The port of umm qasr is still not fully operational, although significant progress has been made

Original warning text

1. THE PORT OF UMM QASR IS STILL NOT FULLY OPERATIONAL,
   ALTHOUGH SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS HAS BEEN MADE. THE PORT
   IS OPEN TO HUMANITARIAN AID SHIPPING ONLY. SPECIFIC
   QUERIES SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO THE SSA INFORMATION CENTER
   FOR IRAQ. PLEASE SEE HYDROPAC 959/03 FOR SSA CONTACT
   INFORMATION. PORT STATUS IS AS FOLLOWS:
   A. PORT MANAGEMENT WAS HANDED OVER FROM COALITION
      FORCES LAND COMPONENT COMMANDER'S (CFLCC) 17TH PORT
      AND MARITIME REGIMENT TO A COMMERCIAL MANAGEMENT
      TEAM FROM STEVEDORING SERVICES OF AMERICA (SSA)
      ON 23 MAY. THE SSA TEAM IS CURRENTLY ESTABLISHING
      WORKSPACES, COMMUNICATIONS AND A LOCAL LABOR FORCE
      IN UMM QASR AND MUCH WORK REMAINS TO BE DONE.
   B. THE PORT STILL HAS NO ELECTRICAL POWER. COALITION
      AND IRAQI AUTHORITIES ARE ATTEMPTING TO RESTORE POWER
      AND THERE ARE PLANS TO TRANSPORT GENERATORS TO THE
      PORT IF NECESSARY. THERE ARE NO PORT SERVICES
      AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME TO INCLUDE POTABLE WATER,
      TELEPHONE SERVICES, WASTE DISPOSAL SERVICES AND
      CARGO HANDLING EQUIPMENT.
   C. ALL SHIPS ENTERING UMM QASR MUST BE SELF-SUSTAINING.
   D. DREDGING IS UNDERWAY AND PROGRESSING WELL. WHEN
      COMPLETED, THE PORT AND ENTRANCE CHANNEL WILL HAVE
      A UNIFORM DEPTH OF NINE METERS. PLANNED FOLLOW-ON
      DREDGING WILL INCREASE THE DEPTH TO 13 METERS.
   E. WAREHOUSE SPACE IS AVAILABLE FOR HUMANITARIAN AID
      BREAK BULK AND PALLETIZED CARGO FOR A LIMITED PERIOD
      UPON REQUEST FROM THE SPONSORING ORGANIZATION, BUT
      NO MATERIAL HANDLING EQUIPMENT (MHE) IS AVAILABLE.
      THERE ARE NO CLIMATE CONTROLLED OR REFRIGERATED
      FACILITIES. THE REQUEST FOR WAREHOUSE SPACE SHOULD
      BE MADE IN THE DISTRIBUTION PLAN (SEE PARA 2 IN THE
      PORT ENTRY PROCEDURES).
   F. LOOTING WITHIN THE PORT AREA REMAINS A PROBLEM. PORT
      MANAGERS ARE WORKING WITH COALITION MILITARY FORCES
      AND LOCAL IRAQI AUTHORITIES TO RESTORE STABILITY.
   G. FOR NOW, ONLY PRE-APPROVED HUMANITARIAN AID CARGO
      IS BEING ALLOWED INTO UMM QASR. CURRENT PROCEDURES
      REMAIN IN EFFECT: ALL HUMANITARIAN AID CARGO
      DELIVERIES MUST BE COORDINATED THROUGH THE HUMANITARIAN
      OPERATIONS CENTER (HOC) IN KUWAIT. THE HOC PHONE NUMBERS
      ARE LISTED BELOW.
   H. SSA'S OBJECTIVE IS TO OPEN UMM QASR PORT FOR COMMERCIAL
      CARGO OPERATIONS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. HOWEVER, THIS
      WILL REQUIRE BOTH SUFFICIENT PORT IMPROVEMENTS AND
      APPROVAL BY THE COALITION PROVISIONAL AUTHORITY
      (CPA, FORMERLY ORHA). ONCE THIS OCCURS, SSA WILL ISSUE
      THE APPROPRIATE GUIDANCE AND PROCEDURES, WHICH MARLO
      WILL PUBLISH IN FUTURE ADVISORIES.
2. PORT ENTRY PROCEDURES FOR HUMANITARIAN AID:
   A. SHIPMENTS FOR HUMANITARIAN AID AGENCIES MUST BE
      COORDINATED THROUGH THE HUMANITARIAN OPERATIONS
      CENTER (HOC) AT PHONE: 965 482 9360
      (BUSINESS HOURS 0400Z TO 1500Z), FAX: 965 482 9366
      OR E-MAIL [email protected]. THE FOLLOWING
      INFORMATION MUST BE FAXED OR E-MAILED TO THE HOC
      AT LEAST 7 DAYS PRIOR TO ARRIVAL:
      a. VESSEL NAME.
      b. IMO NUMBER.
      c. VESSEL CONTACT: INMARSAT NUMBER/E-MAIL IF AVAILABLE.
      d. ETA UMM QASR.
      e. LIST OF CREW MEMBERS NAMES AND CITIZENSHIPS.
      f. COPY OF CARGO MANIFEST.
      g. VERIFICATION THAT THE VESSEL CAN OFFLOAD
         THE CARGO WITHOUT SERVICES FROM THE PORT.
      h. SPONSORING ORGANIZATION.
      i. SPONSORING ORGANIZATION POINT OF CONTACT NAME
         AND PHONE NUMBER.
3. THE SPONSORING ORGANIZATION MUST HAVE A DISTRIBUTION
   PLAN FOR THE CARGO ON FILE WITH HOC OR THE SHIP WILL
   NOT BE GRANTED PERMISSION TO ENTER UMM QASR. DISTRIBUTION
   PLANS CAN BE FORWARDED TO THE HOC SHIPPING OFFICE IN PERSON,
   VIA PHONE: 965 482 9360 (BUSINESS HOURS 0400Z TO 1500Z)
   OR BY E-MAIL AT [email protected].
4. SHIPS WITH CARGO FOR "COMMERCIAL" CONSIGNEES
   (OTHER THAN GOVERNMENTAL OR NON-GOVERNMENTAL HUMANITARIAN
   AID AGENCIES) MUST OBTAIN ENTRY APPROVAL FROM THE SSA
   INFORMATION CENTER FOR UMM QASR PORT (PHONE: 965 481 8673
   OR 965 484 2988 EXT 3642 OR FAX: 965 484 5712 OR
   [email protected]. COMMERCIAL SHIPS MUST BE CAPABLE
   OF DISCHARGING CARGO WITHOUT ASSISTANCE FROM THE PORT
   OPERATORS. SHIPPERS OR CONSIGNEES MUST HAVE ARRANGEMENTS
   IN PLACE FOR THE EXPEDITIOUS TRANSPORT OF THE CARGO OUT
   OF THE PORT AREA. ENTRY WILL BE DENIED IF THE SHIPPER
   CANNOT SHOW ADEQUATE ARRANGEMENTS TO THE SATISFACTION
   OF THE PORT AUTHORITY. DEPARTURE CLEARANCE MAY BE WITHHELD
   UNTIL THE DISCHARGED CARGO IS REMOVED FROM THE PORT OR
   THE SHIP MAY BE REQUIRED TO BACKLOAD ANY CARGO NOT
   TRANSPORTED OUT OF THE PORT.
5. MILITARY VESSELS DESTINED FOR UMM QASR SHOULD COORDINATE
   THEIR TRANSIT WITH COMUSNAVCENT. COMUSNAVCENT WILL FORWARD
   SUMMARY DETAILS TO THE HOC SHIPPING OFFICE.
6. PILOTAGE IS COMPULSORY EXCEPT FOR DESIGNATED VESSELS.
   IN THE MEANTIME, VESSELS ARE TO LIAISE WITH UMM QASR
   HARBOR CONTROL WITH REGARDS TO SAFE NAVIGATION
   OF THE KWAHR ABD ALLAH.
7. VESSELS SHOULD SEND AN ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL TO
   THE SSA INFORMATION CENTER FOR UMM QASR PORT
   (PHONE: 965 481 8673 OR 965 84 2988 EXT 3642 OR
   FAX: 965 484 5712 OR [email protected] 48 HOURS,
   24 HOURS AND 12 HOURS IN ADVANCE OF ARRIVAL, ALONG
   WITH BERTHING REQUIREMENTS. INBOUND AND OUTBOUND
   VESSELS SHOULD REPORT WHEN PASSING BUOY NUMBERS
   6 AND 34. ADDITIONALLY, INBOUND AND OUTBOUND VESSELS
   TRANSITING THROUGH UMM QASR TO AZ ZUBAYR SHOULD
   REPORT WHEN PASSING AZ ZUBAYR BUOY NUMBER.
8. COMMUNICATIONS: PORT CONTROL: CHANNEL 16, 08, 12
   TUGS AND PILOT: CHANNEL 12 HOURS: 24.
9. THE PILOT CURRENTLY BOARDS IN VICINITY OF ANCHORAGE
   NEAR BUOYS 22/23 (29-59.1N 048-12.7E) UNTIL A
   FULL SERVICE CAN BE PROVIDED.
10. VESSELS SHOULD ARRIVE AT THE CURRENT PILOT BOARDING
    POSITION AT LEAST 4.5 HOURS BEFORE HIGH WATER TO
    ARRIVE AT UMM QASR AT THE HIGH WATER MARK.
11. CANCEL HYDROPAC 734/03 AND 735/03.