July 03rd – Announcement

July 03rd 2020

Announcement & Upriver Draft

In view of the ongoing developing situation and different communications and instructions being issued by Sanitary Authorities of the Argentine Government we have chosen to send a consolidated daily report at the closing of working hours with an update of the day’s news.

ANNOUNCEMENT: As a result of our growing and supportive customer base we are pleased to announce our team is growing both at our Buenos Aires Headquarters and our recently opened Upriver Branch to continue to ensure customer satisfaction. We are pleased to welcome: Gabriel Alejandro Malagrino (Operator) and Agustin More (Boarding) to the team. Both have extensive experience in the Maritime Agency field and will be able to hit the ground running and assist in taking care of your Marine Logistics needs. Their contact details are in the attached Company Contact list.

Crew changes: Crew changes in Argentina and Uruguay are not possible TODAY. The European Union has announced that flights from Uruguay will be allowed to enter when they are resumed. When this is specified and flight schedules are pre-advised we will keep you posted. For Argentina there are no formal changes yet. Some airlines are planning a return soon to schedule flights due to start rolling in as from early July. Air France being the first.

Recalada: Recalada closes often due to swell and high winds. Usual during the early winter months.

Necochea: The port was opened yesterday, July 02nd at 0830 with reduced swell and wind. It had closed on June 30th at 1345.

Bahia Blanca: Pilotage service is being rendered normally.

River Parana draft. Forecast and recommendation: The flow of water in the River Parana remains steady. As mentioned yesterday, the River draft is expected to fluctuate at average 10 meters, 30 centimeters more or less. The rain fall in the River Parana catchment area is steady. What is changing is the back up effect of tides in the River Plate is now affecting as far up as Rosario. The last few days have been cold, with S-SE winds. Hence the closure of Recalada, Zona Comun and Necochea. The weather map below, mainly blue colored will have to change to red/maroon for a couple of weeks for the water flow to bring back the usual stream.
It must be stated, again, that keeping the maximum sailing draft in the 10 meter range is thanks to the hard work and talent invested by Hidrovia S.A. with their five dredgers working at critical passes.

River Parana draft.

Image

Vicentin: The efforts reported today were on the legal side. Political pressure is being placed on higher court officials to have the Chapter 11 trial brought down to Buenos Aires and therefore taken away from the judge at Reconquista where Vicentin has it’s legal domicile. Bringing it to Buenos Aires will allow political leverage to be applied. But the appeal court turned this down and the Reconquista judge maintains his local jurisdiction. On the other hand propaganda is working hard to try and create various legends about the company and it’s present share holders.

Vicentin.

Image

Maize, soya meal and soya beans: At Upriver ports and terminals 3,419 trucks were reported, of which 1,855 were maize and 1,507 were soya. Cargill Punta Alvear took in 34 wagons of maize. Bahia Blanca received a mere 745 trucks, of which 367 were maize and 334 soya. Additionally to this 45 wagons of soya beans.
The ratio is 32 tons per truck and 45 tons per wagon.

Covid-19 National Quarantine: As from July 01st and until July 17th Buenos Aires and the suburbs are being subjected to very strict quarantine.
The Province of Santa Fe has been relaxing the restrictions. This includes Arroyo Seco, Rosario, San Lorenzo and Timbues. But this means that all persons coming from City and Province of Buenos Aires will be subjected to a 14 day quarantine before being allowed to take up residence, even if it is for only one night. All towns have restricted access. Over the last few days vessels calling in the area have had to suspend or ask for extension to surveys because surveyors come from Buenos Aires.

One solution to this, although partial, is that a remote survey is carried out which allows the vessel to be granted an interim extension to be granted by Class and Flag.

National Holiday: Thursday, July 09th, Independence Day and Friday July 10th “Bridge Holiday”.

*** IMPORTANT *** Recalada/Zona Comun. New procedures for arriving vessels: As from Sunday June 14th, the CoastGuard medics will not be attending at Recalada. Until then the medics would board inbound vessels at anchorage Recalada prior boarding pilots. The change is that now medics are boarding vessels at Zona Comun, but only as from 0900 hours. It means that now the preliminary inspection has added cost. Each vessel must pay a launch service for the attending medics and additionally the pilots charge an anchoring fee. This will amount to additional cost as follows:
USD 1,200.00 launch service, Monday to Friday. Saturdays, Sundays and National Holidays USD 1,680.00

plus

USD ——– Pilot’s anchoring fee calculated as follows: USD 14.00 per Fiscal Unit of the vessel. FUs are calculated basis (LOA x Beam x Molded depth)/800.

The latest instruction is that inbound vessels will sail from Recalada so as to arrive at Zona Comun approximately 0800 hours so as to be inspected during daylight hours. On the other hand most vessels arriving at Recalada with more than 14 days since last port of call are frequently allowed to proceed to load port without stoppage.

Will keep you posted.

Best regards,
Antares Servicios Maritimos S.A.

For more information

Local News