Hot Port News from GAC

(ii) The Closed Area will be closed to all marine traffic, except craft directly involved in the fireworks display, Government launches and vessels with special permission from the Director of Marine (to be collectively called excepted vessels) during the aforesaid period.

A Restricted Area will be established in the Central Harbour from 1900 hours to about 2115 hours on the event day with the following details:
(i) The Eastern Cordon Line (ECL) of the Restricted Area is a straight line joining the south extremity of MTR Hung Hom Freight Terminal Pier and the breakwater at Kellett Island, Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club. The Western Cordon Line (WCL) of the Restricted Area is a straight line joining the southwest extremity of the Ocean Terminal and the Central Government Pier.
(ii) No vessels, other than the excepted vessels, will be allowed to enter or remain within the Restricted Area.

To minimize head-on encounters of vessels after the fireworks display, the Restricted Area will be lifted in stages by lifting the WCL at about 2100 hours. The ECL will be lifted later depending on the traffic condition in the Central Harbour. It is anticipated that the Restricted Area will be completely lifted at about 2115 hours on the event day. To combat vessels proceeding at excessive speed in the Central Harbour, the Marine Police and Marine Department will deploy laser gun and interception teams on the event day.

Vessels intending to navigate in the Central Harbour after the fireworks display should pay special attention to the establishment of three Buffer Zones at Kowloon Public Pier, Kwun Tong Public Pier, Central Piers 9 and 10 and the associated marine traffic control measures. Details of these measures are given in the Annex to this Notice.

In the event of inclement weather and emergency, the fireworks display may be postponed to the fallback date of Monday, 30 January 2017, at 2000 hours, with the same control measures as aforementioned.

(For information about operations in Hong Kong contact GAC Hong Kong at shipping.hongkong@gac.com)

Source: Government of Hong Kong SAR Marine Department Notice No.9 of 2017

(For information about operations in the USA contact GAC USA at usa@gac.com)

Source: Sandy Hook Pilots Association update

These craft 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 of the working boats;
b) Maintain a proper lookout;
c) Proceed at a slow speed and to navigate with caution;
d) Maintain a listening watch on VHF Channel 22 (Jurong Control);
and
e) Communicate with Jurong Control on VHF Channel 22 for assistance, if required.

For information about operations in Singapore contact GAC Singapore at singapore@gac.com

IMB is urging governments to investigate and identify the kidnappers and punish them under law….

Sulu Sea kidnappings
The kidnapping of crew from ocean going merchant vessels in the Sulu Sea and their transfer to the Southern Philippines represents a notable escalation in attacks. In the last quarter, 12 crew were kidnapped from two cargo vessels underway and an anchored fishing vessel, and in November a bulk carrier was fired upon but pirates were not able to board the vessel. Earlier in 2016, crewmembers were kidnapped in three attacks on vulnerable slow-moving tugs and barges.

IMB advises charterers and owners to consider avoiding the Sulu Sea by routing vessels West of Kalimantan.

Nigeria hotspot
The Gulf of Guinea remained a kidnap hotspot in 2016, with 34 crew taken in nine separate incidents. Three vessels were hijacked in the region. There was a noticeable increase in attacks reported off Nigeria: 36 incidents in 2016, up from 14 in 2015. These included nine of the 12 vessels fired upon worldwide in 2016. Some were almost 100 nautical miles from the coastline.

Meanwhile, Indonesian piracy incidents fell from 108 in 2015 to 49 in 2016. Although the overwhelming majority were low-level thefts, vessels were boarded in all but three of the incidents.

Somalia risk
IMB recorded two incidents off Somalia. Pirates attempted to attack a container vessel in the Gulf of Aden in May, and fired on a product tanker in the Somali basin some 300 nm from shore in October. For IMB, this latest incident demonstrates that the capacity and intent to attack merchant shipping still exists off Somalia.

Elsewhere…
Peru reported 11 incidents – 10 of them at the country’s main port of Callao – compared to zero in 2015. The number of incidents in Vung Tau, Vietnam dropped from 15 in 2015 to seven in 2016. Bangladesh also witnessed a welcome decrease, down from 11 in 2015 to three in 2016….

(For information about operations around the world contact the respective GAC office. Details may be found at http://gac.com/gac-worldwide)

Source: ICC International Maritime Bureau (www.iccwbo.org)Fu