TUG BOAT STRIKE
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.
TUG BOAT STRIKE: The Seamen’s union has called out a Nationwide strike for tomorrow July 01st, 2020. This is a Nationwide 24 hour strike, service will not be rendered as from 0000 hours July 01st, 2020 until 0000 hours of July 02nd, 2020. The strike is related to a wage dispute.
National Holiday: Thursday, July 09th, Independence Day and Friday July 10th “Bridge Holiday”.
Covid-19 National Quarantine: As from July 01st until July 17th Buenos Aires and the suburbs will be submitted to an stricter 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.
*** 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.
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.
Santa Fe: As mentioned last week the port is beginning to show a little bit of life. It is located a further 7 (seven) hours sailing Upriver from San Lorenzo which according to pilots can be done in night and daylight. There is a functioning elevator with storage capacity for about 30,000 metric tons of grain. 10 days ago a small coaster was loaded with 2,000 metric tons of special grade maize bound for Montevideo. The access channel has been dredged. Nevertheless the extremely low water only allows vessels to enter and sail on 3.84 meters (today). As the River Parana begins its slow recovery this port may start to be considered. The restrictions available at this moment, other than draft are that vessels over 130 meters LOA require one tug for berthing and unberthing, and over 160 meters require two tugs. As always, we strongly suggest that before fixing you check with us for updates and the present situation, and we will be more than glad to update information.
Recalada: Recalada closes often due to swell and high winds. Usual during the early winter months.
Necochea: The port closed today, June 30th at 1345 hours due to 3 meters swell.
Bahia Blanca: Pilotage service is being rendered normally.
Export licenses: Today, June 30th Export Licenses were issued for 162,000 metric tons of Soya meal, 80,000 metric tons of maize, 31,500 metric tons of flint maize, 22,300 metric tons of soy oil, 9,800 metric tons of sunseed meal and 7,000 metric tons of sunseed oil.
Maize, soya meal and soya beans: On Monday 2,407 trucks arrived at Upriver terminals. Of these 1,470 were maize. Additionally 30 wagons of maize arrived at Dreyfus Lagos.
Bahia Blanca received 303 trucks of which 197 were maize and 106 soya beans and 237 wagons of maize plus 23 wagons of wheat.
The ratio is 32 tons per truck and 45 tons per wagon.
Will keep you posted.
Best regards,
Antares Servicios Maritimos S.A.
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