
(For information about operations in Australia, contact GAC Australia at shipping.australia@gac.com)
Source: Riverwijs Dampier notice dated 27 January 2021
Amended port navigation depths
Wednesday, January 27, 2021, Townsville, Australia
Mariners are advised that the declared depths for the channels and berth pockets, below port datum, Lowest Astronomical Tide, are amended, as of Friday, 15 January 2021, as follows:
OUTER HARBOUR (ARRIVAL CHANNEL)
Actual Depth: 7.1*
OUTER HARBOUR (DEPARTURE CHANNEL)
Actual Depth: 11.5*
SEA CHANNEL
Actual Depth: 11.9
CHANNEL WEDGE
Actual Depth: 10.9
PLATYPUS CHANNEL
Actual depth: 11.3*
INNER HARBOUR
Actual depth: 11.3
NO. 1 BERTH POCKET
Actual Depth: 12.3
NO. 2 BERTH POCKET
Actual Depth: 10.8
NO. 3 BERTH POCKET
Actual Depth: 11.0
NO. 4 BERTH POCKET
Actual Depth: 11.9
NO. 8 BERTH POCKET
Actual Depth: 12.0*
NO. 9 BERTH POCKET
Actual Depth: 11.5
NO. 10 BERTH POCKET
Actual Depth: 11.0
NO. 11 BERTH POCKET
Actual Depth: 10.5*
Remarks: Berth marks 10m to 260m
NO. 11 BERTH POCKET
Actual Depth: 9.5*
Remarks: Berth marks 0m to 10m
ROSS RIVER CHANNEL
Actual Depth: 1.9
Remarks: Entrance to Beacon No.6
ROSS RIVER
Actual Depth: 1.7
Remarks: Upstream of Beacon No 6
ROSS RIVER
No Declared depth
*Revised entry
AUS charts affected: AUS256; AUS257
Latitude and longitude positions are on WGS84 horizontal datum and are compatible with GDA94 datum.
(For information about operations in Australia, contact GAC Australia at shipping.australia@gac.com)
Source: Maritime Safety Queensland Notice To Mariners 017 (T) of 2021
Optimization of supply routes for COVID-19 vaccine distribution
Wednesday, January 27, 2021, Panama Canal, Panama
The Panama Canal has signed memorandums of Understanding with Panama Ports Company (PPC) and PSA Panama International Terminal (PSA Panama) to help optimize supply routes for the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine and supplies to Latin America.
Panama’s logistics capabilities and strategic location at the crossroads of the Americas make it uniquely positioned to assist in meeting the demand imposed on supply chains by the worldwide pandemic.
As part of the agreement, the Panama Canal, PPC and PSA Panama have agreed to undertake joint initiatives to establish an alliance of cooperation and explore working together to form a logistic hub on the Pacific side of the Panama Canal for the storage and distribution of the vaccine and supplies for the region…
…The Panama Canal will look into the development of additional facilities to store and/or break-bulk vaccine cargoes…
…PSA Panama and PPC will cooperate with the design and equipment necessary to transport the containers with the vaccine between the terminals and the facilities. The ports will also provide operational expertise to explore their current terminal’s capacities to handle increased refrigerated containers.
(For information about operations in Panama, contact GAC Panama at operations.panama@gac.com)
Source: Extracts from Panama Canal Authority (www.pancanal.com) press release
Smart bollard trial
Wednesday, January 27, 2021, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Along the quay of the Hutchison Ports ECT Delta terminal on the Maasvlakte, the Port of Rotterdam Authority has installed a smart bollard as part of a trial.
The smart bollard was developed in collaboration with Straatman BV, Zwijndrecht. By measuring the strain on the mooring lines in real time, the bollard not only allows the real-time monitoring of safety, but it also provides a clearer picture of which vessels can moor at which quays.
The trial is in line with the Port of Rotterdam Authority’s policy of making the port more efficient through digitisation.
Until now, it has not been possible to measure the strain on mooring lines. The lack of exact data measured on moored vessels meant we had to assume maximum mooring loads exerted on the lines by the vessels and quay walls. These forces vary due to differences in local conditions. The smart bollard can help give us a better understanding of the forces involved.
When force is applied to a bollard, it moves very slightly. A sensor measures the force and sends the results directly to the Port of Rotterdam Authority. Before the smart bollard was installed, it was successfully put through its paces on a test bench in Zwijndrecht.
(For information about operations in the Netherlands, contact GAC Netherlands at agency.netherlands@gac.com)
Source: Port of Rotterdam (www.portofrotterdam.com) press release dated 25 January 2021
Arrival draft
Wednesday, January 27, 2021, Aden, Yemen
Since some ship owners have neglected the obligation about the depth of water in Malla docks, considered as violation of the system in force, it is decided to inform you all that it is necessary to abide with the rules on entering the ship at the dock of Malla.
Ship’s arrival draft should not exceed 10.4m and those who ignore this would be fined as follows:
If the arrival draft of the ship exceeds to 10.5m to 10.7m then the amount of the fine would be $100 for every centimeter.
If the arrival draft of the ship exceeds to 10.7m to 10.85m then the amount of fine would be $700 for every centimeter.
(For information about operations in Yemen, contact GAC Yemen at yemen@gac.com)
Source: Port of Aden Circular No.4 of 2021 dated 24 January 2021
Duty exemption on ships’ stores
Wednesday, January 27, 2021, South Africa
The South African Revenue Service has announced that the ships’ stores for naval vessels and foreign-going ships (including cargo carriers & cruise liners making one or more stopovers in the Republic) consumed in the country are exempt from duty.
Ships’ stores on ships other than foreign-going ships are liable to the payment of duty.
Exemption from payment of duties do not apply to ships that exclusively voyage between ports in the Republic whether ferrying cargo or travellers (coasting trade), as they are not foreign-going ships. Such vessels should not be supplied with bonded goods.
The exemptions also do not apply to ships that exclusively voyage between ports in the Republic and Namibia (common customs area) whether ferrying cargo or travellers, as they are not foreign-going ships.
For further details and information about operations in South Africa, contact GAC South Africa at shipping.capetown@gac.com
Czech Republic added to list of restricted countries
Wednesday, January 27, 2021, Philippines
The Czech Republic has been added to the list of countries/jurisdictions subjected to travel restrictions relative to the SARS-COV-2 Variants, as per the latest guidelines on the conduct of crew changes.
Ships coming from or having rendered port of call/s from the listed countries within 14 days immediately preceding arrival in the Philippines, are temporarily restricted from disembarking their foreign seafarers until 31 January 2021.
A.1 However, foreign seafarers coming from, or who have been to Czech Republic within 14 days immediately preceding arrival in the Philippines, arriving before 28 January 2021, 12:01AM, Manila time, shall be allowed to disembark subject to health and safety protocols specified under this memorandum.
B. Filipino and foreign seafarers aboard ship with no recorded port of callsin any of the countries listed in Item A within the last 14 days preceding arrival in the Philippines shall be allowed to disembark in any of the crew change hubs established by this Department, subject to existing health and safety protocols of the established One-Shop Shops (OSS) for Seafarers.
C. Filipino seafarerscoming from countries mentioned in Item A, or who have been to the same within 14 days immediately preceding arrival in the Philippines, shall not be prohibited from entering the Philippines.
D. Seafarers that fall under the classification of Items A.1 and C are only allowed to disembark in Port of Manila. They shall be tested upon arrival and shall be quarantined until the result of a subsequent test administered on the fifth day of quarantine is released. After which, said seafarers who yield a negative result from both COVID-19 tests shall be endorsed to their local government units of destination. Filipino seafarers returning to their provinces shall be strictly monitored for the remainder of their fourteen-day quarantine through their respective Barangay Health Emergency Response Teams.
E. All incoming seafarers from any country, if found positive, shall undergo whole genome sequencing conducted by the Department of Health (DOH), University of the Philippines (UP) Philippine Genome Center, and UP-National Institutes of Health, in addition to the prescribed testing and quarantine protocols.
F. Embarkation to ships bound to the countries mentioned in Item A shall be subject to the existing exit protocols of the Philippines as well as entry protocols of the respective countries.
For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in the Philippines, contact GAC Philippines at philippines@gac.com
Relaxation of height restriction at Tsing Ma Bridge Area
Wednesday, January 27, 2021, Hong Kong
The Shipping and Port Control (Amendment) (No.2) Regulation 2020 and the Merchant Shipping (Local Vessels) (General) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulation 2020 will come into force on 28 January 2021. The regulations relax the height restriction at the Tsing Ma Bridge (TMB) Area from 53 metres (above sea level) to 54.6 metres (above sea level) at any time, and to 57 metres (above sea level) during the period of Specified Hours.
Vessels with height exceeding 57.0 meters above sea level which wish to enter or pass through the TMB Area during low tide period within the Specified Hours should seek prior permission from the Vessel Traffic Centre. Please visit the Marine Department website for application details.
The Specified Hours of each day will be specified and published by notice by the Director of Highways on the following website of the Highways Department with effect from 28 January 2021: https://www.hyd.gov.hk/tc/district_and_maintenance/structures/tsing_ma/index.html
Details of the Amendment Regulations are available at the following websites:
i) https://www.elegislation.gov.hk/hk/2020/ln236!en
ii) https://www.elegislation.gov.hk/hk/2020/ln237!en
The TMB Area is specified in the Fifth Schedule to the Shipping and Port Control Regulations. It is the area of the waters of Hong Kong bounded by the shore and straight lines joining the following co-ordinates (WGS 84 Datum) from (A) to (B), and (C) to (D):
(A) 22∘21 18 N 114∘03 54 E
(B) 22∘21 29 N 114∘04 45 E
(C) 22∘21 04 N 114∘04 54 E
(D) 22∘20 48 N 114∘03 57 E
Masters, coxswains and persons in charge of vessels are advised to closely monitor the height of their vessels and ensure that the highest point of their vessels does not exceed the specified limit before their vessel enters into the TMB Area.
Attention of masters, coxswains and persons in charge of vessels is drawn to the fact that the Marine Department may, pursuant to section 16(b) of the Shipping and Port Control Ordinance (Cap. 313), on safety ground give direction to an owner or his agent or to a master of any vessel with a height exceeding 54.6 meter above sea level not to enter or pass through the TMB Area under the circumstances where unscheduled or urgent inspections and maintenance of the TMB is required to be carried out by the Highways Department and its contractor.
(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.19/2021
Reinstatement of lateral mark buoys
Wednesday, January 27, 2021, Hong Kong
Seven lateral mark buoys have been reinstated in the following positions (WGS 84 Datum) G1, G3, G7, R2, R4, R6 and R8 inside Causeway Bay Typhoon Shelter for marking the passage area.
Particulars of the buoys are as follows:
G1
22° 17.170’N / 114° 11.248’E
Conical Green
G3
22° 17.121’N / 114° 11.202’E
Conical Green
G7
22° 17.115’N / 114° 11.044’E
Conical Green
R2
22° 17.151’N / 114° 11.247’E
Can Red
R4
22° 17.105’N / 114° 11.203’E
Can Red
R6
22° 17.080’N / 114° 11.120’E
Can Red
R8
22° 17.103’N / 114° 11.044’E
Can Red
(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.21/2021
