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HOT PORT NEWS from GAC

Testing of Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) off St John’s Island
Tuesday, November 17, 2020, Singapore

From 23 November to 13 December, testing of an Autonomous Underwater Vehicel (AUV) will be conducted off St John’s Island, within the working area bounded by the following coordinates (WGS 84 Datum):
1) 01˚ 13.133’N / 103˚ 51.137’E
2) 01˚ 12.960’N / 103˚ 51.229’E
3) 01˚ 12.925’N / 103˚ 51.137’E

According to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore Port Marine Notice No.087 of 2020, the working hours will be from 0900 to 1800 daily, including Sundays and Public Holidays.

A workboat will deploy and recover the AUV. A safety boat will be in attendance at all times to warn and keep craft in the vicinity to keep clear of the working area.

Craft involved in the work will exhibit the appropriate local and international day signals.

When in the vicinity of the working area, mariners are reminded to:
a) Keep well clear and not to enter the working area;
b) Maintain a proper lookout;
c) Proceed at a safe speed and navigate with caution;
d) Maintain a listening watch on VHF Channel 68 (West Control);
and
e) Communicate with West Control on VHF Channel 68 for assistance, if required.

For information about operations in Singapore, contact GAC Singapore at [email protected]

Notification of protected industrial action
Tuesday, November 17, 2020, Geelong & Westernport, Australia

Svitzer Australia has received a further notification from the Maritime Union of Australia of protected industrial action by members at Geelong and Westernport.

The notice of protected industrial action planned to take place involves members of the MUA employed by Svitzer Australia engaging in bans on casual employees working in Geelong and Westernport for a rolling of 24-hour period commencing at 12.01 am from Thursday 19 November, through to Wednesday 25 November 2020.

This protected industrial action is a continuation of a previous notice for a ban on casual employees working in Geelong and Westernport. The effect of this is that Svitzer’s casual employees who are members of the MUA can refuse work in these ports.

Svitzer expects to be able to continue to provide towage services during the protected industrial action by absorbing additional costs and rescheduling, and are reviewing schedules and crewing requirements to minimise any potential disruption.

For information about operations in Australia, contact GAC Australia at [email protected]

Cargo operations resumed
Tuesday, November 17, 2020, Krishnapatnam, India

Cargo operations at Krishnapatnam port resumed early this morning (17 November) after being halted due to heavy rains.

Operations had initially been stopped yesterday morning due to the downpour, were resumed at 1705 hours local time, and halted again between 0145 and 0500 hours today.

Cargo operations are currently continuing as normal at all berths.

For further updates and information about operations in India, contact GAC India at [email protected]

Dock closure for maintenance
Tuesday, November 17, 2020, Grimsby, United Kingdom

Due to essential maintenance to the East inner gate, Grimsby Royal Dock will be closed to all shipping from 0930 to 1530 hours local time on Friday, 20 November.

To ensure that the closed berths are clear of shipping, berthing prior to the above times will be restricted, dependent on expected cargo handling times and sailing windows.

For information about operations in the United Kingdom, contact GAC UK at [email protected]

Hurricane Iota
Tuesday, November 17, 2020, Nicaragua

At 900am CST (1500 UTC), the center of Hurricane Iota was near latitude 13.7 North, longitude 85.2 West and moving toward the west near 12 mph (19 km/h). The hurricane will move farther inland across northern Nicaragua today (17 November), and move across southern Honduras tonight before dissipating near El Salvador early Wednesday.

Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 75 mph (120 km/h) with higher gusts. Iota should weaken to a tropical storm this afternoon, a tropical depression this evening, and degenerate into a remnant low pressure area on Wednesday.

Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 15 miles (30 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 175 miles (280 km)…

…Strong winds are occuring near the center of Iota and these winds will spread farther inland across northern Nicaragua during the next several hours. Tropical storm conditions are occurring in the Tropical Storm Warning areas in Nicaragua and Honduras.

Iota is expected to produce the following rainfall accumulations through Thursday:
– Honduras, northern Nicaragua, southeast & central Guatemala and southern Belize: 10-20 inches (250-500 mm), with isolated maximum totals of 30 inches (750 mm).
– El Salvador and Panama: 4-8 inches (100-200 mm), with isolated maximum totals of 12 inches (300 mm). This rainfall will lead to significant, life-threatening flash flooding and river flooding, along with mudslides in areas of higher terrain.
– Southern Nicaragua and Costa Rica: 3-5 inches (75-125 mm), with isolated maximum totals of 10 inches (250 mm).

Swells generated by Iota will affect much of the coast of Central America and the Yucatan Peninsula during the next day or so. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions…

(For information about operations in the Americas, contact the GAC Houston Hub Agency Center at [email protected])

Source: National Hurricane Center, Miami FL, Hurricane Iota Advisory No.17 issued at 900am CST on 17 November 2020
Source: GAC

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