Hot Port News from GAC
24-Jun-2020
PLACEMENT OF ACCROPODES AT BOUNDARY CROSSING FACILITIES
Hong Kong
TEMPORARY RESTRICTIONS ON CREW SHORE LEAVE RESCINDED
Houston & Galveston, United States
PROPOSED MULTI-YEAR SAMSA LEVIES INCREASE
South Africa
TRANSFER OF INTERNATIONAL PASSENGERS
Taipei,Taiwan
LNG VESSELS CALLS & CREW CHANGES PERMITTED
Mutsure-Kita Anchorage, Japan
TEMPORARY SUSPENSION OF FOREIGN CREW ARRIVALS BY AIR
Sri Lanka
Placement of accropodes at boundary crossing facilities
Wednesday, June 24, 2020, Hong Kong
For approximately 3 months, marine works involving placement of accropodes at the seawall will be carried out within the area bounded by straight lines joining the following co-ordinates (WGS 84 Datum) from (A) to (D) and the adjacent shoreline:
(A) 22 deg. 18.792’N / 113 deg. 57.609’E
(B) 22 deg. 18.783’N / 113 deg. 57.646’E
(C) 22 deg. 18.731’N / 113 deg. 57.631’E
(D) 22 deg. 18.740’N / 113 deg. 57.593’E
The works will be carried out by one derrick lighter. One tugboat will provide assistance.
A working area of approximately 15 metres around the derrick lighter will be established. Yellow marker buoys fitted with yellow flashing lights will be laid to mark the positions of the anchors extending from the lighter.
Silt curtains fitted with yellow flashing lights will be established within the works area. The silt curtain is a large piece of netting used to contain mud and sediments.
The hours of work will be from 0700 to 1900 hours. No works will be carried out on Sundays and public holidays. Vessels employed for the works will stay in the works area outside the hours of work.
Diving operations will be carried out from time to time during the hours of work.
Vessels engaged in the operations will display signals as prescribed in international and local regulations.
Vessels navigating in the vicinity should proceed with caution and keep clear of the works area at slow speed, bearing in mind there are divers working in the area.
(For information about operations, contact GAC Hong Kong at shipping.hongkong@gac.com)
Source: Government of the Hong Kong SAR Marine Department Notice No.87 of 2020
Temporary restrictions on crew shore leave rescinded
Wednesday, June 24, 2020, Houston & Galveston, United States
This notice rescinds the temporary restrictions specified in Public Information Notice 20-005 dated March 23, 2020 that were implemented to address the public health emergency and community spread of COVID-19.
Crew shore leave processing and inspection will now return to previously established procedures.
At this time, crew sign-offs (D-2) will still be reviewed and granted if the crewmember has direct and continuous travel out of the United States, the crewmember is not exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, the crewmember has valid travel documents, and there is no other restriction on the crewmember’s travel.
Due to evolving travel restrictions worldwide, this activity is subject to change on short notice. A trade notice will be sent if CBP Houston/Galveston Area Port implements any major changes.
Local questions regarding issues related to this notice should be directed to Assistant Port Director Greg Vawter or a Watch Commander at 713-454-8002.
(For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in the United States, contact GAC North America at usa@gac.com)
Source: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Area Seaport Houston/Galveston Public Information Notice No: HOU SEA 20-008
Proposed multi-year SAMSA levies increase
Wednesday, June 24, 2020, South Africa
The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) has received Government approval to implement a 3-year levies increase on its levies.
The proposed increases are as follows:
1.1. 2020-21: 8%
1.2. 2021-22: 6%
1.3. 2022-23: 0%
SAMSA has requested a consultation meeting with the South African Association of Ship Operators and Agents (SAASOA) to present its proposed implementation plan.
Budget forecast on which the levies increase is largely based anticipates implementation for the new levies to be 1 August 2020, to allow reasonable time for consultation.
For information about operations in South Africa, contact GAC South Africa at shipping.capetown@gac.com
Transfer of international passengers
Wednesday, June 24, 2020, Taipei,Taiwan
From tomorrow (25 June), international passengers will be able to transfer to Taiwan at Taoyuan Int’l Airport (TPE) under the below conditions:
Flight transfer stop time within 8 hours.
Limit to transferring by same airline company (currently acceptable airlines: EVA air, China Airlines and Cathay Pacific).
Transfer passengers are under full time supervision, space constraint (incl. separation scheme) and protective measures upon disembarkation.
The above conditions exclude transfer flights from China.
The above is subject to rolling review on the actual implementation situation, and subject to change.
For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in Taiwan, contact GAC Taiwan at shipping.taiwan@gac.com
LNG vessels calls & crew changes permitted
Wednesday, June 24, 2020, Mutsure-Kita Anchorage, Japan
Japan Coast Guard has confirmed permission for LNG vessels to call and anchor at Mutsure-Kita Anchorage, at the north side of Tobata LNG terminal.
Further, crew changes including crew sign-off are acceptable, subject to the below conditions.
Immigration Requirement:
Receive certificate document which certify and confirm no crew was left ashore from
– Quarantine & Immigration office at last port
or
– Receive stamp from Quarantine & Immigration office at last port on attached “Self-Certificate of Non-Shore-Leave for Crew Members” document.
Quarantine Requirement:
Crew landing/off-signing will be permitted and PCR test will not be required if:
– social distance (at least 1.0m) maintained at last port
– and/or close contact was available but left within 15 minutes
– all crews and visitors wearing gloves and masks at all times.
– applicable for all crew members onboard, not only off-signers.
The use of public transportation (including domestic flight/bus/train etc) for landed crew is not permitted. Transportation to the airport will be by agent driving car.
For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in Japan, contact GAC Japan at tokyo@gac.com
Temporary suspension of foreign crew arrivals by air
Wednesday, June 24, 2020, Sri Lanka
The Sri Lankan government has directed the temporary suspension of foreign seafarer arrivals to Sri Lanka via commercial/charter flights with immediate effect. This decision was taken after 29 seafarers who arrived from India on 22 June by a special charter flight tested positive for COVID-19.
The following operations may be conducted as usual at the ports of Colombo and Galle:
Any foreign crew member already in Sri Lanka (that has been tested negative) may proceed to their respective sign-on vessels and repatriation flights from Sri Lanka.
Disembarkation of foreign seafarers is allowed.
Bulk crew changes continue to be permitted under Sri Lanka Navy supervision, with direct transfer from airport to vessel and vice versa (without staying at an Isolation Centre). The government advised airport for bulk crew transfers to be Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA).
Crew changes of Sri Lankan seafarers are permitted.
Transfer of foreign and Sri Lankan sea marshals are also permitted.
Further, the government has imposed the following measures for disembarking personnel from vessels, including local/ foreign seafarers and sea marshals.
a) A PCR test must be taken inside port or on board the vessel upon readiness to disembark
– If the vessel is berthing, PCR test can be arranged at port premises or onboard vessel (latter preferred)
– For dry docking vessels, all crew to take PCR tests before any interaction with dockyard staff
– For offshore disembarkations, PCR to be conducted once the launch reaches the pier
b) Immediately after the sample is drawn, personnel to be transferred to an isolation centre (for foreign crew), quarantine centre (Sri Lankan crew) or safe house (sea marshals) and await test results
c) Proceed for next steps accordingly as per the PCR test results
GAC Sri Lanka can coordinate the entire crew change procedure.
For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in Sri Lanka, contact GAC Sri Lanka at srilanka@gac.com
