Further to our last Newsletter “COVID-19 ARGENTINA – Protocol for vessels calling Buenos Aires”, the National Ministry of Safety and the National Ministry of Health had recently introduced protocol N° NO-2020-18729360-APN-SSCRYF#MS, which establishes a reinforcement expansion to contingency plans at Argentine international ports in the frame of the epidemiologic situation caused by Coronavirus COVID-19. However, due to bad weather and the implementation of this extra control measures, there has been an increase in the deadlines planned by the shipping companies that transport cargoes considered essential.
In this sense, in order to guarantee the supply of basic necessity products, among which are the health products related to the declared emergency (COVID-19), it has been approved that:
- cargo liner ships (containers, car carrier, tanker, chemical tanker, multi-purpose) enter the port on a regular basis -pre-emergency status quo- without applying the reinforcement approved on NO-2020.18729360-APN-SSCRYF#MS, with the aim of getting, when it corresponds, the Free Practique from the Health Authority once the crew’s health conditions have been confirmed, as these vessels are considered as ships that carry essential supplies, including fuels and chemicals. Provided that the use of PPE by pilotage staff is guaranteed.
- controls for bulk carriers, which are usually anchored waiting for loading and which generally spend more than the 14 days of quarantine since de last port of origin, are kept as provided by NO-2020-18729360-APN-SSCRYF#MS.
Moreover, it should be noted that the reinforcement established by NO-2020-18729360-APN-SSCRYF#MS rules exclusively those vessels (BULK CARRIER) that enter from the ocean to the waterway Paraguay-Paraná and/or Río Uruguay.
In order to avoid delays, it is recommended that the required and complete information of the vessels to request Free Practique to Border Health is provided with a minimum anticipation of 72 hours before their arrival at Recalada.
