Hot Port News from GAC
17-May-2021
EXTENSION OF LOCKDOWN
Bangladesh
REQUIREMENTS FOR VESSELS ARRIVING DURING COVID-19
Singapore
VESSELS ARRIVING FROM COUNTRIES WITH SUSTAINED INCREASE IN COVID-19 CASES
Singapore
PORT MOVEMENTS SUSPENDED
Deendayal, India
PORT CLOSURE
Sikka, India
CREW CHANGES RESTRICTIONS
Philippines
SHIP-TO-SHORE INTERACTION RESTRICTIONS
India
TAUKTAE TO MAKE LANDFALL
Gujarat, India
Extension of lockdown
Monday, May 17, 2021, Bangladesh
The Bangladesh Government has extended the Lockdown from 2359 hours local time yesterday (16 May) to 2359 hours local time on 23 May, to contain the second wave of Covid-19 Pandemic.
For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in Bangladesh, contact GAC-Uniglobal Bangladesh at gac-uniglobal.bd@gac.com
Requirements for vessels arriving during COVID-19
Monday, May 17, 2021, Singapore
Owners, agents and masters of vessels arriving in the Port of Singapore are reminded of their responsibility to implement and comply with all prevailing requirements and measures of the Singapore authorities to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission in Singapore, in particular safe management measures directly applicable to vessels in the Port of Singapore.
Owners, agents and masters of vessels must ensure that all operations (e.g. cargo operations, bunkering, ship’s supplies and stores, and other marine services) are carried out contactless or contactless with segregation protocol (see below).
a) Contactless operation means no boarding of the vessel by any person other than MPA-licensed harbour pilots, authorised government officers, and persons approved by the Port Master of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore.
b) Contactless operation with segregation protocol means that enhanced safe management measures must be implemented to minimise interaction between the vessel’s crew and shore-based personnel…
…The owner, agent or master of the vessel in port must establish and apply procedures and adequate controls to ensure the safety of shore-based personnel and the vessel’s crew… …Failure to comply with the requirements may result in a breach of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (Port) Regulations or the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020.
All vessel’s crew must comply with the following while in the Port of Singapore:
a) Wear a mask at all times (unless the work activity requires that no mask be worn);
b) As far as is reasonably practicable, keep a distance of at least one metre apart from each other;
c) Take and record temperature twice daily;
d) Observe good personal hygiene by washing your hands regularly and refrain from touching your face;
and
e) Maintain good hygiene in the vessel’s accommodation areas by cleaning frequently touched surfaces (e.g. desk, chart tables, dining tables, bridge/engine room consoles, door handles, handholds, switches, telephones/VHF handsets, faucets).
(For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in Singapore, contact GAC Singapore at singapore@gac.com)
Source: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore Port Marine Circular No.19 of 2021 dated 15 May 2021
Vessels arriving from countries with sustained increase in COVID-19 cases
Monday, May 17, 2021, Singapore
For vessels arriving in the Port of Singapore within 21 days from any of the countries listed in ANNEX A [Bangladesh, India, Pakistan & Sri Lanka] and require shore-based personnel at any time to board and conduct activities, the following must be done:
Master of the vessel must declare via (LINK)
a) Crew members, including the master, did not have shore leave and physical interaction with any individual other than their own crew when calling at any port in a country listed in ANNEX A;
and
b) The vessel did not sign on any new crew in the last 21 days.
Master of the vessel must declare via (LINK)
c) A list of shore-based personnel boarding the vessel (i.e. name, company, contact details, particulars, and purpose of boarding).
Where shore-based personnel are required to board the vessel, the shore-based personnel must be on a 7-day Rostered Routine Testing (RRT) programme. After disembarking, the shore-based personnel must take an Antigen Rapid Test (ART) between the 3rd and 4th day unless the upcoming RRT falls on the same day. The costs of the ART are to be borne by the shore-based personnel or their employers. The copy of the ART test result is to be submitted to pms_art@mpa.gov.sg.
Vessels entering shipyards under the Ship Repair Framework must comply with the Economic Development Board and Enterprise Singapore’s Heightened Mandatory Precautionary Measures. Owners, agents, masters of vessels may contact the shipyards for more information.
(For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in Singapore, contact GAC Singapore at singapore@gac.com)
Source: Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore Port Marine Circular No.20 of 2021 dated 15 May 2021
Port movements suspended
Monday, May 17, 2021, Deendayal, India
In view of the impending Cyclone Tauktae, the inward and outward movement of vehicles and rail at Kandla is suspended with effect from 16 May.
(For information about operations in India, contact GAC India at india@gac.com)
Source: Deendayal Port Trust Circular dated 16 May 2021
Port closure
Monday, May 17, 2021, Sikka, India
Sikka Reliance Terminal has advised that the port is closed for all inward movement due to an approaching storm, effective from 1400 hours yesterday (16 May).
Arriving vessels should drift outside at high seas and not to enter the Gulf of Kacchh.
For information about operations in India, contact GAC India at india@gac.com
Crew changes restrictions
Monday, May 17, 2021, Philippines
Ships coming from or have rendered port call/s in the following countries within 14 days immediately preceding arrival in the Philippines are temporarily restricted from disembarking their foreign seafarers, effective 0001H of 15 May 2021 until 2359 31 May 2021:
- Oman
- United Arab Emirates
- Pakistan
- Bangladesh
- Nepal
- Sri Lanka
- India
Filipino and foreign seafarers with no immigration admission in the above countries within the last 14 days preceding arrival in the Philippines shall be allowed to disembark subject to existing health and safety protocols of the established One-Shop Stops (OSS) for Seafarers…
…Filipino seafarers coming from the foregoing countries shall not be prohibited from entering the Philippines but shall be required to undergo an absolute facility-based 14-day quarantine period, not withstanding a negative RT-PCR result.
Specimen from travelers coming from the above countries that turn positive upon testing in the Philippines shall undergo Whole Genome Sequencing. All close contacts must undergo facility-based quarantine for 14 days, and contact tracing shall expand up to the third-generation contacts.
Embarkation to ships bound to the above shall be subject to the existing exit protocols of the Philippines as well as entry protocols of the foregoing countries.
(For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in the Philippines, contact GAC Philippines in philippines@gac.com)
Source: Philippines Department of Transportation Notice dated 14 May 2021
Ship-to-shore interaction restrictions
Monday, May 17, 2021, India
To slow the spread of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and mitigate its impacts, travel advisories have been issued by many jurisdictions in India. Several countries are imposing restriction on movement of ship and seafarers calling at Indian ports.
It has been brought to the notice of the Directorate that various agencies such as port officials, terminal operators, customs, immigration, ONGC inspectors, third party inspectors including charterers or their representatives, surveyors, surveyors of MMDs, are boarding ships without following the COVID protocol and entering into accommodation spaces. This is neither safe for visitors to ship nor safe for the crew on board the ship. Ship-to-shore interactions must be avoided and kept to bare minimum to keep the ship and crew safe and sanitized and contain spread of the disease. Masters of Indian vessels shall create SOPs for contactless interaction with the above agencies which can be used to safely undertake both navigation and cargo operations.
In view of the above, all concerned officials are advised to desist from boarding the vessel, unless absolutely necessary. In case any visitors, inspectors/surveyors are required to board the vessels such personnel should follow the COVID protocols including wearing appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and stay away from accommodation spaces.
(For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in India, contact GAC India at india@gac.com)
Source: Directorate General of Shipping, Mumbai, DGS Order No.24 of 2021 dated 14 May 2021
Tauktae to make landfall
Monday, May 17, 2021, Gujarat, India
Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm ‘TAUKTAE’ is moving northwards along India’s western coast and is very likely to reach the Gujarat coast this evening (17 May), making landfall in Bhavnagar district between 10 and 11 pm, with winds up to 165 km per hour.
At 2.30pm local time, it was 165 km west-northwest of Mumbai and moving at 15 km per hour. The IMD has warned of storm surges of up to 3 metres high in some coastal districts of the state. Officials are bracing for very heavy rainfall and winds of up to 190 km per hour.
Ports along the coast from Mormugao to Mundra have suspended all vessels movements and cargo operations. Working vessels shifted to safe anchorage/outer port limits.
To date, Force Majeure has been declared at the ports of Mangalore, Karaikal, Kakinada, Vizag and Gopalpur. However, these ports continue to work normal, with available resources.
For information about operations in India, contact GAC India at india@gac.com
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