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- Ports continue to impose various restrictions on vessels and crew.
- Restrictions prohibiting vessel boarding have been put in place in some locations, but for the most part, survey operations, including bunker quantity surveys, are continuing reasonably well.
- You can now monitor these restrictions using our new Global Logistics Tracker, available in the Interactive Data Section.
The Global Logistics Tracker
- This new interactive map allows you receive information on the restrictions countries are currently facing due to the coronavirus.
- It will be updated on a weekly basis to coincide with this update and help you visualise the logistical situation globally.
- To try it out now, simply follow this link.
Country Updates
Albania
Expected Closures: No
Expected Delays: No
- Albanian anchorage is suspended for cruise and passenger vessels until further notice.
- No Cargo Transfer Manifest (CTM) will be granted due to bank closures.
Algeria
Expected Closures: No
Expected Delays: No
- Algerian borders are still closed.
- No ports have closed yet, but vessels coming from Italy might be detained on anchorage for 14 days prior to berthing.
- The health authorities board the vessel at anchor to check the crew.
- At Djendjen Port, vessel disinfection is carried out before berthing.
Angola
Expected Closures: No
Expected Delays: Yes
- Cargo vessels are still allowed upon clearance before berthing operations.
- All trade vessels calling at local ports must submit a list of their previous 10 ports of call, as well as a full crew list and an MDOH.
Argentina
Expected Closures: No
Expected Delays: Yes
- All vessels must present mandatory documents 72 hours before their arrival at Recalada Pilot Station.
- Vessels coming from any of the affected areas (including Brazil and Chile) within the latest 14 days, must send copies of the Medical Record on board to the health authority when requesting the Free Pratique.
Australia
Expected Closures: No
Expected Delays: Yes
- All non-Australian flagged cruise ships currently in Australia must depart Australian waters as soon is reasonably practicable, unless the Government has granted the ship permission to stay in Australia.
- Re-provision of essential supplies (e.g., fuel, food, supplies) will be permitted to facilitate departure.
- Non-essential vessels entering Queensland from interstate by sea will be required to self-isolate for 14 days upon entry. Their self-isolation must be registered with Queensland Health.
Bahrain
Expected Closures: No
Expected Delays: No
- No vessel will be granted entry to Bahrain’s territorial water unless the necessary documents are fully received 72 hours prior the vessel’s arrival.
Belgium
Expected Closures: No
Expected Delays: No
- All Belgian ports are open and operational, but working at a slower rate, due to the limited number of labourers available.
- Consumer behaviour in Europe is changing. This has resulted in a need for additional storage capacity and led to an increase in export cargo.
- The Port of Antwerp is able to cope with this increase thanks to this increase having been anticipated.
Brazil
Expected Closures: No
Expected Delays: Yes
- No new cruise ships will be accepted until the Plan of Response to the Public Health Emergencies (ESPIN) is in force.
- Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is working to get authorization for “humanitarian” calls for some cruise lines not authorized to call at other South American ports.
- If any cases are confirmed, 14 days of quarantine is compulsory.
- No ports are closed at present.
Cape Verde
Expected Closures: No
Expected Delays: Yes
- Vessels are being isolated.
- All cargo operations are being carried out almost as normal, but no contact is allowed between the crews and stevedores.
- Authorities are not visiting vessels; all paperwork is done electronically.
China
Expected Closures: No
Expected Delays: Yes
- Free Pratique will be granted, subject to all crews being in good health and the Department of Health having provided final approval of the ‘Application of Free Pratique’.
- Immigration facilities at Kai Tak Cruise Terminal and Ocean Terminal are suspended until further notice.
- All ports are operating as normal. This includes discharge, loading, berthing and unberthing.
- The loading and discharging processes are slower than usual, due to lack of stevedores.
- Affected ports include Shanghai, Tianjin, Huangpu, Lianyungang, Jing Tang and Caofeidian.
- Unaffected ports include Dalian, Qingdao, Xiamen and Guangzhou.
Colombia
Expected Closures: Yes
Expected Delays: Yes
- The Colombian Government and the Port Authorities are taking measures to ensure port activity can continue as normal in Colombia.
- However, some coal terminals are experiencing problems with their mining activities, which will likely cause delays and possibly closures over the coming days.
Egypt
Expected Closures: No
Expected Delays: No
- Marine port authorities have requested that all agents report if any vessels are expected to arrive from China, USA, Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Australia and any other country where the virus was detected.
- They must also apply for the vessel berthing at least four days ahead of arrival, so any special quarantine arrangements are being made for clearing the vessel at anchorage, prior to allowing it to proceed to berth.
France
Expected Closures: No
Expected Delays: Yes
- Most ports have decided to reduce the size of their teams.
- Service is still in force but it is impossible to berth, sail or anchor between 2300hrs and 0500hrs.
- Vessels can berth as normal if no on-board cases have been declared by the vessel’s master.
Germany
Expected Closures: No
Expected Delays: Yes
- There are currently delays at ports.
- Hamburg is no longer allowing embarkation or disembarkation of vessels from shore side.
- Only persons who are directly involved in cargo operations, such as surveyors, loading masters and terminal workers, are permitted to embark and disembark.
Ghana
Expected Closures: No
Expected Delays: Yes
- Vessels calling at the Ghana Petroleum Mooring System (GPMS) offshore terminal must submit a pre-arrival notice and a series of health declarations.
India
Expected Closures: No
Expected Delays: Yes
- Limited Free Pratique has been granted.
- All ports have now confirmed that the vessels coming from China are subject to a mandatory 14 day quarantine.
- There is currently no mandatory quarantine in place for ships coming from infected countries other than China.
- All ports are open and operational with limited resource, apart from Port Redi, which is not accepting vessels.
- Karwar port has now resumed operations.
- No port locations have reported any operational issues.
Ireland
Expected Closures: No
Expected Delays: No
- All ports are still in operation.
- As of yet, there are no restrictions on any cargo vessels trading in and out of Ireland.
- The only requirement on vessels is to submit an MDOH at least 24 hours prior to arrival and that all crew members are healthy.
- No vessels are being placed in quarantine, regardless of their previous port of call.
Italy
Expected Closures: No
Expected Delays: No
- Commercial cargo operations in all Italian ports will continue as normal without impact on terminal operations, customs, and warehousing and transport services.
Kenya
Expected Closures: No
Expected Delays: Yes
- No Kenyan ports have been closed yet.
- Delays of 24-48 hours are to be expected, however.
Libya
Expected Closures: No
Expected Delays: Yes
- A 14-day quarantine is compulsory at all Libyan ports.
- Ministry of Health representatives will visit ships and make any necessary disclosures for the Coronavirus.
Malaysia
Expected Closures: No
Expected Delays: Yes
- As of the 25th March, Teluk Rubiah Marine Terminal halted operations until further notice, due to staff safety concerns.
- Other ports are still operating as normal, with approximately 1.5 to 2 hours of delay, due the Port Health Inspection.
Mauritius
Expected Closures: No
Expected Delays: Yes
- At Port Louis, a protocol to service vessels that have sailed less than 14 days from the last port of call has been finalised with the Health Authorities.
- Since 20th March, stevedores handling bulk and conventional cargoes are working up to 2100 hours.
Mozambique
Expected Closures: No
Expected Delays: Yes
- Vessels coming to Maputo must send the following documents to the agent ahead of their arrival; these will be forwarded to all authorities.
- They must state their last 10 ports of call, provide a full crew list with all details (including their last port of embarkation), a declaration of crew health on board and/or an MDOH.
Netherlands
Expected Closures: No
Expected Delays: No
- Vessels calling at Dutch ports must submit an MDOH prior to their arrival.
- Dutch Ports also have several vital functions that needs to be protected, like the production of energy, the processing of waste, and the supplying of drinking water.
Portugal
Expected Closures: No
Expected Delays: Yes
- At Leixoes Port, all manoeuvres are suspended between 00h00 and 06h00 due to the contingency plans that are in place.
- At Aveiro Port, only two vessels for each Stevedoring company can perform works at the same time; this could cause some delays on discharging operations.
- In Madeira, Funchal Port is closed. Caniçal and Porto Santo remain open for commercial calls.
- Generally, all terminals are facing lack of personnel.
- Social distancing between staff may cause delays.
Singapore
Expected Closures: No
Expected Delays: No
- Singapore’s shipyards and marine industries look set to suspend work for a month as the Government closes all workplaces, except for those in essential services and key economic sectors, to close in the fight against COVID-19.
- The measures are to take effect from next Tuesday (7th April) and be in place for one month until 4th May.
Spain
Expected Closures: No
Expected Delays: No
- Spanish ports remain open, but they are facing restrictions.
Tanzania
Expected Closures: No
Expected Delays: No
- Vessels must send a crew list, a port of call list, the MDOH and any information for a sick crew member at least 48 hours ahead of their arrival.
- Free Practique is issued after Port Health inspections have been carried out.
- Vessels arriving from affected countries will be quarantined for 14 days if the transit time is less than 14 days.
Thailand
Expected Closures: No
Expected Delays: Yes
- Passenger vessels and other vessel types are not allowed to enter Thai waters in most circumstances now.
- Vessels carrying key cargoes are still able to call at Thailand, but a prompt departure is required after the mission is completed.
- They must also enter Thailand with a strict schedule of when they intend to depart.
Turkey
Expected Closures: No
Expected Delays: Yes
- Ships that have called at an infected country over the last 14 days must provide a full list of the crews’ body temperatures.
- This list must be provided at least three days ahead of arrival.
- Vessels that have come from infected countries must also be inspected by the Health Authorities before pilots can board.
- They must ensure the bridge is disinfected before the pilots board as well.
United Arab Emirates
Expected Closures: No
Expected Delays: Yes
- We have received notification that vessels arriving from Iran will not be permitted to enter any UAE ports.
- The feeders’ services within the region have not been affected, however, rates have been impacted with equipment imbalance surcharges impacting certain trade lanes.
- Shipping lines are currently only working on spot or FAK rates.
- The Port and Customs Authorities continue to work as normal, so the flow of cargo has not yet been affected.
USA
Expected Closures: No
Expected Delays: No
- As of the 2nd April, the Port of Anchorage in Alaska will be closed for the remainder of the week as an employee tested positive for COVID-19.
- Port Canaveral, Port of Palm Beach, Port Everglades and Miami are all working as normal for now, with no restrictions in place.
- All maritime crews in Hawaii will be confined to their vessel until further notice.
- US Customs and Border Protection will work with carriers on a case-by-case basis.
- A labour shortage has been an issue as our labour pools are restricting workers to jobs only in the counties that they live in.