Port Watch Weekly #12 – NL Central America

Port Watch Weekly

week # 12

Caribbean Updates

Puerto Rico

March 22nd – Emancipation Day (public holiday)

US Virgin Islands

March 28th – Holy Thursday

March 31st – Transfer Day

Trinidad & Tobago

March 30th – Spiritual Shouter Baptist Liberation Day

Good Friday and Easter Monday is held throughout much of the Caribbean. If you have questions about a specific territory and how it might affect the flow of operations, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Haiti

In response to the violence and in an attempt to restore order, authorities have extended the nightly 19:00-05:00 curfew in Ouest Department until at least March 20; the curfew can be renewed for periods of 72 hours at a time. A related state of emergency (SoE) is scheduled to remain in effect in the territory until at least April 3. Officials have banned demonstrations on public roads in Ouest Department for the duration of the SoE.

We are currently operating at Port Cap Haitien, located north of Haiti and where the situation in the capital is not yet affected.

Central America

Acajutla, El Salvador

Project of dock repair continues at Pier A-1 / A-2 (Phase 1). Phases will be as follows:

Phase 1: will be for Pier A-1 with 110mts with estimated timing of 3 months on first stage, having about 200mts for docking vessels (towards Pier A-2)
Phase 2: will be for Pier A-2 with 100mts with estimated timing of 2.6 months repair. Having about 210mts for docking other vessels (towards Pier A-1)
Phase 3: will be 100mts in between piers A1 and A2, for this phase. No merchant vessels will be docked.

Note: this will affect congestion on other piers.

Line Ups & Industry news

For more information, please:

Puerto Cortés, Honduras

Container ships have priority on following berths. Weather also might impact operations at all piers.

Draft port restrictions as follows:

Pier 5: 478.5 meters length (Max allowed drafts 11 mts).

Pier 6: 350 meters length (Max allowed drafts 14 mts).

Option to work on berth #4 is available again subject to approval from the terminal.

Acajutla, El Salvador

Port continues declared as “Congested”. Waiting time is around 5-10 days for breakbulk vessels.

To discharge heavy cargo on Pier B4/B6, ship cranes /shore equipment- is required. For heavy cargo we suggest calling Pier C to use shore crane.

Following requirements must be met:

Cargo with civil liability policy
Cargo dimensions ( HxWx L of all pcs)
Unit weight per piece
Pictures/condition of the cargo
Crew should manage cranes
If any special equipment needed, it should be coordinated with anticipation to avoid delays
Stevedores will handle vessel crane when discharge heavy cargo
Port will request receivers to be ready with trucks

Now, berthing is based on below priority list:

Cruise vessel
Sugar & molasses loading vessels
Containers
Bulk carrier with food and perishable cargo
RORO
Cement/steel, etc.

Extra mooring lines onboard are suggested in case Terminal cannot supply as ACJ is at open sea and current swell conditions are affecting the piers
Vessels that arrived with draft higher than 11.2m can only work at Pier C, which is dedicated to Containers vessels.

Puerto Plata

Berthing is subject to suitable marine/weather conditions and pilot criteria.

Forecasted conditions may be different to those experienced offshore.

Waiting time cannot be estimated but now both ports are congested.

LOA 700ft BEAM 100ft

Min depth 10.2m at pier #4 west
Min depth 10.2m at pier #5 west
Recommended UKC 0.3m
Density SW 1.025.

Caldera

Due to unfavorable weather conditions and congestion, vessels can experience waiting times as follows:

Note: These waiting days are subject to weather condition, arrival drafts and type of cargo detailed as follows:

MPP and dry-bulk carriers are assigned for docking at berth #4 which has a max permissible draft of 12.3m SW.
Average water density in Caldera Port is 1.018
Main reason of delays is the current rain affecting turnaround time on vessel´s operating at berth.

Berth priorities: 1- Cruiser, 2- Perishable cargoes (reefer containers), 3- Ro-Ro (short time call), 4- grain vessels (at berth #4), 5- General cargo.

MPP and dry-bulk carriers may be assigned to dock other berths subject to priorities vessel type as follows:

UPDATED PORT DIMENSIONS:

Pier N° 1 length: 210 meters
(Official DRAFT for General cargo Vessel 10.50 mts) | CONTAINER VESSEL´S HAVE PRIORITY

Pier N° 2 length: 150 meters
(Official DRAFT for General cargo Vessel 9.50 mts)
Pier N° 3 length: 190 meters
(Official DRAFT for General cargo Vessel 6.75 mts)
Pier N ° 4 length: 250 meters
(Official DRAFT for General cargo Vessel 12.30 mts) | GRAIN VESSEL´S HAVE PRIORITY

Rio Haina

Waiting time cannot be estimated at this point due to severe port congestion.

Current port restrictions:

LOA 760ft BEAM 105ft

Min depth 10.1m at pier #4 west.
Min depth 10.9m at pier #5 west.
Min depth 9.8m at pier #3 east.
Min depth 9.9m at pier #4 east.
Min depth 10.4m at pier #5 east.
Recommended UKC 0.3m.
Density BW varies between 1.016 and 1.025.