June 21st – News From Argentina

June 21st 2020

NEWS FROM ARGENTINA

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.

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

Covid-19 National Quarantine: The National Quarantine has now been extended until June 28th. The press are saying that it is to be extended to July 12th.
At the main ports the sanitary measures remain unchanged and attendance is well coordinated. The Ship’s Agency tasks are allowed to continue with few restrictions and strict sanitary procedures are applied. Upriver ports are working close to normal with strict sanitary enforcement.

As mentioned before Bahia Blanca and Necochea are very rigid imposing in nearly all cases a 14 day quarantine on arriving vessels. The 14 days are counted as from departure from the last port of call.

*** 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.

Mooring gangs Upriver strike: The Sailor’s Union has called a strike in the Upriver area as a prelude to starting wage adjustment negotiations. Although the Government called for the strike to be lifted with “mandatory” peace the union has ignored the order.
This means that, initially there are no moorings gangs available and vessels are unable to berth and unberth. All Roads are congested and the CoastGuard do not allow vessels to proceed Upriver.

At the moment this message is sent there seems to be a change in the union’s posture and service may be restored. But being a wildcat strike performance depends on the attitude of small groups who may abide or not.

-Vicentin: The Government’s project to confiscate the company is running into more trouble. The bankruptcy court that has been overseeing Vicentin’s Chapter 11 ruled that the company was still to be managed by shareholders and that the National Government imposed “overseers” had to limit themselves to be mere observers. Yesterday, Saturday June 20th was a day of large protests against the Government. It has now become wider that just a Vicentin protest. It has become a call against the confiscation of private property.

Freight rates: Good news, all in all. Freight rates are on the up. Soya bean freight to China is now USD 36.75 ex-US Gulf, up USD 2.25. US-PNW is up USD 1.25 to 19.25, Brazil is also up USD 2.50 to USD 27.25 and Plate rose USD 2.50 to USD 31.75.

River Parana draft: A final survey was performed in the area of Km 338 and as result of the dredging the maximum sailing draft was adjusted to 9.68 meters, last night. The dredger performed further clearing work and has now returned to base. The shallow pass is now at Km 322 (Las Hermanas) further downriver from where the grounding occurred and the maximum river draft for Friday 19th was 9.63 meters. The small surge in river water we enjoyed over the last weeks appears to have come to an end, but this is apparently to return during the last week of June and to sustain for the coming months. The rain is starting southern Brazil, lightly but every little bit helps.

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Necochea: The port opened on June 19th at 0830 hours.

Will keep you updated.

Best regards,
Antares Servicios Maritimos S.A.

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