The ports of iraq are open to serve the international trade and business community

Original warning text

1. THE PORTS OF IRAQ ARE OPEN TO SERVE THE INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND
    BUSINESS COMMUNITY.  NOTE: ALL SHIPPING (HUMANITARIAN AND COMMERCIAL)
   TO THE PORTS OF IRAQ MUST BE COORDINATED DIRECTLY WITH THE IRAQ PORT
   AUTHORITY (IPA).  UNTIL SEPTEMBER 30, 2004 THE IPA WILL BE ASSISTED
   BY SSA MARINE IN THE PREPARATION OF THE INITIAL BILLING AND COLLECTION
   OF PORT MARINE FEES AND OTHER CHARGES BY WIRE TRANSFER.  PLEASE SEE
   THE UMM QASR PORT TARIFF AT UMM QASR PORT TARIFF
   HTTP://WWW.SSAMARINE.COMLOCATIONS/UMM_QASR_PORT_TARIFF.PDF
2. THE FOLLOWING ARE THE REQUIRED STEPS TO BOOK:
   A. VESSEL AGENT MUST FILL OUT "VESSEL BOOKING FORM" COMPLETELY AND
       RETURN TO MR. SADIQ RESSN AT PORT OPERATIONS, UMM QASR, AT LEAST
       5 WORKING DAYS PRIOR TO ARRIVAL.  (FOR ELECTRONIC COPY OF THE
       VESSEL BOOKING FORM, PLEASE CONTACT THE POINTS OF CONTACTS 
       LISTED BELOW.)
   B. AGENT MUST SUPPLY CARGO MANIFEST AT LEAST 48 HOURS IN ADVANCE 
       OF VESSEL ARRIVAL.  THE IRAQ PORT AUTHORITY (IPA) PREFERS 
       FIVE WORKING DAYS ADVANCE NOTICE.
   C. BASED ON THE MANIFEST AND VESSEL BOOKING FORM, IPA 
       (ASSISTED BY SSA MARINE) WILL PROVIDE THE AGENT WITH AN 
       ESTIMATE OF PORT FEES AND CHARGES. THESE CHARGES MUST 
       BE PAID 24 HOURS BEFORE VESSEL ARRIVAL AT UMM QASR.
   D. IPA WILL NOTIFY THE MARITIME SECURITY FORCE (MSF) THAT THE 
       VESSEL IS CLEARED AND PILOTS AND TUGS WILL BE DISPATCHED 
       TO MEET THE VESSEL AT THE DESIGNATED TIME AND DAY.
   E. AGENT MUST NOTIFY IRAQI CUSTOMS OF VESSEL E.T.A. AT THE 
       BERTH. CUSTOMS OFFICER WILL BOARD THE VESSEL AND 
      CLEAR IT FOR CARGO OPERATIONS.
   F. UNTIL SECURITY ISSUES CAN BE FURTHER ADDRESSED, ALL 
       CARGO  DISCHARGING AT UMM QASR MUST DELIVER DIRECTLY 
       TO AWAITING TRUCKS FOR IMMEDIATE DISPATCH OUT OF THE 
       TERMINAL.
3. PROCEDURES FOR PAYMENT AT UMM QASR PORT (REFERENCE IS 
   MADE TO PORT TARIFF, PAGE 2 OF 10, ITEM # 012 UMM QASR PORT 
   TARIFF HTTP://WWW.SSAMARINE.COMLOCATIONS/UMM_QASR_PORT_TARIFF.PDF)
   A. THE AGENT MUST ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF PROFORMA DISBURSEMENT  
        AMOUNT (PDA) AND A STATEMENT OF INTENTION TO PAY MUST BE RECEIVED
        BY THE IPA PRIOR TO ANY PORT SERVICES BEING RENDERED.  
        THIS INCLUDES PILOTAGE SERVICES. 
   B. WIRE TRANSFER PAYMENT OF PORT MARINE FEES AND CHARGES 
       (VESSEL RELATED CHARGES) MUST BE INITIATED PRIOR TO OPENING 
       HATCHES OR COMMENCING CARGO OPERATIONS.
   C. PDA CHARGES FOR CARGO AND TERMINAL HANDLING ARE TO BE PAID AND
       COLLECTED PER THE SCHEDULE OF CHARGES FOR OPERATION CHARGES 
       PORT HANDLING CHARGES (PHC) AND VERTICAL STEVEDORING CHARGES) 
       IN ORDER FOR THE VESSEL TO OBTAIN OUTWARD CLEARANCE.
   D. FINAL INVOICE WILL BE PREPARED SEVEN DAYS AFTER VESSEL'S SAILING
       AND IS DUE AND PAYABLE ON PRESENTATION. FAILURE TO PAY PER FINAL   
       INVOICE AFTER 30 DAYS MAY INCUR PENALTIES IN ACCORDANCE WITH 
       T.I # 013.
4. THE IRAQ PORT AUTHORITY HAS FINAL AUTHORITY FOR CLEARANCES FOR 
    VESSELS ENTERING/EXITING THE PORTS OF IRAQ.  THE MARITIME 
    SECURITY FORCE (MSF) ASSISTS THE IRAQ PORT AUTHORITY (IPA) 
    AS STIPULATED IN UNSCR 1546. IN ORDER FOR THE MSF TO DEAL DIRECTLY 
    WITH THE IPA CONCERNING  CARGO VESSELS ENTERING/EXITING IRAQ 
    VESSEL CLEARANCE, CLEARANCE PROTOCOLS NEED TO BE ESTABLISHED.  
    THE MSF CURRENT HAS A CLEARANCE RELATIONSHIP WITH IRAQI
    GOVERNMENT'S STATE OIL MARKETING ORGANIZATION (SOMO) UNDER 
    MUTUALLY ACCEPTABLE PROTOCOLS. SOMO PROVIDES A LIST OF 
    CLEARED VESSELS CONCERNING OIL IMPORT AND EXPORT ON A ROUTINE 
    BASIS. THE MSF WILL REPORT TO THE IPA ANY VESSELS THAT ARE 
    ATTEMPTING TO TRANSIT THE CHECKPOINT THAT ARE NOT PROPERLY CLEARED.
5. SHIPPING COMPANIES AND AGENTS MUST DEAL DIRECTLY WITH THE IPA TO   
    RESOLVE CLEARANCE ISSUES.  CURRENT PROCEDURE FOR DENYING TRANSIT
    IS AS FOLLOWS:
    A. INBOUND UNCLEARED VESSELS - THEY ARE TO DEPART THE TTW OF IRAQ 
        AND ARE INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT THEIR APPROPRIATE SHIPPING AGENT 
        TO GET CLEARANCE AUTHORIZED BY THE IPA.
    B. OUTBOUND UNCLEARED VESSELS - THEY ARE TO RETURN TO PORT OR ARE 
        TO ANCHOR IN THE VICINITY OF BUOY 36 AND ARE INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT 
        THEIR APPROPRIATE SHIPPING AGENT TO GET CLEARANCE AUTHORIZED BY 
        THE IPA.
   C. CLEARANCE PROTOCOL STEPS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
      I.  SHIPPING COMPANIES, AGENTS AND OCEAN CARRIERS SHOULD DIRECTLY 
         CONTACT THE IPA OFFICES AT UMM QASR FIVE WORKING DAYS BEFORE 
         THE ANTICIPATED VESSEL ARRIVAL. THE IPA BOOKING FORM SHOULD 
         BE USED TO ADVISE THE AUTHORIZED POINT-OF-CONTACT (POC) OF 
         AN ARRIVING VESSEL INTO IRAQI PORTS INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED 
         TO, UMM QASR AND AZ ZUBAYR. 
     II.  MR. SADIQ RESSN, ASSISTANT PORT MANAGER UMM QASR, HAS BEEN 
         APPOINTED AS THE AUTHORIZED POC. HE SHOULD BE ADVISED OF ALL  
         VESSEL ARRIVALS OR DEPARTURES AT: E-MAIL:      
         [email protected] OR [email protected];
         PHONE: 965 638 8587.
     III. THE IPA REQUIRES THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: VESSEL'S  
         NAME, FLAG, CALL SIGN, VESSEL METRICS, CARGO, AGENT, 
         LAST PORT OF CALL AND DATES OF ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE.