Puertos del Estado publishes guidelines for pilotage, stevedoring and port community

Madrid, Spain (Ports Europe) April 17, 2020 - Puertos del Estado (PdE) has produced four documents because of the global emergence of COVID-19 to support the activity of essential port services such as pilotage and stowage, in addition to compiling the current regulations on economic aid applicable to the community port. "It has been an unprovoked job for this administration, but it is necessary, in difficult conditions for everyone and hence its relevance for the system," says PdE president, Francisco Toledo. Under the heading 'Measures for the port community before COVID-19' in www.puertos.es are the aforementioned documents, prepared by the Operations Directorate and the General Secretariat of PdE: Good practices on measures prevention and action before COVID-19 in the port cargo handling service; Good practices on prevention measures and action before COVID-19 in the port pilotage service; Recommendations for ship operators in response to the COVID-19 outbreak (based on the technical study conducted by the Port of London); and recommendations for action by Port Authorities in the face of the crisis created by COVID-19 and measures adopted by state-managed ports. Toledo explains that, "these recommendations and guides to good practices are aimed at increasing worker safety, guaranteeing logistics and alleviating economic pressure on companies in line with the sector policy led by the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and the Urban Agenda, MITMA, and the indications of the Ministry of Health ". For this, they have been distributed in recent weeks to the affected sectors through the Port Authorities and now they are made available to anyone interested in the Puertos del Estado website. Said documents establish working conditions with security criteria in relation to the virus. For example, it is advisable to establish fixed work teams to control those affected in the event of a positive case being detected. It also specifies the operations in which pilots and stevedores must use masks and gloves, and in which it is not necessary for their safety, in addition to establishing self-protection protocols in cases where a worker must directly interact with the crew of a ship. It is advisable to carry out documentary transactions using technological tools, thus avoiding the handling of paper documentation. Another important aspect that is contemplated is the thorough cleaning with disinfectant products of the machinery at the end of each shift (wheelbarrows, boat cabins, etc.). Finally, it is recommended to close the locker rooms and other meeting spaces to prevent contagion between different teams of workers. Finally, 'Recommendations for action by Port Authorities in the face of the crisis created by COVID-19 and measures adopted by State Ports' compiles all the regulatory support in force in the different jurisdiction forums that are applicable, both from port authorities and from Ports of the State or a combination of both, and the policies approved by the Government of Spain and MITMA continue to help mitigate the economic consequences of controlling the pandemic. Textually, it includes: "The purpose of these recommendations, which are issued under Article 18.1.n) of the TRLPEMM, is to clarify and set the most pertinent actions in order to guarantee economic liquidity that guarantees the continuity of the activity of the concurrent operators in ports, mitigating the negative effects attributable to the COVID-19 health crisis, addressing issues arising in the area of contracting, and expanding measures in relation to the personnel of the Port Authorities. " Many of the measures included in this document prepared by State Ports have already been adopted by the majority of the Port Authorities in support of their communities or have indicated their intention to apply them. Puertos del Estado is a state-owned organisation responsible for the management of state-owned ports. The company executes the port policy of the government and coordinates and controls the efficiency of the port system, made up of 28 port authorities that manage the 46 ports of general interest. Source: Puertos del Estado Copyright (C) Ports Europe. All Rights Reserved. 2020.

Puertos del Estado publishes guidelines for pilotage, stevedoring and port community

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Puertos del Estado publishes guidelines for pilotage, stevedoring and port community

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All news

1.2 tonnes of cocaine seized in Spain’s Algeciras port

Four tonnes of cocaine seized off the Canary Islands

Russia’s ports handled 4.6 mln TEUs in Jan-Oct’24

New Caspian ferry line Turkmenbashi-Olya might finally launch

Kazakhstan’s ports handled 6.2 mln tonnes of cargo in Jan-Oct’24

Our Expert Analysis

Latest Free Reads

Top Ports