Port Watch Weekly

week # 31

Caribbean Updates

Public Holidays

  • July 29: Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, Carnival Monday
  • August 1: Barbados, Bermuda, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and Grenadines, Turks and Caicos Islands, Emancipation Day. Trinidad and Tobago, African Emancipation Day.
  • August 2: Bermuda, Mary Prince Day.
  • August 5: Anguilla, Carnival Holiday. Bermuda, Carnival Holiday. Bahamas, British Virgin Islands, Grenada, Montserrat, Emancipation Day. Barbados, Kadooment Day. Saint Kitts and Nevis, August Monday.
  • August 6: Antigua and Barbuda, Carnival Holiday. British Virgin Islands, August Festival. Jamaica, Independence Day. Saint Kitts and Nevis, August Tuesday
  • August 7: British Virgin Islands, August Festival.
  • August 8: Anguilla, August Thursday.
  • August 9: Anguilla, Constitution Day.
  • August 12: Grenada, Carnival Monday.
  • August 13: Grenada, Carnival Tuesday.
  • August 15: Guadeloupe, Haiti, Martinique, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin, Assumption.
  • August 16: Dominican Republic, Restoration Day.
  • August 31: Trinidad and Tobago, Independence Day

Central America

Public Holidays

  • July 29: Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba, Carnival Monday.
  • August 1: Belize, Emancipation Day
    El Salvador, Public Sector Holiday. Nicaragua, Treida de Santo Domingo.
  • August 2: Costa Rica, Lady of the Angels’ Day. El Salvador, Public Sector Holiday.
  • August 3: El Salvador, Public Sector Holiday.
  • August 4: El Salvador, Public Sector Holiday.
  • August 5: Dominica, Emancipation Day. El Salvador, Public Sector Holiday.
  • August 6: El Salvador, Public Sector Holiday.
  • August 10: Nicaragua, Dejada de Santo Domingo de Guzman.
  • August 15: Costa Rica, Mother’s Day. Guatemala, Assumption Day. Panama, Panama La Vieja Day.
  • August 31: Costa Rica, Día de la Persona Negra y de la Cultura Afrocostarricense

Line Ups & Industry news

For more information, please: 

Acajutla, El Salvador

Port declared “CONGESTED. Waiting time is around 15-20 days for breakbulk vessels at pier B & C.

Pier A-2 is out of service for maintenance.

Keep in mind berthing is subject to arrival of any container vessel as they have priority; this being said – if container vessel arrived while we are at anchorage automatically will be working prior to our vessel.

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.

• 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:

  1. Cruise vessel
  2. Sugar & molasses loading vessels
  3. Containers
  4. Bulk carrier with food and perishable cargo
  5. RORO
  6. Cement/steel, etc.

In the event that the government issues a letter to CEPA (Customs and Excise Ports Authority) indicating that a vessel carries essential cargo vital to the country, the terminal shall accord priority to this vessel.

  • 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.

MAXIMUM DRAFTS:

Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic

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

Forecasted conditions may be different to those experienced offshore.

LOA 700 ft 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.

 

Rio Haina, Dominican Republic

 

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.

Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala

Bear in mind due to rain and congestion and weather ships are waiting for 20 – 25 days at anchorage for berthing.

Regular and consistent liner traffic, two (2) of these berths are solely used for liner/container vessels.

  • These vessels include container ships with perishable cargo, passenger ships and military vessels.
  • The remaining two (2) berths are to be used for all other types of cargo.

LOA restriction – Berths: 1 – 4 -200 MT long each and accommodate as per LOA availability.

  • Container arriving on daily basis with priority.

 

Caldera, Costa Rica

 Tentative Caldera Port planning for the next few days is available on request with our team.

 Vessels can experience waiting times as follows:

Main reason of delays is the current rain affecting turnaround time on vessel´s operating at berth.

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


Berth priorities:

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

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 12.50 mts) | GRAIN VESSEL´S HAVE PRIORITY

Puerto Cortes, Honduras

For Break bulk vessel the main reason of waiting time is berth availability taking into consideration that containers vessel has berthing priority. Weather also might impact operations at all piers.

Option to work on berth #4 – is only available for general cargo vessel. Please bear in mind operations at this berth are subject to direct discharge only.

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).

Weather Forecast

Forecasted conditions may be different to those experienced offshore.

Acajutla, El Salvador

Rio Haina

Puerto Plata

Caldera