Hot Port News from GAC
21-Jun-2019
TRANSPORTATION OF SAND OFF VERY LARGE CRUDE CARRIER ANCHORAGE
Singapore
NEW TUG PROVIDER
Port Hedland, Australia
HIGH RISK CREWMEMBERS
United States
Transportation of sand off Very Large Crude Carrier Anchorage
Friday, June 21, 2019, Singapore
The working period for the transportation of sand materials off the Very Large Crude Carrier Anchorage (AVLCC) has been extended. It will now be carried out 24 hours daily including Sundays and Public Holidays from 26 June to 25 December.
According to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore Port Marine Notice No.062 of 2019 dated 20 June 2019, the work will be carried out within the working area bounded by the following coordinates (WGS 84 Datum):
1) 01 deg. 13.296’N / 103 deg. 37.359’E
2) 01 deg. 13.296’N / 103 deg. 37.902’E
3) 01 deg. 13.296’N / 103 deg. 37.476’E
4) 01 deg. 12.809’N / 103 deg. 38.717’E
5) 01 deg. 12.673’N / 103 deg. 38.522’E
6) 01 deg. 12.973’N / 103 deg. 37.359’E
The work involves transporting and dumping of sand material by self-discharge sand carrier and trailer suction hopper dredgers to area off AVLCC. A safety boat will be deployed in the vicinity of the working area to warn other vessels of the work.
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 of the working area;
b) Maintain a proper lookout;
c) Proceed at a safe 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
New tug provider
Friday, June 21, 2019, Port Hedland, Australia
As an additional new tug provider is due to start operating at Port Hedland, from now on all berth applications lodged with the port authority must specify which towage company is to be used.
Pilbara Marine will commence services at the port next month (July), initially with nine tugs.
The current tug operator, BHP Billiton, continues to operate with a fleet of 17 tugs at Port Hedland.
For further details and information about operations at Australian ports contact GAC Australia at shipping.australia@gac.com
High risk crewmembers
Friday, June 21, 2019, United States
U.S. Customs and Border Protection Field Operations New York/Newark have issued an Informational Pipeline (No.19-027-NWK dated 19 June 2019) about operational procedures and guidelines pertaining to vessels’ responsibility for the detention and maintenance of high risk crewmembers when they depart from the United States.
All crew members deemed high risk by CBP shall be safeguarded. In the event a crew member has been ordered to depart the United States under safeguard, the CBP officer will serve a CBP Form I-259 to the owner, agent, or master who is responsible to ensure the crew member’s departure under the terms and conditions prescribed on the CBP Form I-259 at the carrier’s expense. Unarmed/non-uniformed guards must be assigned to the aircraft departure gate and remain at the gate until the aircraft departs foreign.
In general, the following guard to crewmember ratios will be utilized when repatriating crewmembers:
Crew members deemed high risk by CBP including 1st contract off signers
Safe guard ratio of 2:1, 3:2, 4:3, etc.
Port parole for repatriation
Safe guard ration of 2:1, 3:2, 4:3, etc.
Medical paroles
Safe guard ratio of 1:1 or discretion of Watch Commander
The vessel agent must provide an update regarding the status of the repatriation every 12 hours until the crewmember has departed from the U.S.
In the event that any crew member deserts or absconds, the owner, agent or master is required to report immediately, by telephone, the desertion or absconding of a nonimmigrant crew member to CBP.
For information about operations in the United States contact GAC North America at usa@gac.com
