March 31st 2022
Ports ranking
ANTARES: We attach to this News a flyer with the full detail of all our staff for your ready reference. Both for our office in Buenos Aires and for San Lorenzo (Upriver).
Week end duty staff: (Friday noon, April 01st, until Monday April 04th 2022, 0800 hrs)
– HQ Buenos Aires:
Manuel Garcia Claveria +54 9 11 5578 4559
Germán Stoppo +54 9 11 6434 1673
– Upriver:
Franco Gabriel Ostojic +54 9 11 6656 1678
Pablo Andres Faggiani +54 9 11 3156 1681
Walter Nestor Travaglini +54 9 11 3156 1680
National Holidays: Saturday, April 02nd. Easter week-end, Thursday April 14th, Friday April 15th. Easter Saturday April 16th is normal working Saturday morning shift.
Bahia Blanca:
Stevedores in Bahia Blanca are incrementing their protests. Stoppages during each six hour shift are now extended from one hour to about two and a half hours. This is related to a claim for a Covid related bonus.
River Parana Draft:
INA (National Water Institute) have this evening sent an adjusted forecast. The surge will now last into the third week of April. After that there is no great drop in the river level at Upriver ports and it is expected that this will allow the maximum sailing draft at Upriver (basis San Lorenzo) to average in the order of 9.7 meters.
Grains and Markets:
Colombia is in the market for 45,000 metric tons of maize, possible Upriver origination.
Turkey has purchased 100,000 metric tons of maize for April dates. The original requirement was for 300,000 metric tons but they finally settled for one third only.
Algeria will be tendering for 500-700,000 metric tons of maize, but will most likely opt for European origin due to forward financing offered by the European Union.
India will now be actively seeking to procure Argentine sunflower seed oil to cover their needs due to the Black Sea shortfall.
Ports ranking:
Statistics have been published that show that the Upriver (Rosario-San Lorenzo) area is the second largest export area for grains worldwide during 2021.
First ranks the New Orleans area with a total 78,885,342 metric tons, then Upriver with 75,212,627 metric tons and behind that Santos with 39,200,871 metric tons.
The chart below (in Spanish) shows the first twelve ranked ports/areas on a worldwide basis:
Bunkers in Argentina:
Bunker supplies at Zona Comun have eased up with the return to production of the PAE refinery in Campana. The refinery had been closed for maintenance over the lest few weeks. This was the first time that the whole installation had closed down for maintenance. The flow of VLSFOil is reported to be back to normal and a few bunker barges have already loaded. This refinery supplies approximately 20 to 25 per cent of the market demand. Crude remains volatile due to hostilities in the Black Sea area and local bunker prices accompany that trend.
ACA Berth, San Lorenzo:
The ACA berth in San Lorenzo is limited to maximum 180 meters LOA due to a navigation accident during late February. Although work is underway to repair the damage it is not yet known when this expected to conclude.
Argentina-Brazil Flag Waiver:
As from Saturday February 05th the requirement for flag-waivers on traffic between Argentina and Brazil has been lifted. Previously all traffic between the two countries had required either Argentine or Brazilian flag vessels. In case a third flagged vessel was used a waiver had to be obtained. The agreement or treaty that regulated this was not renewed by the Brazilian Government, and has expired so traffic is free for any other flagged vessel.
Crew changes in Argentina:
Crew will only be allowed to disembark when a serious medical issue occurs.
In such a case a medical board will evaluate the situation and decide.
Regulations for boarding crew are being slowly relaxed.
Joiner/s must enter Argentina via a “designated safe corridor” (Buenos Aires International Airport).
River ports are now authorizing joiners (San Lorenzo, Rosario, Necochea or Bahia Blanca).
Seaports (Necochea and Bahia Blanca) not yet.
Pre-arrival testing and quarantine restrictions will apply. At this moment five (5) days quarantine in a certified hotel at the boarding port are required.
Soonest further news arises we will inform.
PLEASE CONSULT US PRIOR COMMENCING PROCEDURES.
Crew changes made at foreign port/s 14 days prior arrival at Argentine ports: Besides many other documents and certificates, these below are of special concern:
-Owner’s Crew changes protocol at foreign countries.
-Owner’s note (with signature and stamp of the Captain and Owners company) clarifying that the crew change was carried out taking all due precautions, etc.
-Medical certificate issued by certified professional in the country where the crew joined, not the country of origin.
-Covid test, PCR, for on-signers at port of boarding (not country of origin).
Lacking any of above (besides all usual documents) pilots will not be allowed to board until a 14-day period is counted starting from the moment the last crew-member has boarded.
Will keep you posted.
Best regards,
Antares Servicios Maritimos S.A.
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