Middle East Navigation Service (MENAS), supplier of aids to navigation (AtoN) within the Middle East Gulf area, mentioned its is growing charges and widening the group of ships that shall be requested to pay for the service.
The group has been offering AtoN within the Middle East Gulf – one of many busiest commerce lanes on the planet – since 1951, supplying seafarers with info relating to the placement, route and configuration of obstacles and hazards.
MENAS covers the price of working and sustaining such AtoN, which embody buoys, lighthouses and racons, by the gathering of Navigational Light Dues, or Nav Dues. Paid by shipowners relative to their web tonnage on their vessels’ first port of entry into the Gulf, the dues have remained on the similar degree since 2006.
“We have worked very hard to keep the Nav Dues charges at the same level since 2006 but due to the rising costs involved, we feel we have no other option than to increase them, because we want to provide the same services at the same quality,” mentioned Peter Stanley, CEO of MENAS’ father or mother group, International Foundation for Aids to Navigation (IFAN).
MENAS mentioned it has seen the price of offering Nav Aids has improve, significantly within the final two years, compounded by the rise of the enter prices (materials, power, salaries, and many others.) in addition to the necessity to exchange some main tools corresponding to DGPS transmitters.
“Without change, the income we receive would not be enough to fund the service sufficiently, compromising safety and the future of MENAS AtoN. I appreciate the extra cost may not be welcomed by shipowners, but we have to implement the tariff charge to ensure the safe navigation of vessels in the Gulf and the protection of the region’s marine environment,” Stanley mentioned.
He added, “We know that reputable shipowners will be committed to good safety standards, also bearing in mind SOLAS Chapter V obligations, and trust they will understand the reasons for these changes.”
Though MENAS undertakes contract work for third events as a method of serving to to cut back Nav Dues to shipowners, all companies supplied by MENAS are paid for by these dues.
The new tariff shall be applied on October 1, 2023 and is reviewed yearly.
In latest years, MENAS has witnessed a development of utilizing smaller vessels, which at present don’t pay dues, and a few of these frequent customers have fairly vital fleets. MENAS mentioned it believes it is just truthful that these ought to now contribute in the direction of the companies that it supplies, and it will likely be asking for cost from all homeowners/charterers of vessels above or equal to eight,000 web tonnes sooner or later once they, make their first port name within the Middle East Gulf.
“Aids to Navigation provided by MENAS reduce the risk for this area in accordance with SOLAS Chapter V provisions so these payments are for a vital marine safety service which is essential for safe transit in the complex Gulf waters,” Stanley mentioned.
“We trust that owners, vessels and their masters will understand this and the need to support their long term, reliable operation.”
