Suez Canal authorities issued circular 01/2024 detailing the changes with respect to shore based service for mooring the vessel which will come into effect from 01st May 2024.
Starting from May 1st 2024, mooring service will be shore-based service, providing that the mooring boats will be distributed along the canal.
1- Only 30% of the ships in the convoy will have the mooring service onboard.
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 the largest Draft.
· Inter-ship distances not exceeding two ships.
· Others vessels as decided by SCA.
2- If one of the selected ships refuses or is unable to have the mooring service onboard, additional dues of USD 5,000 ( five thousand USD ) will be charged instead of imposing a tugboat as stipulated in Article 20, page 36 of the SC Rules of Navigation .
3- The following types of vessels shall be excluded from the above shore-based mooring service:
a) U.S warships will be escorted by a mandatory tugboat for mooring service according to the protocol signed with SCA.
b) Other Warships will be escorted by imposed tugboats if they refuse or unable to have the service onboard.
c) Towed units, excavators, Rig, integrated units, and units of a special nature will have mooring service on board or escorted by imposed tugs if unable to have the service on board, as per current rules of navigation December 2020
Additionaly this circular has also published the revised tarrif for the Suex Canal lights.
The new tariff for providing mooring and lighting services in the new system will be as follows:
1 – 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).
2 – In case the ship requests to be supplied with lighting service or if the searchlight does not comply with the SC Rules of navigation (searchlight + electrician), an additional USD1,000 will added to the previous tariff in item (1) for lighting services, making the total amount USD 4,500, including mooring and lighting services.
3 – 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.