HOT Port News from GAC

Your daily news service from ports around the world.  

In this HOT PORT NEWS, read about:

• United Kingdom, Campbeltown – Berth upgrade complete  
• United States, Mississippi River, Louisiana – Safety Zone for New Year  fireworks display  
• Singapore, Singapore – Revised working period for reclamation  
• Singapore, Singapore – Autonomous system experiments  
• Australia, all ports – Christmas working hours at coal terminals  
• Australia, Port Kembla – Pilotage Services  
• Bunker Update – MARKET PRICE UPDATES 20/12/12  

DATE: December 20, 2012  COUNTRY: United Kingdom  PORT: Campbeltown  Berth upgrade complete  

Folling the upgrade of the main berth at Campbeltown, which has now been  completed, the harbourmaster advises the below:   – New max length of vessel able to be taken at this berth is 170.00 M   – Draft at low water 9.00 m   – Maximum length of vessel not requiring compulsory towage 120.00 M   For information about operations in the UK contact GAC UK at uk@gac.com

DATE: December 20, 2012  COUNTRY: United States  PORT: Mississippi River, Louisiana  Safety Zone for New Year fireworks display  

The U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port New Orleans, under the authority  of the Ports and Waterways Safety Act, will establish a safety zone on the  Lower Mississippi River, above Head of Passes, from Mile 93.5 to Mile 95.5,  extending the entire width of the river in the vicinity of Jackson Square,  New Orleans, LA.   This safety zone is needed to protect persons and vessels from the  potential safety hazards associated with the New Orleans New Years Eve  fireworks display.   This rule is effective from 11:30 p.m. on December 31, 2012 until 12:30  a.m. on January 1, 2013.

All vessels are prohibited from entering this safety zone unless they have  been granted permission by the Captain of the Port New Orleans or  designated representative. The Captain of the Port’s designated  representative for this Safety Zone is the Vessel Traffic Services, Lower  Mississippi (VTS). All vessels requesting permission to enter or transit  through this safety zone are required to contact the Vessel Traffic  Services via VHF Channel 12. Vessel Traffic Services will evaluate and  allow vessels to transit through the Safety Zone on a case-by-case basis.

A USCG Small Boat will be on scene for the duration of the event can be  contacted on VHF-FM Channel 16 in the event of an emergency.   (For information about operations in the USA contact GAC USA at  usa@gac.com)   Source: US Coast Guard Marine Safety Information Bulletin Vol XII, Issue 37  – Waterway Status – dated 20 December 2012

DATE: December 20, 2012  COUNTRY: Singapore  PORT: Singapore  Revised working period for reclamation  The working period for reclamation at Pasir Panjang Terminal and Pasir  Panjang Wharves has been revised. The work will now be carried out from 20  December 2012 to 19 June 2013.   According to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore Port Marine  Notice No.184 of 2012 dated 19 December 2012, the works will be conducted  24 hours daily – including Sundays & Public Holidays – within the working  area bounded by the following co-ordinates (WGS 84 Datum):   Working Area 18  1)  1° 16.774’N / 103° 46.645’E  2)  1° 16.662’N / 103° 46.579’E  3)  1° 16.620’N / 103° 46.649’E      (PKHV4 / Yellow Pillar / Fl (2) Y.4S)  4)  1° 16.472’N / 103° 46.748’E      (PKHV1 / Yellow Pillar / Fl (2) Y.2S)  5)  1° 16.255’N / 103° 46.777’E      (PKHV2 / Yellow Pillar / Fl (2)Y. 4S)  6)  1° 16.228’N / 103° 46.823’E  7)  1° 15.872’N / 103° 46.613’E      (PKHV6 / Yellow Pillar / Fl Y.2S)  8)  1° 15.513’N / 103° 46.566’E      (PKHV11 / Yellow Pillar / Fl(2) Y.4S)  9)  1° 15.326’N / 103° 46.878’E      (PKHV10 / Yellow Pillar / Fl(2) Y.8S)  10) 1° 15.138’N / 103° 47.190’E      (PKHV9 / Yellow Pillar / Fl Y.2S)  11) 1° 15.308’N / 103° 47.290’E  12) 1° 15.266’N / 103° 47.360’E  13) 1° 15.320’N / 103° 47.433’E      (PKHV8 / Red Can / Fl R. 4S)  14) 1° 15.688’N / 103° 47.748’E      (PKHV7 / Red Can / Fl R. 2S)  15) 1° 15.946’N / 103° 47.768’E      (PKHV13 / Red Can / Fl R. 6S)  16) 1° 16.030’N / 103° 47.694’E      (PKHV3 / Red Can / Fl R. 8S)  17) 1° 16.153’N / 103° 47.663’E      (PKHV5 / Red Can / Fl(2) R. 5S)  18) 1° 16.278’N / 103° 47.737’E  19) 1° 16.321’N / 103° 47.665’E  20) 1° 16.307’N / 103° 47.640’E  21) 1° 16.211’N / 103° 47.583’E   Temporary markers/ buoys as listed in the table above will be in place for  the duration of the project works.   Craft involved in the works will exhibit the appropriate local and  international day and night signals.   Works will include reclamation, dredging, soil investigation, caisson  construction, demolition of the de-commissioned Pasir Panjang wharves and  removal of submarine cables and pipelines.   Dredging works will be carried out by dredgers attended to by tug boats.   Safety boats will be deployed in the vicinity of the working area to warn  other craft and vessels of the project works.   When  in the vicinity  of the working area, mariners are reminded to:  (a) keep clear and not to enter the working area;  (b) maintain a proper look-out;  (c) proceed at  a safe speed and navigate with caution;  (d) maintain a listening watch on VHF Channel 25 (Pasir Panjang Control);  and  (e) communicate with Pasir Panjang Control on VHF Channel 25 for  assistance, if required.   For information about operations in Singapore contact GAC Singapore are  singapore@gac.com

DATE: December 20, 2012  COUNTRY: Singapore  PORT: Singapore  Autonomous system experiments  

From 22 December 2012 to 7 January 2013, autonomous system experiements  will be carried out in the East Johor Strait.   Accoridng to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore’s Port Marine  Notice No.180 of 2012, the works will be conducted between 0800 and 1800  hours daily – including Saturdays & Sundays – within the working areas  bounded by the following co-ordinates (WGS 82 Datum):   Working Area “1”  1) 01° 24.003’N / 103° 56.269’E  2) 01° 23.175’N / 103° 57.300’E  3) 01° 23.087’N / 103° 57.125’E  4) 01° 23.767’N / 103° 56.181’E   Working Area “2”  5) 01° 25.131’N / 103° 55.186’E  6) 01° 24.302’N / 103° 56.041’E  7) 01° 24.203’N / 103° 55.946’E  8) 01° 25.024’N / 103° 55.053’E   Working Area “3”  9)  01° 26.045’N / 103° 52.906’E  10) 01° 25.439’N / 103° 53.958’E  11) 01° 25.266’N / 103° 53.859’E  12) 01° 25.889’N / 103° 52.829’E   Working Area “4”  13) 01° 27.224’N / 103° 51.774’E  14) 01° 26.103’N / 103° 51.537’E  15) 01° 25.936’N / 103° 52.322’E  16) 01° 27.075’N / 103° 51.581’E   Working Area “5”  1) 01° 28.260’N / 103° 47.983’E  2) 01° 28.140’N / 103° 48.058’E  3) 01° 28.027’N / 103° 47.879’E  4) 01° 28.147’N / 103° 47.804’E   The experiments and collection of data will be carried out by deploying  autonomous underwater vehicles in the working areas.   During the experiments, the autonomous underwater vehicles  will be closely  followed by the safety boats.   Craft involved int he works will exhibit the appropriate local and  international day and  night signals.   When in the vicinity of the working areas, mariners are reminded to:  (a) keep well clear and not to enter the working areas;  (b) maintain a proper lookout;  (c) proceed at a safe speed & navigate with caution;  (d) maintain a listening watch on VHF channel 21 (Sembawang Control);  and  (e) communicate with  Sembawang Control on VHF  21 for assistance, if  required.   For information about operations in Singapore contact GAC Singapore at  singapore@gac.com

DATE: December 20, 2012  COUNTRY: Australia  PORT: all ports  Christmas working hours at coal terminals  

Below is a round-up of working hours at Australian Coal Terminals during  the Christmas holiday period:   ABBOT POINT  There will be no ship loading from 07:00hrs LT on Christmas Day until  07:00hrs LT on 26 December 2012.  Normal ship loading operations will be carried out on all other days  including New Year’s Day.

HAY POINT COAL TERMINAL & DALRYMPLE BAY COAL TERMINAL  DBCT loading terminal will still operate during this period at this stage.  Hay Point Coal Terminal will not operate on Christmas Day 25/Dec.  We understand Pacific National Railways will be operating during this  period, while Queensland Rail may close from pm/24 December until pm/26  December. Pacific National only carry coal from certain mine sites, where  Queensland Rail holds the majority of cartage throughout this region.  Certain coal mines may close from pm/24 December until pm/26 December, but  this is still to be confirmed.

GLADSTONE  Coal terminals will still operate normally during Christmas.

BRISBANE  Chrsitmas & New Year Shiploader Outage 25 December 12 – Christmas Day only.

NEWCASTLE  All Newcastle Coal Terminals will load as per normal during the Christmas  and New Year holiday period.

PORT KEMBLA  There will be no ship cargo loading operations and rail & road receivals  for 24 hours from 0700/25 December until 0700/26 December due to Christmas  Day Public Holiday.   For information about operations in Australia contact GAC Australia at  shipping.australia@gac.com

DATE: December 20, 2012  COUNTRY: Australia  PORT: Port Kembla  Pilotage Services  

Port Kembla’s Port Authority has advised that due to injuries to three of  its marine pilots, it will not be able to offer unrestricted coverage over  the weekend of 22nd-23rd December.   The shipping program is very busy through the weekend and the port may  experience some minor disruptions to pilotage services during this time.   The Port Authority is currently operating with one restricted pilot (to  240m and Car carriers to 225m) on day shift (0600-1800hrs), one unlimited  Pilot on 1200-2000hrs and one restricted Pilot (202m LOA, excluding car  carriers) on night shift 1800-0600hrs.   The Port Authority will continue to work in minimising disruption to port  users during this period.   For information about operations in Australia contact GAC Australia at  shipping.australia@gac.com

DATE: December 20, 2012  Bunker Update:  MARKET PRICE UPDATES 20/12/12  

GAC Bunker Fuels Ltd Pricing Alert   MARKET PRICE UPDATES 20/12/12  

180 CST   380 CST   MGO       MDO

• Aberdeen                 0              0             0          0
• Aden                   745.00    0         1, 210.00  0
• Alexandria             730.00    715.00    1, 175.00  0
• Amsterdam              608.00    573.00    913.00    0
• Antwerp                611.00    581.00    929.00    0
• Aqaba                  0         0         1, 050.00  0
• Bahrain                0         0         1, 039.00  0
• Barrow                 0         0         0         0
• Busan                  645.00    635.00    967.00    957.00
• Cape Town              667.00    0         1, 039.00  0
• Colombo                730.00    670.00    1, 080.00  0
• Dubai                  615.00    600.00    830.00    0
• Durban                 618.00    0         1, 103.00  0
• Falmouth               664.00    621.00    984.00    0
• Fawley                 0         0         0         0
• Felixstowe             0         0         0         0
• Fujairah               645.00    610.00    1, 020.00  0
• Gibraltar              686.50    657.50    972.50    0
• Grangemouth            0         0         0         0
• Harwich                0         0         0         0
• Hong Kong              631.00    620.50    956.50    951.50
• Houston                710.00    615.00    1, 000.00  0
• Immingham              0         0         0         0
• Invergordon            0         0         0         0
• Istanbul               640.50    610.50    979.50    0
• Jeddah                 725.00    715.00    1, 130.00  0
• Kaohsiung              650.00    640.00    986.00    971.00
• Kuwait                 616.00    605.00    0         992.00
• Leith                  0         0         0         0
• Malta                  693.50    663.50    956.50    0
• Mersey                 0         0         0         0
• Milford Haven          0         0         0         0
• Mumbai                 644.00    633.00    1, 057.50  0
• New York & New Jersey  637.00    608.00    1, 030.00  0
• Newport                0         0         0         0
• Nigg Bay               0         0         0         0
• Panama                 710.00    630.00    1, 045.00  0
• Piraeus                690.50    668.50    957.50    0
• Plymouth               0         0         0         0
• Port Said              0         0         0         0
• Qatar                  0         0         915.00    0
• Ramsgate               0         0         0         0
• Rio de Janeiro         617.00    593.50    1, 000.00  0
• Rotterdam              616.00    581.00    921.00    0
• Salalah                685.00    645.00    1, 125.00  0
• Shanghai               645.00    627.00    1, 061.50  0
• Sharjah                615.00    600.00    830.00    0
• Sheerness              0         0         0         0
• Singapore              608.00    600.00    913.00    0
• St Petersburg          567.50    552.50    0         0
• Suez                   710.00    700.00    1, 110.00  0
• Tees                   0         0         0         0
• Thames                 0         0         0         0

Present in seven locations worldwide, GAC Bunker Fuels, part of the GAC  group, is a global broker and trader of marine fuels and lubricants.   The  prices listed are for indication purposes only, and local offices should be  approached directly for firm prices.   Middle East & Africa:  bunker.ae@gac.com  Europe:                bunker.gb@gac.com  Egypt &  Mediterranean: bunker.eg@gac.com  Americas:  bunker.us@gac.com  Asia Pacific:          bunker.sg@gac.com  Indian  Subcontinent:   bunker.sl@gac.com

Contact Martyn McMahon on +971  566032534 or Martyn.mcmahon@gac.com quoting HPN for more information or  with your bunker enquiry.