Hot Port News from GAC
14-Mar-2020
WORLD HOLIDAYS: 15-28 MARCH 2020
Worldwide
UPDATED CORONAVIRUS MEASURES
Turkey
REGULATIONS UPDATE IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19
Taiwan
ENTRY RESTRICTIONS
Poland
VESSEL REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR ILLNESS OR DEATH
United States
EMBARKATION/DISEMBARKATION SUSPENDED
Panama
HEALTH EMERGENCY DECLARED
Argentina
CRUISE SHIP CALLS STOPPED
Gibraltar
World Holidays: 15-28 March 2020
Saturday, March 14, 2020, Worldwide
Public holidays around the world in the coming two weeks include the following:
Sun 22 Mar – Ascension of the Prophet Muhammad
Mon 23 Mar – Pakistan Day
Wed 25 Mar – Greek National Day
For information about operations around the world contact the respective GAC office. Details may be found at www.gac.com
Updated Coronavirus measures
Saturday, March 14, 2020, Turkey
Due to the spread of COVID-19, Turkey has added eight European countries to its list of ‘restricted countries’, increasing the total from 9 to 17.
The list is now as follows:
Italy
China
Singapore
Hong Kong
Thailand
Iran
Iraq
South Korea
Japan
Germany
Sweden
Netherlands
France
Spain
Denmark
Norway
Belgium
Flights to Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Norway, Denmark, Belgium, Austria, Sweden and Netherlands have been suspended from 0800 hours local time today (14 March) until 17 April.
Flights to China, Iran, Iraq, South Korea, Nakhchivan, Saudi Arabia have been suspended until 1 April.
Vessels intending to call at a Turkish port:
All vessels should declare below listed documents via email to related sanitary office before their arrival and should keep appointed agent in cc.
Maritime Health Declaration
Last 10 Ports
Fever Measurement Report (last 3 days)
Crew List (shows all crews embarkation date, time and place)
After sanitary inspection on a vessel’s arrival, if there are no observed issues, customs inward clearance can be done.
Although there is a 14-day incubation period, there is not a commercial restriction for vessels coming from above restricted countries at Turkish ports.
The Police Department is not giving shore passes for crew during the vessel’s stay at any port in Turkey at this stage.
Crews may join vessels but the authorities request documents which show offsigners’ last embarkation date, time, place and his flight details before the onsigner embarks. Offsigners can leave the vessel after getting permission from related authority.
Vessels intending to transit Turkish Straits:
All vessels should declare below listed documents via email to below email addresses before their arrival to arrival point and should keep appointed agent in cc:
canakkale@hssgm.gov.tr (for vessels will pass from south to north)
rumelifeneri@hssgm.gov.tr (for vessels will pass from north to south)
Maritime Health Declaration
Last 10 Ports
Fever Measurement Report (last 3 days)
Crew List (shows all crews embarkation date, time and place)
Vessels should also make ready below listed documents for sanitary inspection to give to the sanitary boat before transit.
– 1 crew list
– International tonnage certificate (copy)
– SSCEC
– Maritime Health Declaration
– Last Port clearence paper
– Cargo manifest
– Fever Measurement Report (last 3 days)
– Last 10 ports of call and ship’s stamp with the officer to be sent to sanitary boat for transit pratique.
If husbandry is planned (crew change, delivery of store, provision, spare part etc.) permission should be obtained from the related authority by declaring of above listed 4 documents for planned delivery via motorboat. If authority permits, motorboat can be alongside.
When the motorboat is alongside, 4 documents (MHD, Last 10 ports, Fever Measurement Report and Crew List) in originals, signed and stamped, should be handed to agent boat.
If a vessel has called at a restricted country within 14 days, there is no possibility for crew to disembark at transit. Onsigners can join the vessel.
Arriving citizens from restricted countries at any airport in Turkey will go through medical tests first. Based on test results, their entry permission will be given by related authority. Otherwise they will be deported.
For information about operations in Turkey contact GAC Turkey at turkey@gac.com
Regulations update in response to COVID-19
Saturday, March 14, 2020, Taiwan
In response to the international spread of COVID-19, Taiwan’s CECC (Central Epidemic Center) has listed below countries for travel notice warning as today (14 March):
Level 3 – WARNING: Avoid all unnecessary travel:
China (including Hong Kong and Macao), South Korea, Italy, Iran, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Luxembourg, Finland, Sweden, Slovenia, Poland, Czech, Hungary, Greece, Estonia, Malta, Slovakia, Latvia, Lithuania, Iceland, Switzerland, Norway, Liechtenstein, United Kingdom , Ireland and 27 countries that are freely flowing with the Schengen area and Dubai (including transit in Dubai) are recommended to upgrade to the third level to avoid all unnecessary travel to the local area from 14:00 Taiwan time today (14 March).
Level 2 – ALERT:
Japan, Singapore and U.S.A. (Washington State, New York State, California State)
Level 1 – WATCH:
Thailand, U.S.A. (others state) and countries that do not list tourist outbreak recommendations are promoted to Level 1.
According to harbour immigration policy, no shore pass will be issued for vessels with previous port calls to “country with travel notice level 3” in the previous 14 days – (China (Hong Kong & Macau), South Korea, Italy and Iran.
For information about operations in Taiwan, contact GAC Taiwan at taiwan@gac.com
Entry restrictions
Saturday, March 14, 2020, Poland
Restrictions for foreigners entering Poland have been announced, coming into effect tomorrow (15 March).
Polish citizens and foreigners with permission to work and reside in Poland returning from abroad will be required to quarantine for 14 days after returning. All other foreigners will not be permitted to enter the country.
For advice for ship operators for preparedness and response to the outbreak of COVID-1 https://www.healthygateways.eu/Portals/0/plcdocs/EU_HEALTHY_GATEWAYS_COVID-19_MARITIME_20_2_2020_FINAL.pdf?ver=2020-02-21-123842-480
For further details and updates, or information about operations in Poland, contact GAC Poland at poland@gac.com
Vessel reporting requirements for illness or death
Saturday, March 14, 2020, United States
The illness of persons on board a vessel must be reported to both the Coast Guard and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Reporting delays create significant challenges to protect persons on board vessels and, more broadly, maintain an effective Marine Transportation System. Vessels or masters that do not immediately report illness or death among passengers or crew may face delays and disruption to passenger and cargo operations including a requirement to return to the previous port after sailing. Additionally, vessels and masters are subject to Coast Guard enforcement action, which include civil penalties, vessel detentions, and criminal liability.
Illness of a person onboard a vessel that may adversely affect the safety of a vessel or port is a hazardous condition per 33 CFR 160.216 and the owner, agent, master, operator, or person in charge must immediately notify the nearest Coast Guard Captain of the Port (COTP). It is critical to report persons who exhibit symptoms consistent with COVID-19 or other illness to the COTP.
42 CFR 71.1 defines an ill person onboard a vessel as one that has:
Fever (has a measured temperature of 100.4 °F [38 °C] or greater; or feels warm to the touch; or gives a history of feeling feverish) accompanied by one or more of the following:
– skin rash,
– difficulty breathing or suspected or confirmed pneumonia,
– persistent cough or cough with bloody sputum,
– decreased consciousness or confusion of recent onset,
– new unexplained bruising or bleeding (without previous injury),
– persistent vomiting (other than sea sickness)
– headache with stiff neck;
Fever that has persisted for more than 48 hours;
Acute gastroenteritis, which means either:
– diarrhea, defined as three or more episodes of loose stools in a 24-hour period or what is above normal for the individual, or
– vomiting accompanied by one or more of the following: one or more episodes of loose stools in a 24-hour period, abdominal cramps, headache, muscle aches, or fever (temperature of 100.4 °F [38 °C] or greater);
The master of a ship destined for a U.S. port shall report immediately to the quarantine station at or nearest the port at which the ship will arrive, the occurrence, on board, of any death or any ill person among passengers or crew (including those who have disembarked or have been removed) during the 15-day period preceding the date of expected arrival or during the period since departure from a U.S. port (whichever period of time is shorter). Guidance and forms to report deaths and illnesses to the CDC can be found at: https://go.usa.gov/xdjmj
(For information about operations in the United States, contact GAC North America, at usa@gac.com)
Source: U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Information Bulletin No.06-20 dated 13 March 2020
Embarkation/disembarkation suspended
Saturday, March 14, 2020, Panama
Panama’s Immigration Department has advised that embarking and disembarking in Panama have been temporally cancelled until further notice due to the present cases of COVID-19 in the country.
For further details and updates, contact GAC Panama at operations.panam@gac.com
Health emergency declared
Saturday, March 14, 2020, Argentina
On 12 March, President Fernandez announced a host of restrictions and declared Argentina to be in a state of health emergency, and ordered anyone who met any of a four-point criterion to isolate themselves at home and self-quarantine for the suggested period of 14 days.
The most important measures stated in mentioned decree are explained here below:
1. All flights will be suspended from “most affected” countries for 30 days.
2. The decree also grants broad powers to the Health Ministry to acquire the necessary medical equipment and medicine, distribute educational information, and hire doctors with foreign degrees among other measures to mitigate the spread of the virus.
3. Crucially, the decree laid out four classifications/conditions under which citizens and visitors must undergo a 14 days isolation period, which include – for example: travelers arriving from countries considered to be at risk.
Below are the four listed conditions declared to undergo isolation:
a. For those with a confirmed diagnosis of Coronavirus
b. For those people considered as suspicious cases – which means people who feel feverish combined with one or more of the following respiratory symptoms – such as cough, sore throat or difficult breathing, and who, also, have been in affected areas in recent days or have been in contact with confirmed or probable cases of Coronavirus.
c. People who have been in close contact with confirmed cases or suspicious cases.
d. People who have arrived to Argentina in the last 14 days, from affected countries.
Those who break mentioned restrictions (such as not complying with isolation period) will be prosecuted.
Among other measures, the government also ordered cancelling concerts, shows and events with large gatherings and the closure of some public spaces.
For information about operations in Argentina, contact the GAC Houston Hub Agency Center at hub.us@gac.com
Cruise ship calls stopped
Saturday, March 14, 2020, Gibraltar
The Gibraltan Cabinet decided yesterday (13 March) to stop all cruise ship calls to Gibraltar as a precautionary measure to prevent the spread of the virus. Most tourist sites are also closed until further notice.
For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in Gibraltar, contact GAC Gibraltar at agency.gibraltar@gac.com
