Gard P&I Club has issued an alert to inform ship operators of the port situation in Israel, following escalating conflicts in the area.
According to information received from Gard’s local correspondents in Israel on 24 September 2024, the country’s ports, including Ashkelon, Ashdod, Haifa, Hadera and Eilat, continue to operate as normal, although authorities have implemented strict entry procedures for vessels carrying some hazardous materials.
At the time of writing, all Lebanese ports are also operating normally and safely, according to our correspondent there.
Advice is likely to evolve quickly
The security situation in Israel and the surrounding areas remains volatile and we strongly recommend ship operators and their masters trading to the eastern Mediterranean Sea region to carefully assess the risks involved in all port calls on a case-by-case basis and:
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make frequent checks with local sources of information, e.g. vessel’s agents, local authorities, and/or Gard’s correspondent, to obtain the most up-to-date and reliable security information available at any given time,
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follow advice received from flag administrations and port authorities regarding applicable ISPS security levels, and
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review relevant security and contingency plans and apply them accordingly.
Prior to getting underway, operators and managers should develop plans for responding to GPS disruptions that affect safe navigation, and ensure that seafarers on vessels heading towards Israel are aware of any imminent security threats in the region. Decisions on crew shore leave should always be taken with the prevailing local security situation in mind.
