Shore-based mooring services

15 Mar 2024 / Suez Canal, Egypt

The Suez Canal Authority (SCA) has announced that the current mooring services system will change to Shore-based Mooring services from 1 May.

According to the SC Rules of Navigation Dec 2020 Art 20 – Mooring Boats, all ships transiting the Canal must have mooring services onboard the ship during transit, subject to ship SC.G.T. Ships that do not comply are only allowed to transit escorted by tug(s), subject to SCA decision and inspection, (extra charges of about USD 29,000 for one tugboat).

However, for safety and to improve mooring services in the Suez Canal, the SCA will change this system to shore-based mooring services as announced in its Navigation Circular No.01/2024, which states that from 1 May, mooring service will be shore-based service, providing that the mooring boats will be distributed along the Canal.

Only 30% of the ships is the convoy will have the mooring services on board.

The SCA will decide which ships to have the onboard service based on the following criteria:
- Ships with the largest wind-age area.
- Ships with the largest Gross Tonnage (GT).
- Ships with largest draft.
- Inter-ship distances not exceeding two ships.
- Other vessels as decided by SCA.

If one of the selected ships refuses or is unable to have the mooring services onboard, additional dues of USD 5,000 will be charged instead of imposing a tugboat.

The following types of vessels shall be excluded from the above shore-based mooring services:

  • U.S Warships will be escorted by a mandatory tugboat for mooring services according to the protocol signed with SCA.
  • Other Warships will be escorted by imposed tugboats if they refuse or unable to have the service onboard.
  • Towed units, excavators, Rig, integrated units, and units of a social nature will have mooring service on board or escorting by imposed tugs if unable to have the service on board, as per current Rules of navigation Dec 2020.

The new tariff for providing mooring and lighting services in the new system will be as follows:

  • Any ship, whether having onboard or shore-based service will pay a fixed total amount of USD 3,500 for mooring and lighting services in the new system, with a financial assessment annually in case there is a need for amendments (as a special arrangement for ships).
  • In case the ships requests to be supplied with lighting service or if the searchlight does not comply with the SC rules of navigation (searchlight + electrician), an additional USD 1,000 will added to the previous tariff if item (1) for lighting Services, making the total amount USD 4,500, including mooring and lighting services.
  • If the electric connections don’t comply with SC Rules of navigation, the vessel will be charged with additional dues USD 5,000 from the second transit, as stipulated in SC Rules of navigation, December 2020 edition.

For further details, as well as information about operations in the Suez Canal, contact GAC Egypt at [email protected]

If quoting any content from Hot Port News, please cite GAC Hot Port News as the source.

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