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HOT PORT NEWS from GAC

New Marine Tariff
Wednesday, January 20, 2021, Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates

The latest edition of the Marine Tariff for all Ras Al Khaimah ports (Mina Saqr, RAK Maritime city, Ras Al Khaimah Port, Al Jazeera Port and Al Jeer Port) will come into effect from 1 February 2021.

The new tariff includes the following changes:

Harbour dues revised from AED 750 + 0.20 per GT to AED 750 + 0.25 per GT // 0.05 fills per GT increased.
Consolidated rate revised from AED 8,250 + 0.90 per GT to AED 8,250 + 1.0 per GT // 0.10 fills per GT increased.
For information about operations in Ras Al Khaimah, contact GAC Ras Al Khaimah at [email protected]

Crew change for cargo ships
Wednesday, January 20, 2021, Singapore

The MPA will continue to consider the following circumstances for crew change applications:
(a) crew whose employment contract has expired;
(b) additional crew on board whose sign-off would not affect the safe manning of the ship;
(c) change of crew due to the sale or purchase of ship;
(d) personnel who are not part of the ship’s crew such as superintendents and service engineers;
(e) compassionate grounds e.g. death of family member;
or
(f) the crew is no longer medically fit to work onboard the ship.

Requirements for signing-on and -off in Singapore are as follows:

SIGN-ON

(a) In general, all signing-on crew are required to serve 14-day Stay-HomeNotice (SHN) in the crew’s originating country/region in the period immediately prior to his/her departure flight/ferry to Singapore. The crew should be completely isolated in a room with a dedicated toilet with strictly no interaction with others (including family members) at his/her place of residence, or serve the SHN in a dedicated facility/hotel.

(b) Crew from specific low risk countries/regions will either no longer be required to serve the SHN or serve a shorter SHN of 7 days in his/her originating country/region prior to departure for Singapore. Please refer to ICA’s website (https://safetravel.ica.gov.sg/files/SHN-and-swabsummary.pdf) for the latest list of low risk countries/regions.

(c) The crew must have a negative result from a COVID-19 test (polymerase chain reaction (PCR) type) taken at a government-approved or ISO 15189-accredited testing facility at his/her originating country not more than 72 hours prior to departure for Singapore.

(d) The crew must be certified fit-to-travel by a doctor at his/her originating country not more than 24 hours prior to departure for Singapore.

(e) During the entire crew change process, including during the journey to Singapore, the crew should not be in a group of more than five (5) persons, and must remain in the same group. There must be no interactions between groups.

(f) The crew should only join his/her ship not more than two (2) days before the ship’s final departure from Singapore. Ships departing for sea trial and returning to Singapore is not considered final departure.

(g) Crew shall only join the ship in Singapore after all high-risk shore-based personnel have completed their work on board and disembarked the ship.

(h) Crew who have recovered from COVID-19 must submit documentary proof of his/her past diagnosis of COVID-19 based on the earliest positive PCR test result.
i. If the date of the positive PCR test result is 21 days or fewer before the date of arrival in Singapore, he/she will not be approved for crew change.
ii. If the date of the positive PCR test result is between 22 to 180 days before the date of arrival in Singapore, the recovered crew need not serve the SHN at his/her originating country/region nor take a COVID-19 PCR test within 72 hours before departure for Singapore. If he/she develops symptoms prior to departing for Singapore, he/she must be tested for COVID-19.
iii. If the positive PCR test result is more than 180 days before the date of arrival in Singapore, he/she must serve a 14-day SHN at his/her originating country and take a COVID-19 PCR test within 72 hours before departure for Singapore.

SIGN-OFF

(a) The crew must not have gone ashore in the last 21 days before disembarking the ship, must have remained well and not had contact with any known or suspect case of COVID-19 throughout that period.

(b) The crew shall refrain from interacting with shore-based personnel at previous ports of call in the last 21 days.

(c) The crew must be certified fit-to-travel by a doctor in Singapore not more than 24 hours before disembarking the ship.

(d) Crew subjected to serology test shall remain onboard until production of a negative COVID-19 serology test result…

CREWSAFE ACCREDITED FACILITY
The Singapore Shipping Tripartite Alliance Resilience Fund Taskforce (SFTF) has developed a CrewSafe audit programme that endeavours to assist crew source nations to bring a higher level of confidence and quality control checks into crew change processes such as quarantine/holding, medical and swabbing facilities. Please refer to www.ssa.org.sg/mediaimg/publications/sg-star-fund-crewsafe-facilities.html for more information regarding the CrewSafe audit programme and a list of CrewSafe accredited facilities.

For sign-on crew who undergo the protocol under these CrewSafe accredited facilities located overseas, his/her crew change application may be given the following concessions:
(a) Submission of crew change application must be made at least 7 days in advance, instead of 14 days.
(b) If a sign-on crew undergoing the CrewSafe protocol is cancelled, direct replacement for this crew will be allowed if the replacement has been undergoing CrewSafe protocol for the same required duration, instead of having to re-submit a new application and re-start the process.
(c) At Singapore, sign-on crew who had undergone the CrewSafe protocol may stay at the designated holding facilities for up to 5 days (instead of 3 days), if required…

…Ship owners/managers/agents must apply for crew change in Singapore by filling up the online form at www.mpa.gov.sg/web/portal/home/port-ofsingapore/operations/crew-change.

MPA urges ship owners/managers/agents to submit applications at least 14 days before the planned crew change, especially if the application includes sign-on crew. For foreign-flagged ships, crew change will be considered if the ship meets all prevailing requirements, and is in Singapore for cargo operations, bunkering and/or other marine services…

…Any queries relating to this circular should be directed to [email protected]

(For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in Singapore, contact GAC Singapore at [email protected])

Source: Extracts from Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore Port Marine Circular No.05 of 2021 dated 19 January 2021

Fishermen to block ships
Wednesday, January 20, 2021, Jawaharlal Nehru port, India

Fisherfolk families of Jawaharlal Nehru Port area have given a call to stop movement of ships from tomorrow (21 January).

The villagers have been at a transit camp at JNPT for over 40 years after their land were acquired for the country’s largest container port. The affected fisherman are protesting at not having received compensation and, after writing to the Chief Minister, decided to launch a ’Channel Bandh’ agitation tomorrow by blocking channel movements.

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

New protocol for crew changes
Wednesday, January 20, 2021, Mauritius

The Mauritius Ministry of Health and Wellness has issued a new protocol for crew changes in 2021 in light of the new COVID-19 variant detected in the UK and South Africa.

Entry to passengers / crew members from UK and South Africa or those who have transited through these countries during the last 15 days is being prohibited until further notice. All arriving travellers from remaining countries are still required to spend at 14 days’ quarantine at a government-approved hotel.

OFF-SIGNING CREWS ARRIVING PORT LOUIS:

Of-signers from vessels that have pertained crew changes from their last port of call for more than 14 days are allowed to disembark, except for vessels coming from South Africa, Madagascar, Reunion Island, India, Singapore and Malaysia.
Upon vessel’s arrival PCR test will be done prior to disembarkation on all crew members (both those who will leave the vessel and those who will remain on board), either by the Government Health Officers or Private Clinic Doctors with result within 24 hours.
Upon presentation of a negative PCR test certificate the disembarking crews will be cleared by the Health authorities to proceed ashore.
Disembarking crews may stay at any hotel in Mauritius pending their pending flight schedule for their respective countries subject to be confine in their rooms & hotel’s perimeters.
All departing flights must be scheduled as per the vessel’s ETA and respecting the 24/48 hours delay for the PCR Test results.
If one or more crew members test positive, they will disembark and sent to Vacoas otorhinolaryngology (ENT) hospital which is entirely dedicated to treating for this type of contamination. Other crew members will have to remain on board.
During embarking/disembarking, all outgoing crew members should not be in contact with incoming crew members if they have not completed a full quarantine.

REPLACEMENT CREW ARRIVING AT AIRPORT:

All details of the joining crew members’ shall be submitted to the Ministry of Health &Welfare and the Port Authority for necessary approval and arrangement in advance by the Authorities concerned:
I. Copy of Passport, valid minimum Six (6) months
II. Seaman’s Book
III. Flight Details
IV. E-Tickets
All joining crew members must have a negative PCR test validity within 72 hours to 7 days prior to date of departing from origin including their transiting country to MRU.
The Health Sanitary Corridor Protocol for crew changes at Port Louis has been implemented since 12 January, with strict requirements and restrictions to be observed and enforced.

SCENARIO I: DIRECT SANITARY CORRIDOR FROM AIRPORT TO VESSEL (FOR ONSIGNERS)

No PCR test will be done on all joining crew members upon arrival in MRU by the Health Quarantine Officers.
All joining crew members will be accompanied by a Health Inspector (staff in full PPE),in an authorised/dedicated sanitised vehicle directly from airport to port/vessel according to the existing sanitary corridor protocol for seafarers
All joiners will be dealt with only by appropriately trained officials at the port
After the joiners have embarked, the vessel must leave immediately unless proper handling over/take over are required where a window will be allowed in the presence of the Port Health Officers on board till completion
In under no circumstances should a joiner disembark or leave the vessel prior to departure if the vessel is berthed on a quay or at Inner Port Limit.

SCENARIO II: TRANSITING AT A QUARANTINE HOTEL

As per most of the vessel’s company COVID protocol, it is requested that crew members are quarantined prior boarding/disembarking the vessel to avoid any contamination/propagation of the virus on board of vessels or as per crew’s Government country Protocol when returning back home.
Crew members will be quarantined at least 14 days at a government-approved hotel (Holiday Inn Hotel) with three COVID-19 tests – one on arrival, a second on day seven of their stay in Mauritius, and the third test on day 14. Crew members who test positive will be transferred to a government-run medical facility.
All travel bookings are centraliSed at the Mauritius Tourism Promotion Authority (MTPA) website where Hotel booking are to pre-arranged by the relevant shipping agent including the hotel price and medical insurance/cost which is mandatory.
The crew will have to follow the same Health Protocol as other passengers on arrival at the airport including a mandatory PCR test.
Crew members will be grouped after collecting their luggage and will be taken to the dedicated Hotel by the Ministry of Health and Wellness in a dedicated transport, according to the usual Protocol.
If vessels are delayed or replacing crew members have been reached destination prior vessel’s ETA or negative PCR test result has not been obtained for the off-signing crew & crew remaining on board, joiners must stay in a dedicated Transit Quarantine Hotel pending Green Light given to proceed for their transfers to vessel.
At the hotel, the same protocol applies as for normal quarantine independent of the duration of the stay. If the crew members are still present in the Quarantine Centre on D 7 and D 14, they will be subjected to the PCR tests as per usual practice in Quarantine Centers.
When the crew change is to take place, a health corridor is established between the Hotel and the vessel according to the usual Protocol put in place by the Ministry of Health and Wellness, regardless of the duration of the quarantine period.
All crew members will be dealt with only by appropriately trained officials at the airport/port.
On-signing and disembarkation of crews must take place after all vessel’s operations are completed at the inner port. After joiners have boarded, the vessel must leave for her next port of call.

(For information about operations in Mauritius, contact the GAC Dubai Hub Agency Centre at [email protected])

Source: Celero Shipping – GAC network agent

Port cleared as Tropical Low forecast to intensify
Wednesday, January 20, 2021, Port Hedland, Australia

Port Hedland is now at Cyclone Alert Stage 3 – Clear Port ahead of the forecast landfall of Tropical Low 08U later this week.

According to the Bureau of Meteorology update at 1400 LT on 20th Jan 2021, Tropical Low 08U was located in position 12.9S 123.0E and predicted to continue moving SouthWesterly (SW) for the next 24 hours and then track South or South-SouthEasterly (SSE) from Thursday.

The system is expected to gradually intensify to a Category 2 tropical cyclone and is predicted to make landfall east of Port Hedland as early as Friday afternoon. The Port Hedland region is predicted to experience significant swell from Thursday afternoon and gale force winds from Friday.

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

Woodside Port Operation Charges – 2021
Wednesday, January 20, 2021, Dampier, Australia

Woodside Energy Ltd have advised the new Woodside Port Operations charges at Dampier effective since 1 January 2021.

The charges exist to cover the cost of provision of pilot/loadmasters, pilot transfer arrangements and maintenance of port infrastructure. Optimum Port Operations assumes that a vessel will arrive, load a full single cargo and depart in an uninterrupted sequence in 24 to 36 hours with the continuous presence of a single pilot/loadmaster onboard. If this is not possible due to circumstances beyond the control of Port Operations (e.g. gas up only, interruption due to a cyclone, part loading due to low stock levels) or the circumstance of an individual vessel require additional support then additional charges will apply. Note: Due to changing ship design some vessels may require a second pilot to achieve the pilotage operation. Cost recovery for this requirement is “2nd Pilot”.

Figures are exclusive of GST.

Marine Pilot Transfer by pilot boat only a single cargo or partial cargo:
2019: $14.4k
2020: $14.4k
2021: $15.9k

Marine Pilot Transfer by helicopter only a single cargo or partial cargo:
2019: $14.4k
2020: $14.4k
2021: $15.9k

Marie Pilot Transfer by pilot boat arrival (or departure) only from Sea Buoy to berth (or berth to Sea Buoy) single cargo or partial cargo:
2019: $7.2k
2020: $7.2k
2021: $7.95k

Marine Pilot Transfer by helicopter arrival (or departure) only from Sea Buoy to berth (or berth to Sea Buoy) single cargo or partial cargo:
2019: $7.2k
2020: $7.2k
2021: $7.95k.

Marine Pilot Transfer by pilot boat at arrival or departure to or from inner anchorage:
2019: $3.5k
2020: $3.5k
2021: $3.9k.

Full Pilotage Charge for a single cargo or partial cargo:
2019: $33.8k
2020: $35.0k
2021: $36.1k

2nd Pilot (only if required):
2019: $6k
2020: $6k
2021: $6k

Pilotage only charge. Vessel from Sea Buoy to WS1/WS2 or vice versa.
2019: $7k
2020: $7k
2021: $7k

Port Operations Navigation Levy (PONL), valid for 6 weeks:
2019: $30.75k
2020: $30.75k
2021: $30.75k

Whilst the above charge seeks to cover most scenarios experienced, Port Operations reserves the right to charge for other scenarios not covered above assessed on a case by case basis.

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

Landing of oily sludge suspended
Wednesday, January 20, 2021, Fujairah, United Arab Emirates

Landing of oily sludge from ships at Fujairah Offshore Anchorage and Port of Fujairah is suspended until further instruction due to technical reasons associated with treatment plants in Fujairah.

(For information about operations in Fujairah, contact GAC Fujairah at [email protected])

Source: Port of Fujairah Notice To Mariners No. 291 dated 20 January 2021

Source: GAC

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