PORT ACTIVITY UPDATE
Diversity helps ports weather COVID-19 storm
I
f there’s one take-away from this year’s Port Activity Update, it’s that those with a strategy of diversifying their port’s activities are weathering the storm that is 2020. Another takeaway is the stellar response from port management and executive. Without exception, each port activity update highlights sensible and measured steps taken to ensure supply chains remain fluid, staff are protected from the spread of COVID-19, and forecasts and budgets are adjusted quickly to ensure sustainable port operations. While ports around the world — and the economies they support — are experiencing the loss of cruise ship seasons, blank sailings, interrupted supply chains and staff layoffs, APP Members are holding steady and responding capably. Here then, is a snapshot of activities around the Pacific...
American Samoa Port Administration
The Port of Pago Pago serves the U.S. Territory of American Samoa and is the gateway to other pacific islands as well as U.S. and international ports. As administrators of the territory’s ports, the Department of Port Administration continues to work toward meeting the
Pago Pago Harbor
While ports around the world ... are experiencing the loss of cruise ship seasons, blank sailings, interrupted supply chains and staff layoffs, APP Members are holding steady... everchanging need of the port users. Highlights of activity for 2019/2020 include receiving over $7.5 million in port infrastructure projects aimed at improving maritime operations that include a new 453-foot dock extension, a new terminal building, harbor dredging, repairs to Ro-Ro ramp from storm damage, and new container tracking and billing system. In addition, the Port of Pago Pago was just awarded $943,000 from MARAD to improve the port lighting, replace dock fendering, repair the container yard, and purchase forklifts for the inter-island ferry cargo operation. To date, American Samoa has no confirmed cases of COVID-19. The airside borders remain closed, with only Military/FEMA and cargo flights being allowed to land after being properly vetted; however, the aircrew remain on board. Small feeder aircraft flights with minimal passengers from neighboring island Samoa (that is also COVD-19 free) are being allowed entry on repatriation missions to return America Samoa
citizens on a limited basis. All passengers are screened by Public Health and are put in a 14-day quarantine facility. The local Longline and Purse Seine Fishing Fleet have been challenged by the closure of the borders given a lack of flexibility to fly in personnel for crew changes. The maritime borders are only open to cargo, tankers, and fishing vessels that support the local tuna canneries. Cargo and stevedoring operations continue, with vessel crews having minimal-to-no contact with local clearance parties and stevedoring crews. The Port of Pago Pago has adopted a No-Contact policy for all vessel clearances however, Harbor Pilots continue to board and guide vessels into port but under strict health and safety rules/procedures for both the pilots and crews. Public Health monitors the stevedoring and Pilots on a continuous basis. Cargo volumes remained steady in the beginning of the year during the onset of COVID-19 and in this past quarter, the
Photo: Iseulaolemoana - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=80921106
August 2020 — PACIFIC PORTS — 35
