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(NAR) VOL. 12 NO. 1 / JANUARY - MARCH 2001

[ POP MEMORANDUM, May 27, 1996 ]

READINESS MEASURES/PROCEDURES, TASKING AND DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION TO VARIOUS RESPONSIBILITY CENTERS (RCS) DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER



In order to achieve optimum safety in cases of inclement weather, as defined in PPA MC No 19-96, the following guidelines are hereby issued for the purpose of monitoring the weather conditions, assignment of tasks and information dissemination to the field and ensuring that the proper reactions/precautions required in the aforesaid guidelines are observed.

I. RESPONSIBILITY
  1. It shall be the responsibility of the PSD Manager to liaison with the local PAGASA office by securing a copy of the daily weather report/bulletin.

  2. It shall also be the task of the PSD Manager to inform all Responsibility Centers and Terminal Management Offices/OICs of the weather condition as reported by PAGASA

  3. The Harbor Operations Officer (HOO)/Terminal Supervisors (TS)/Officers-in-Charge (OICs) shall issue written notices or warnings of impending/actual weather disturbances to all ships both at berth and at anchor and instructing them to take the necessary precautions required in PPAMC No. 19-96 (Art. IV, paragraph 4.1 to 4.16).
II. PRECAUTIONS DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER
  1. The measures indicated in PPA MC No. 19-96 shall serve as guide to all concerned in bracing the port for any eventuality and in meeting the dangers brought about by weather disturbances.

  2. The Harbor Operation Officers (HOO) in the baseport or in case of the outports, the TS/ OICs shall establish contact/coordinate with vessel masters/agents, advising operations at pier/anchorages.

  3. It shall be the obligation of the TS/OIC in public ports to direct the Arrastre/Stevedoring Operators to take the necessary precautions in order to minimize the effects of the weather disturbance upon cargoes, containers equipment/and the port structures.

    Among the precautions that the contractor shall take shall be.

    a.      lashing containers/cargoes
    b.      covering cargoes by tarpaulins
    c.       other measures

    The TS/OIC shall inspect his operational and storage areas, cargoes/containers and in general the port's structures upon such announcement in order to ensure that the precautionary measures envisioned in PPA MC No 19-96 and in this guidelines are promptly and properly carried out with least loss/damage.

  4. The Harbor Operations Officer shall at all times maintain and compile the Daily Official Weather Bulletin/Report (DOWB/R) supplied by PAGASA and shall record the hourly wind force and direction and the wave height for reference of all concerned.  Coordination with the pilots and radiomen of vessels in port and at anchorage shall be also maintained to keep them posted on weather conditions to save men, vessel and cargo.

    The Harbor Operations Officer is directed to maintain a logbook or record of wind velocity and wave height, etc., as reference which for the purpose of this guidelines shall be known as the Weather/Wind Information Logbook (WIL).
III. EMERGENCY DUTY

During the duration of the weather disturbance (Storm Signal No. 2 or above) all regular personnel on duty (per the manning schedule) together with the Port Manager, PSD Manager, ESD Manager (OIC, Engineering Division), PPD CDR, HOO and TS of the and/or next ranking officials must be present for the whole duration of the emergency.  The undersigned, however, may organize them in shifts when the emergency appears longer

The abovenamed officials shall be organized into a Disaster Coordinating Council (DCC) created pursuant to PMO Pulupandan S.O. No. 29-96, which is appended to this memorandum, as an integral part thereof.

IV. AFTERMATH OF THE STORM

Immediately after the storm or typhoon, the TS/OIC in the outport and the HOO/TS in the baseport, shall assess the damages wrought by the weather disturbance and submit a report to the Port Manager through the PSD Manager who shall review and collate the reports submitted and cause to be prepared a Damage Report to the PDO, copy furnished the NPOC.  The Damage Report which shall be submitted within six (6) hours after the storms shall state among others the details of the damage, losses (estimate in pesos), number of injuries and casualties, if any The report shall also include the recommendations of the PMO

Within one (1) week from the occurrence of the calamity, the ESD Manager/Principal Engineer shall conduct a thorough inspection of the ports, wharves, structures and facilities damaged by the typhoon. Cost estimates shall be submitted to the OPM.

V. AUTHORITY TO SUSPEND VESSEL OPERATIONS

Upon the written request of the vessel master/agent or by the CHO in writing, vessel/ CH operations may be suspended for the duration of the storm/typhoon.  The TS/OIC of the outports and in case of the baseport, the undersigned or, in case of his absence, the PSD Manager are authorized to suspend vessel/cargo handling operations in the cases specified in PPA MC No. 19-96 By this guidelines, the latter is directed to prepare the pro-forma Suspension Order (S.O.) which shall be made available within one (1) week from date hereof.

VI. EXEMPTION FROM STANDBY CHARGES

Standby charge shall not accrue in case of suspension of vessel operations due to request for suspension mentioned in the preceding article, except when the master agent of the vessel fails to provide for stevedores safe disembarkation.

This guidelines shall supplement or augment PPA MC No. 19-96.

Adopted 27 May 1996

(SGD.) WINFRED G. ELIZALDE
Port Manager

PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER




STORM SIGNAL

MEASURES




NO 1 (winds of 16-32 knots is expected in the locality within the next 36 hours)

1. All vessels in port shall be attended to by a sufficient number of crew capable of moving the vessel upon notice.




NO 2 (winds of 32 to 54 knots is expected in the locality within the next 24 hours)

1. Same as no. 1 above.


2. Tugboat shall be on standby. Vessels at berth to double mooring.


3. Operations at anchorage may be suspended on a case to case.




NO. 3. (winds of 54 to 100 knots is expected in the locality within the next 18 hours)

1. Precautions in Nos. 1 & 2


2. All operations at anchorage shall be suspended


3. Loading/Discharging of containers/other cargoes to/from vessels shall be suspended and the structures secured


4. Cargoes/Cargo handling equipment and their accessories shall be secured.


5. The piers, slips and wharves shall be cleared of vessels of more than 1000 GRT


6. Vessels of not more than 1000 GRT may be allowed at the anchorage. Those which remain moored and secured at the pier, slips, wharves must take all necessary precaution, i e., double or multiple mooring lines, sufficient officers and crew on board, standby engine, etc . provided, however, that any damage caused to the pier, slip or wharf shall be borne by the owners of the vessels.




NO. 4 (winds of 100 knots and above is expected in the locality within the next 12 hours)

1. Precautions in Nos. 1. 2 & 3 shall be exercised


2. All operations in port except emergency in nature shall cease




WAVE HEIGHT REGARDLESS OF STORM SIGNAL





below 4 feet

- No suspension of work
4 - 5 feet

- Suspension only at anchorage
over 5 feet
- Suspension on both dockside and anchorage

The above precautionary measures shall NOT preclude the PMO Manager from directing the clearing of pier/ wharves at anytime during typhoons.

All concerned are hereby directed to observe the necessary measures called for under the situation By Authority of PPA MC No. 19-96

WINFRED G. ELIZALDE
Port Manager

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