Skuld P&I Club update on the Egyptian regulations
The Skuld P&I Club advises operators to reviewinternal procedures on the storage of weapons and ensure CSOs and SSOs are familiar with the rules and regulations for weapons that may be carried on vessels in any particular jurisdiction that a vessel may call at.
The Club has received a recent update from its correspondents in Egypt with details of an existing circular from the Maritime Transport Sector (via the Port Said Shipping Chamber), which explains the regulations with respect to the storage of weapons while transiting the Suez Canal.
The Club provides the following advice to masters before transiting the Suez Canal:
- Vessel should provide her agent with detailed list by any / all weapons onboard for security and safety reasons plus names and details of security guards on board too.
- according to SCA and other ports authorities , any weapons onboard to be collected from the vessel, stored, transported and redelivered to the vessel while exiting Suez Canal.
- his process will include storage cost of USD 500 to be paid to the authorities against official invoice and transportation expenses will be on agent’s account too.
Most recently further information has been received, this time via agents GAC that the notification period prior to arrival may be moved up to 72 hours and that the cost of keeping the weapons in custody / storage may have gone up.
The Club advises operators to seek to obtain the latest advice from their agents in Egypt well in advance of arrival, preferably before 72 hours in advance of arrival, so that any updated procedures for notification can be duly complied with. The alternative is to risk delay, and perhaps a violation of local law and regulation.
This advance planning and preparation should be conducted in conjunction with a sound procedural and practical implementation of the ISPS Code on both ship and shore.
Further details may be found on Skuld P&I Club website:
Contraband and other prohibited items in crews’ personal possession
Source:The Skuld P&I Club