West of England P&I Club: New port access procedures at Yuzhny
The West of England P&I Club ‘s correspondents, Dias Marine Consulting, Odessa have advised of new port access procedures at Yuzhny, Ukraine which may make it difficult for P&I surveyors to attend vessels at short notice.
Previously P&I surveyors were issued with yearly passes in order to enter port premises. This arrangement has recently been stopped and P&I surveyors must now apply for permission to enter the port for each attendance.
Under the new system, P&I surveyors must submit an application to the Port Administration seeking permission to enter the port. However, it may take between one and two days for the application to be approved and a port pass to be issued. Consequently significant delays may arise, particularly in the case of submissions made just before the weekend or prior to public holidays. There appears to be no provision to speed up the process if a P&I surveyor is required urgently.
Moreover, if a P&I surveyor is instructed to carry out a cargo survey, inspect the cargo, collect cargo samples and/or perform a draft survey, the Port Administration will no longer allow the surveyor to enter the port unless the shippers or cargo forwarders agree.
Although the Club’s local correspondents have met with officials from the Port Administration and are endeavouring to resolve the situation, Members with vessels proceeding to Yuzhny that may need a P&I surveyor are advised to give ample notice so that permission to access the port can be obtained prior to the vessel’s arrival. In the event of an incident requiring the urgent attendance of a P&I surveyor, the Managers should be notified immediately.
Source: The West of England P&I Club
