Update: Brazilian customs strike passes day 50

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A terribly short-hand post from The Loadstar today – apologies, but it’s been a long week. As regular readers will know, The Loadstar has been following the strike in Brazilian ports since it was first threatened, and as the strike involving customs officers,  immigration and health officials hits day 50, shipping agency GAC has produced a definitive situation report of the country’s major ports:

Itajai:

– Customs: Working under “standard operations”, without any delay to vessels/cargo clearance.

– Immigration: For the time being, no impact on ships.

– Health: Working under “injunction” issued by syndicate.

Imbituba:

– Customs: Working by the rule and delaying on clearance documents.

– Immigration: For the time being, no impact on ship’s clearance.

– Health: Remains on strike but no problem to issue Free Pratique.

Fortaleza/Pecem:

– Customs: Officers are on strike, however they are working normally, without stoppages and delays.

– Immigration: For the time being, no impact on ship’s clearance.

– Health: Authorities now on strike and there are big delays with the processes. The delays would turn out to be much smaller by triggering an injunction process before the Court of Law.

Paranagua:

– Customs: Started 18 June, without any prediction to have their normal activities resumed.  Cargo clearances processes have been delayed at least 24hrs, all going well.

– Immigration: Strike started on 07 Aug at 08:00hrs. Officers have worked 02hrs daily for whole activities/attendance at this port. However, they might paralyze their issues as from today (16 August) for an undetermined period.

– Health: Strike started on 06 Aug, without any prediction for their normal activities to resume. Presently, cargo clearances  processes have been hardly affected. As for ships clearances, the free Practique Certificates have been issued one or two days after presenting the petition.

Rio Grande:

– Customs: Working in slowed down operations for an indefinite period.

– Immigration: Officers will continue attending to the vessels slowly and checking everything on board.

– Health: Officers will continue attending the vessels slowly and checking everything on board. According to the officers, vessels can start operations only after they leave the vessel.

Rio De Janeiro:

-Customs: The strike is affecting vessel’s clearance and other matters that requires their attention such as crew replacement and spare parts clearance.

– Immigration: Immigration is attending only once a day around 1600 to 1700hrs. The agents must stay there in advance to grant the services as ship clearance, crew changes etc. At this moment, it is unclear of the impacts of the strike on ship’s clearance neither crew/passengers replacements. However delays are also expected within the next few days.

– Health: Port health authority remains on strike and free pratique are being granted for 30% of demand.  In Rio de Janeiro port, free pratique may take 72 to be granted.

Recife:

– Customs: Officers are working normally so far, and cargo clearances are being granted in due time.

– Immigration:  Working normally.

– Health: Free Pratiques are being issued through injunction, which was decreed its favorable preliminary on 24 July 2012.

Sao Luis:

– Customs: Working normally without stoppages and delays.

– Immigration: Immigration is on strike, however it is not affecting the clearance of vessels.

– Health: The strike from Health authorities at São Luis is still in progress. Even though the strike is in effect, the latest development is that the health officers are receiving the application for Free Pratique and issuing the certificates for vessels arriving in the next 24 hrs.

Inspection for renewal of sanitary certificates are subject to the evaluation of the health officer on duty, thus at this time it is not possible to confirm if this service will be provided on a regular basis.

Sao Francisco Do Sul:

– Customs: Working under standard operations, without any delay to vessels/cargo clearance.

– Immigration: Working at normal days/hours only.

– Health: Remain on strike for undetermined period of time. Working under “Injunction” issued by syndicate.

Sao Sebastiao:

– Customs: The strike affects cargo clearances and some matters that require their attention, such as crew changes and spare parts clearance.

– Immigration:  Normal for the time being, but some actions as to the form of striking should be anticipated.

– Health:  Working normally.

Santos:

– Customs: Officers are on strike, ‘working to the rules’.

– Immigration:  Went on strike and will work under standard operations (will check every document, stores, etc). Ingoing/Outgoing passes have been issued normally. Crew changes have been performed normally.

– Health: Officers are still on strike but free pratique certificates are being issued on a regular basis. However, SSCEC are not being renewed due to lack of Health Officers.

Vitoria/Tubarao/Ponta Ubu/Portocel:

– Customs: Officers are still on strike and their advanced offices located at Praia mole (Tubarao) and Capuaba are working with minimum staff, while the office located at Vitoria commercial quay is working normally. It is not affecting the ships and cargoes clearance, however all the processes are slower and taking longer to be cleared by them. A customs representative today (16 August) said there are no forecast as to when the strike will be ended.

– Immigration: Officers had a meeting on 10 August to discuss about the maintenance of the strike movement, which started on 07 Aug at 08:00hrs. It was decided that the strike will be kept for undetermined period and their main activities will be kept with minimum staff only. No boarding permission will be granted for technicians, superintendents and other people, unless it is checked and authorized by the chief immigration officer and once refused, only the strike command will have power to change and grant such permission. It was also informed that crew movements, shore leave, embark and disembark, will still be granted by immigration officers, but only few hours before vessel’s departure. This situation may lead to crew losing flights and having no time for handover on board when the relievers board vessel. Therefore it is strongly recommended that crew changes are postponed for other countries while the strike is in force in Brazil. Regarding vessel’s clearance, it will only be granted a few hours prior vessel’s departure as well, therefore crew are not allowed to go ashore, unless in the event of an emergency which should be duly informed to immigration for their evaluation and permission.

– Health:  It was determined by the STJ (Superior Tribunal of Justice) on 06 Aug 2012, that owing to the current strike movement of the Port Health officers, which started on 16 July 2012, the servants should keep at least 70% (seventy per cent) of their staff, working normally in order to guarantee the activities in ports, airports, borders and food/farmacy industry. The strike has not ended yet, but officers shall resume their main activities due to the order imposed by justice. Port Health officers adopted a rule which consists of receiving the accurate berthing prospects given by terminal operators, and with such information in hands, they will then evaluate and likely release the free pratique to allow vessel’s berthing.