6th March 2000

Second Passports and other documents offered through Gibraltar-based business

EXCLUSIVE

Second passports and ID cards are offered through a business operating via Gibraltar. Driving licences, banking and credit cards are also available as well as a 'legal low cost passport and ID package' if you want to become someone else.

Privacy Services International are based in College Lane. It gives a Gibraltar fax number, but not a Gibraltar telephone number. Companies House, Gibraltar, says that neither a company nor business name is registered with them bearing that name. An address in the Channel Islands is also given.

PRICES

"The world of passports and identity documents is an unusual one," they say. The price of a second passport can range from £1,000 in 'many African countries' to £500,000 for a Swiss or Monaco passport. Passports from all European Union countries are classed 'expensive' at £80,000 plus.

Such prices are for 'legal passports', 100 per cent officially issued "and not obtained in the grey area of greasing the palms of a diplomat, who is effectively (and illegally) in business for himself. Surprisingly this happens even in western Embassies and Consulates."

An anonymous spokesman adds: " In fact, I was extremely surprised (to say the least) when a government employee told me that for £6,500 he would issue a National Identity card to almost anyone."

The two main reasons given why people go down the grey route for passports are speed and price... Many more people are tempted especially if they just need it for banking purposes, to hide money from the wife, to get it out of a country that's politically unstable or just for general asset protection... we cannot recommend the above route in preference to the legal option..."

In support of their 'legal low cost passport and ID package', they say that no one knows when or where trouble will strike: "Your real identity documents could put you at risk. A second passport from a carefully selected source provides a neutral identity."

The Times refuses to publish Gib Letters

The times has refused to publish a letter from Sir Robert Peliza, in which he refers to an editorial they published criticising Joe Bossano. Another letter from Mr Bossano himself was also not published.

Writes, Sir Robert -

When Joe Bossano became Chief Minister in 1988 he inherited an economy receiving no UK economic aid. MOD spending was plummeting from 60% to 10% of Gibraltar’s national income. Tourism was being obstructed by Spain in the air and by land at the border. The Mother Country looked on monitoring the situation.

Consequently, his Government when elected was faced with rising unemployment and a budget deficit of £3m. The consolidated fund reserve showed £8m and the GDP stood at £150m. The private sector provided about 6630 jobs out of rounded total of 13,000 jobs.

Between 1988 and 1996 Gibraltar experienced an economic miracle.

Investment in land and building leapt to £200m. There was major infrastructure development in joint ventures with international companies that enabled the economy to grow from £150m to £340m. Ordinary workers for the first time, were offered financial facilities to become home owners and over 4000 flats were built for this purpose on acres of land reclaimed from the sea on which a large Safeway Supermarket also operates successfully.

The private sector grew 70% out of an unchanged total of 13,000 jobs.

The telephone system was revolutionised to accommodate the up and coming financial services, by replacing cross bar exchanges with state of the art digital exchange. Nynex from USA financed the investment.

These investments now yield multimillion dividends to the government as 50% share holders of both the international telephone company Gibtel, and the domestic network Gibnynex.

By 1995 the Government had accumulated cash surpluses of £130m. Of this surplus £60m formed the reserve of Community Care Ltd., a registered charity, to provide support for pensioners and £30m was used to reduce the public debt. The excess of over £40m was left to form the consolidated fund reserves. In addition, Government property companies continue to make profitable property sales from assets created in the 8 years.

The success of Bossano’s economy policy is reflected in the annual yield from corporate tax, that dramatically rose fivefold from £8m in 1988 to £40 m in 1996.

As to the "political …dead end", Joe Bossano’s robustly rebuts the points raised in the editorial. . On the crux of the matter he stands for self-determination as his political rival Peter Caruana also loudly proclaims he does. So why does the leader writer differentiates between Bossano and Caruana unless he has his doubts about the latter’s firmness on the issue?

I hope that in the interest of a democratic British press there is still space in your paper to fit Bossano’s letter and allow your readers to get to know the other side of the argument.

The ARMANDO LAGRANDE Column

Tea for two at the FCO

I was jolly impressed, I must admit, at the ingenuity of the FCO.

They summoned the Spanish ambassador but they did not tell us if it was 5 o’clock. Tea time. Enough to make you sea sick, without even going out to sea on a cruise.

There was no offcial announcement either who it was who received such an illustrious personage. Presumably it was the tea boy on duty, as everybody else appeared to be out of the office at the time.

Tea for two, looking up at the tall ceilings in case there was a dressing down.

Come, come, Marques, do not spoil it all.

Sip, sip. Ex colonial tea recently imported from India.

Look, old chap, you know how much we are trying to get the Gibraltan Government to accept the Schengen deal. It is taking more time than my having a suntan in the middle of winter.

Sip, sip of the intoxicating liquid.

I mean, or rather I do not mean, that we cannot now mess it all up with cruise liners being diverted to good old Tangier. What next? Can’t you implore on Madrid that we cannot sell the Schengen deal if there is further counter-productive nonsense?

Sip, sip. The night is young.

You want a way out, did you say? I must say we are good at that here at the beloved FCO, although I cannot fathom for a minute what the ‘C’ in the middle stands for. Oh yes, it stands for concession.

Sip, sip. The tea is never-ending.

Well, my dear Marques, drop the threat, say you have made a concession of ...what is that word? eh...goodwill, and when we next speak to the Gibraltan authorities (cannot mention government in the presence of a Spanish diplomat) we will drop it gently, that you have made a concession and it is now their turn. In this way we will keep the wheels turning, old boy.

Sip, sip, hooray!

The Marques, totally intoxicated by the strong tea, thanks the FCO tea-boy for having provided them with a way out. I feel like an English gentleman, he mused on the way out, promising to send Tony a new Spanish guitar for his party’s birthday.

And there the party ended. The Gibraltan government is now expected to get tanned in the midday sun...

FULL HOUSE

The GSLP/Liberal Opposition have put down nearly 300 questions for Wednesday's House of Assembly meeting, the first after the election. Joe Bossano has nearly 40, Dr Joseph Garcia has over 80, Pepe Baldachino and Juan Carlos Perez have 38 apiece, Marie Montegriffo has over 30, Dr Reggie Valarino twenty and Steven Linares close on 30.

Landmark Decision on Telecommunications

GIBNET LIMITED -V- THE WIRELESS OFFICER AND HM ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR GIBRALTAR

In what will inevitably be an important landmark decision, the Gibraltar Court of Appeal has ruled that the Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10th April 1997 on a common framework for general authorisations and individual licences in the field of telecommunications services is of direct effect and fully applicable to Gibraltar and that the Gibraltar Government is in breach of the Directive by virtue of its non-implementation within the time limits prescribed by the Directive.

The Court of Appeal has also stated that existing legislation in Gibraltar in the field of telecommunications and especially in the system under which telephone companies can operate in Gibraltar is incompatible with the provisions of the Directives and that the principles of the Directive in relation to liberalisation and in relation to the considerations that have to be taken into account in allowing telecommunication services in Gibraltar have to be applied when dealing with telecommunications applications. Both the Public Utilities undertakings Ordinance (which relates to the telephone service and telecommunications in general) and the Wireless Telegraphy Ordinance (which relates to licensing apparatus and equipment) will both need to be amended very substantially to accord with the Directives.

DAMAGES

The Court of Appeal also stated that the Directives in question had direct effect and that accordingly applicants who were refused a licence and whose licence application was not dealt with on the principles of the European Directive were entitled to receive damages for which they might suffer as a result of the Directive not having been implemented by the Gibraltar Government.

The decision of the Court of Appeal arose from an application for judicial review that was made by Gibnet Limited, a Gibraltar internet provider. Gibnet Limited commenced business in 1995 and were responsible for the introduction of internet services to Gibraltar. After Gibnet had been in operation for about one year, Gibraltar Nynex Communications Limited, a contractor company under the Public Utilities Undertaking Ordinance and running the telephone service within Gibraltar, set up a subsidiary, GNC Network Services Limited, in order to provide their own internet services.

Gibnet claimed that their business was affected by the unfair procedures that were employed to frustrate them. The Gibraltar Government amended the Wireless Telegraphy Ordinance so as to require infra red laser equipment to be subject to a licence under that Ordinance. This law was changed on 5th January 1998, precisely five days after the telecommunications Directive should have been implemented.

CALENTITA - Gibraltar’s National Dish

Extract from the telephone conversations of Cloti & Cynthia

Quien se ha tragado un paquete

My dear Cloti, alguien se ha tragado un paquete over the cruise liner fandanguillo. The liner was coming, then it was not and then it was! Great excitement all in one day!

Bueno hija, ya veremos, I hope it is not us quien se trague el paquete, although it all looks somewhat strange. Un poco raro, como dice mi Juan, who is seneca as you well know.

I imaginate there is still a law in Spain which says that maritine links with Gibraltar are not allowed, so let's hope que they will update such anachronism, porque para sustos esta la cosa.

Anyway, let's see quien gana their election next Sunday, el As-nar is ahead y el Almunia is closing in. Te abras enterao que el Almunia has offered to increase the pensions?

My dear, it reminds me of something. Lo que tiene cola es eso que dijo Sir Luce about the Spanish action being counter-productive.

I imaginate que alguien should have sung him eso de 'Gibraltar, ni se compra ni se vende'...

Otra cola es la que se armo coming in from Spain on Sunday evening - llego hasta cerca del Hotel Rocamar, blimey.

It must be a sign of goodwill from Madrid or whoever, porque estas colas son milagrosas porque nobody knows porque se arman.

Como no sea porque el Arsenal le metio five goals al Deportivo, and they think that is not very sporting.

What’s On

THIS WEEK:

Monday 6th March Scrabble Club will meet in Studio 1 at the John Mackintosh Hall. For further details please contact Vin Mifsud on Tel 73660

6th to 17th March Tony Herrera Painting Exhibition at the John Mackintosh Hall Gallery.

Tuesday 7th March Quiz Night at the Cannon Bar all welcome. For further details please contact Tel: 77288 Time: 8.30pm.

Tuesday 7th March Chess Club in Studio 1 at the John Mackintosh Hall from 8pm to 10.30pm.

Saturday 11th March Melon Diesel and Support Acts in concert at Coaling Island. Tickets are for sale at marble Arc Main Street priced at £12

This information is subject to change without notice

PANORAMA ONLINE - Letters To The Editor

The following letter(s) are also published in the printed edition

Biggles etc.

Through your columns I would like to make contact with any of your readers who are collectors of; or have unwanted books by Capt.W. E. Johns... the author of ‘Biggles’, ‘Worrals’, ‘Gimlet’ and ‘Steenley’ among others.

As a keen collector of Johns’ titles and other authors who wrote boy’s adventure stories related to aerial combat and marine warfare at the time of World War 1 period and immediately after, I will be pleased to hear from readers who may wish to exchange books etc.

Yours faithfully

John M Burrows

6 Marney Way

Frinton-On-Sea

Essex CO13 9NZ

UK

All letters must include name and address of sender, although pseudonyms are allowed at the Editor’s discretion. Views expressed are those of the correspondents and not necessarily our own.

GIBRALTAR LOTTERIES REGULATION NOTICE

In accordance with regulation 8(2) (b) of the Lotteries

Regulations the following have been declared to be the numbers of the winning tickets at draw 5 of 2000 held in the lobby of the House of Assembly Chambers, on the 6th day of March 2000 viz:-

FIRST PRIZE OF	£ 100,000	No 03338
SECOND PRIZE OF	£ 10,000	No 05223
THIRD PRIZE OF	£ 5,000	No 05366

TWENTY MINOR PRIZES OF £500 EACH:-

No 00073	No 04943	No 13568	No 17831
No 01925	No 07716	No 14334	No 18535
No 02737	No 10055	No 15690	No 18656
No 03211	No 11657	No 15742	No 18970
No 03448	No 12506	No 17261	No 19678

Twenty seven prizes of £50.00 each to the tickets bearing the first four figures similar to the first four figures of the first, second and third prizes, i.e.

No 03330	to No 03337	and No 03339	to No
No 05220	to No 05222	and No 05224	to No 05229
No 05360	to No 05365	and No 05367	to No 05369

Fifty seven prizes of £30.00 each to the tickets bearing the last three figures similar to the last three figures of the first, second and third prizes, i.e.

	No 338	No 223	No 366
EXCEPT	No 03338	No 05223	No 05366

Two hundred and ninety-seven prizes of £20.00 each to the tickets bearing the first three figures similar to the first three figures of the first, second and third prizes, i.e.

No 03300	to No 03337	and No 03339	to No 03399
No 05200	to No 05222	and No 05224	to No 05299
No 05300	to No 05365	and No 05367	to No 05399

One thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine prizes of £10.00 each to the tickets bearing the last figure similar to the last figure of the first prize, i.e. No. 8

Dated this 6th day of March 2000

J. J. TRICO - M. VENERONI

Members of the Government Lottery Committee present at the said draw.

Published in accordance with Regulation 9 of the Lotteries Regulations.

M. H. GALLIANO - For Financial and Development Secretary

---

Pages Created and Maintained by
Panorama Limited / ©1999 PANORAMA
E-Mail: gibnews@gibnet.gi

"

The meeting place of continents

GIBRALTAR SHIPPING SPECIAL

10 May 1999

Shipping updates

INDEX TO ARTICLES

Charting a course into the 21st century

Flying the flag

A Good Place to Arrest a Ship

CRUISING TO SUCCESS

Cammell Laird breathes new life

Good location, good prices

GROWING OFF-PORT BUSINESS

Volumes soar as Gibraltar becomes biggest bunker port in Western Mediterranean

Gibraltar growing as a commercial towage and salvage centre

Hard times due to stiff competition

THE COMMERCIAL OPERATION OF THE PORT

 

Charting a course into the 21st century

Gibraltar is going full speed ahead in charting a course into the 21st century from its strategic location in one of the world's busiest sea lanes. It is encouraged by the marked resurgence in recent years in the fortunes of its port and shipping-related industries, while retaining a strong element of growth potential as only 7 per cent of the 70,000 ships that sail through the Strait of Gibraltar currently call at the Rock's port.

It is a changing scene. Building on success, a more commercially-oriented port authority is being set up, while final decisions are being taken on a major container transhipment facility. Gibraltar is already the biggest bunker port in the western Mediterranean and cruise calls are also on a clear uptrend.

Cruising has picked up after a brief glitch to the extent that limits may have to be placed on the number of passengers it can handle at any one time, conscious of the need to guarantee customer satisfaction. It was recently voted one of the most receptive destinations as well as "the most improved port facilities" in the Mediterranean. Further plans are afoot to extend its modern cruise terminal to allow for overnight stays and fly-cruises, for example.

Looking ahead, the Government will shortly be taking decisions about becoming a major container transhipment port. "I am determined that this project should come to fruition if it is commercially viable," enthused Joe Holliday, minister of tourism and transport. International interest is coming from American and Far-eastern concerns who would secure a lease on a build, operate, transfer basis.

There are several arguments in favour of this idea. Although the Mediterranean in general probably has too many ports vying with each other to be major regional hubs, Gibraltar's geographical position would enable it to fulfil a role which is open only to a few: line-linking.

A substantial portion of the containers passing through Algeciras, on the other side of Gibraltar Bay, are transhipped from vessels on north-south routes, serving South America and Africa, to those on east-west voyages through the Mediterranean and vice versa. Tangier also has hopes to develop a transhipment centre, but experts suggest that building a terminal in Gibraltar would be far more economical, though still expected to cost in excess of £180 million.

If Gibraltar did become a line-linking centre it would also probably develop a network of regional feeder services. The increased traffic through the port would boost all the ancillary service providers and would create between 200 to 250 permanent jobs once up and running. It would also help reduce the port's current reliance on the bunker market.

On a smaller scale, other land reclamation is to be undertaken to expand facilities for port operators, allowing for improved storage, supplies and the loading/ offloading of containers for the local market. Ironically, the local container business is one area which has been in decline over recent years. Ten years ago over 3,500 containers were handled; this dropped last year to under 1,000. This is a reflection of the reopening of the land frontier with Spain, resulting in a gradual shift to supplies by road.

Where volumes keep soaring is in the bunkering business, propelling Gibraltar to the number one spot in the western Mediterranean. The minister, however, is showing no signs of complacency and says there is still room for expansion. Bunker operators agree that more vessels can be handled. They have seen ships calling for bunkers rise from under 1,000 to over 3,000 in less than a decade.

Ship registry has been regaining lost ground now that Gibraltar is the only jurisdiction in the European Union, apart from Britain itself, flying the Red Ensign flag. While it is recognised that Gibraltar enjoys competent professional back-up, it is felt there is a need to change some areas of current legislation to improve competitiveness by being more attuned to the internationally recognised standards in other registers, like Bermuda and the Isle of Man.

Not without problems is the setting up of the new Gibraltar Port Authority to replace the Government-run port department. An element of resistance to certain changes could arise from the unions. The restructured administration will be headed by a chief executive who will be responsible for the commercial arm of the port. In handling marketing and generating income, he would be expected to adopt a far more proactive commercial stance than what Gibraltar has grown accustomed to. Despite recent successes Mr. Holliday acknowledges that the port is "an asset which has been undersold."

The new port authority will include a second surveyor, which is seen as a useful addition at a time when more ships want to register on the Rock.

Pollution control is an important area given the magnitude of bunkering operations. In the past it all revolved around the Ministry of Defence, but the aim now is for the port to have its own resources and to fully coordinate the newly produced pollution disaster plan.

The port is also investing heavily on sea rescue, replacing old craft by a new port launch and a smaller, faster vessel to react swiftly to any emergency. It has also taken over the provision of radio services and is to introduce a system of licences for port users - from bunker operators to ship chandlers, all will be licensed.

Certainly times of change.

 

Flying the flag

Re-establishing the Gibraltar Ship Registry as a serious choice for owners wishing to use an open registry flag has been one of the major achievements of the Gibraltar government over the past two years.

Ship registry went through a difficult time in the early and mid nineties and the momentum which had been gained in the previous decade was lost as the UK withdrew Gibraltar's authority to register additional vessels, due to concerns at the way the registry was administered. The remaining fleet gradually dwindled.

That unhappy episode is now in the past. Since late 1997 a small team, led by former UK Maritime Safety Agency (MSA) surveyor Roland Green, has worked hard to relaunch the flag and its efforts are now starting to be rewarded as numbers, though still low, begin to pick up.

Mr Green reports eight additions in the past 14 months though, as would be expected, one or two ships have left the register. He notes that the level of enquiries is picking up substantially with considerable interest from Italian and Greek owners.

Gibraltar is now a Category 1 Red Ensign Group flag. That means it complies with the standards agreed by the group and in practice follows the policies and standards of the UK's Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA - the successor to the MSA). It also has the benefit that vessels flying the Gibraltar flag are entitled to Royal Navy protection.

Ship registry is not in itself a particularly lucrative business.

Administering a flag requires experienced and qualified surveying staff with back-up personnel. Even the big registers such as Panama and Liberia generate relatively modest revenues compared to the massive amount of tonnage entered.

The real value of a register lies elsewhere. It generates business for lawyers and ship and registry firms. It also helps build up a strong maritime foundation by gradually increasing shipping expertise. If other things are right, shipping companies using the register may see the advantage of setting up offices in Gibraltar.

There are, says Mr Green, several reasons why owners should consider flying the Gibraltar flag. One of the most compelling is that Gibraltar is within the European Union, allowing its vessels to operate in the EU cabotage trades. Apart from the UK, Gibraltar is the only Red Ensign Group member within the EU.

Also Mr Green stresses that, while ensuring standards are not compromised, the Ship Registry staff do their best to make it easy to register vessels by providing an efficient and responsive service.

Charges for the register are kept at a "reasonable" level while a range of different types of registration is on offer: full, bareboat charter, provisional and ships under construction.

Gibraltar follows the UK's manning requirements which now have very few restrictions on nationality. Certificated officers must hold either a UK certificate of competency or a Certificate of Equivalent Competency. The position of master of some types of ship - large passenger vessels, Ro-Ro ships and product and chemical tankers - is restricted to nationals of certain countries.

This all adds up to a package with few restrictions of concern to a good quality operator. Mr Green says: "This is not a 'flag of convenience'."

The Ship Registry follows the MCA in only taking ships in class with certain classification societies. These are: Lloyd's Register, American Bureau of Shipping, Bureau Veritas, Det Norske Veritas, Germanischer Lloyd and Registro Italiano Navale, all of which have British based committees.

That means, for example, Gibraltar cannot accept vessels classed with the Japanese classification society Class NK.

The MCA has recently audited the Ship Registry. Its findings are likely to be known at around the time of the annual Red Ensign Group conference which will be held in Gibraltar on May 25-27.

The relaunch of the Gibraltar Ship Registry has gone well so far. It is though a long-term project which will require sustained effort.

In Gibraltar PSC inspections are currently carried by the Port Department. If the administration of the port is restructured, as is likely, there could well be a case for bringing all ship survey and inspection matters under one administration, as is the case in the UK.

On the commercial side one local lawyer warns that Gibraltar's EU advantage may not last for ever. Sooner or later Malta and Cyprus, both with strong and established open registers, are likely to gain EU membership. He says that makes it vital to establish and reinforce Gibraltar's reputation for quality and service now before competition increases.

In the short term, though, it looks as though Mr Green will be kept busy as more owners of vessels ranging from drilling rigs to feeder container-ships come to the Ship Registry.

 

A Good Place to Arrest a Ship

To the outsider it may seem strange that a port would want to promote itself as the ideal place to arrest a ship. Gibraltar does just that, and with very good reason.

At any one time there could be, typically, ten ships under arrest in Gibraltar, usually either berthed at the Detached Mole or at anchor in the Eastern Anchorage on the opposite side of the Rock to the harbour.

Arrested ships mean business for Gibraltar's numerous lawyers, for agents, tug companies, even pest control services and sometimes for the dockyard too. And it certainly means plenty of hard work for admiralty marshal Katherine Dawson.

In addition crew changes normally have to be arranged for arrested ships before departing under new ownership. Crews and superintendents may have to be put up in local hotels.

So it is understandable why Gibraltar wants ships to be arrested in its port, if they have to be arrested at all of course. But it is a commercial fact of life that sometimes owners do default on ship mortgages, ship suppliers do have legitimate claims against vessels, charterers have genuine grounds to arrest ships as security in disputes. Gibraltar is keen to stress the positive role it can play by providing a quick and efficient place to carry out an essential part of shipping business

Tony Christodoulides of law firm Marrache & Co says Gibraltar owes its popularity as a place to arrest ships to being a Common Law jurisdiction and its ability to move relatively quickly. The Gibraltar Supreme Court has a track record of hearing cases quickly and uncontested ones are dealt with in a matter of weeks. As with the English courts, it passes clean title to vessels sold by the admiralty marshal.

There are other factors too which make Gibraltar a good place for arrests.

It is of course well situated on the busy shipping lanes but it also offers low port charges for arrested vessels. In some other ports, dues can mount up very rapidly eating into the sum realised by a ship's sale. Moreover easy accessibility to London by air for crew changes and keen bunker and ship supply costs also play a part.

"Additionally, through the coming into force of the Civil Judgements and Jurisdiction Ordinance, it is now possible to arrest a vessel as security in respect of proceedings instituted elsewhere," said Raymond Triay of the Triay & Triay law firm. "This represents the single most important recent legal development."

Last year saw some 50 Admiralty actions, most of which resulted in Admiralty court sale.

This year shows all the signs of being a bad one for the main shipping markets with the dry bulk trades enduring the worst downturn for years while the crude oil tanker sector also appears to be heading for difficult times. "Admiralty work has always formed a significant part of our practice," said Mr. Triay. "Given the present state of the market this is so at an ever increasing rate."

 

CRUISING TO SUCCESS

There can be no doubt that Gibraltar's development as a cruise destination has been a major success story. The Rock's popularity with cruise passengers is such that the government is planning to implement limits on the number of vessels calling at any one time to keep the number of passengers down to a manageable level to guarantee customer satisfaction.

The chief executive of the Gibraltar Tourist Board, Tony Davis, concedes that it may seem rather strange to actually turn business away. The decision, however, makes sense as part of a strategy to secure the long-term future of the cruise business.

Over the past two years much emphasis has been put on improving the quality of the product on offer. The need to concentrate on standards and customer service was brought home in 1997 when the number of ship calls slumped to 99 and the total passengers visiting dropped to just over 70,000. The previous year had seen an all-time record of 139 calls and nearly 97,000 passengers.

The poor figures marked the end of a decade of, more or less, steady growth which saw vessel and passenger numbers more than double.

To be fair the decline was partly attributable to cruise lines switching itineraries away from Gibraltar for reasons completely unrelated to the Rock.

Nevertheless it was widely recognised that urgent action was needed to improve what had become a rather shabby image. Moreover a dispute between taxi and bus operators over the provision of tours and the standard of Rock tours had become major issues.

Much has changed since then. The appearance of the main shopping areas has been greatly improved by a pedestrianisation programme and the approach road from the passenger berth to town has been given a face-lift.

Crucially, Gibraltar now has a high standard cruise terminal. With works by local artists adorning the walls it was designed to provide passengers with a pleasant, neo-classical environment with a colour scheme evoking the Mediterranean. Importantly the terminal is capable of handling embarking and disembarking passengers.

The terminal was built quickly, using the shell of a former cargo shed, and has featured prominently in the aggressive marketing strategy Gibraltar has engaged in to win back the cruise trade.

Partly the promotional effort has involved attending trade fairs and talking to cruise operators. This campaign has not only involved government officials but agents have also been prominent in spreading the message that cruise lines should put Gibraltar in their programmes.

Other initiatives include multi-call discounts on the standard £2 per person Passenger Tax, ranging from 10 per cent for more than five calls to 100 per cent for home-ported vessels.

All this effort has not gone unnoticed by the cruise industry. Gibraltar won the DreamWorld Cruise Destination 98 award for the "most improved port facilities" in the Mediterranean and came runner-up in the "most receptive destination" category.

The promotional campaign has also borne more practical fruit. Last year the number of vessels was only four short of the 1996 record while passenger numbers passed the 90,000 mark.

This year the port is set to receive even more ships. Mr Davis says: "So far we have 183 confirmed bookings for 1999 and the actual figure is likely to be higher."

Gibraltar has teamed up with other Mediterranean cruise ports to form Medcruise (The Association of Mediterranean Cruise Ports) an organisation dedicated to promoting standards at member ports and to jointly promoting the region's destinations.

The need to maintain standards is the motive behind Mr Davis's move to cap the number of calls. He wants to restrict the capacity of ships alongside at any one time to 3,500 passengers. In practice that means one very large vessel of the sort now coming into service with the major operators and a smaller ship.

That does not mean, Mr Davis points out, a 3,500-passengers-a-day limit as it is becoming common to have ships arrive in the morning and leave late afternoon to be followed by other vessels staying until late at night.

The measure is intended to avoid too much strain being put on Gibraltar's resources, especially of taxis and guides. That would mean disappointed cruise passengers and, ultimately, unhappy lines who could, once more, vote with their feet.

Last year may also turn out to have been significant for Gibraltar's plans to become more than just a destination but also a hub port where passengers join and leave home-ported ships. In November P&O's 700-berth Victoria turned round at Gibraltar with the airport playing a central role.

George Gaggero, deputy chairman of shipagent MH Bland, says the operation was a complete success because "everybody worked together, the port, agents, customs, immigration, taxis."

Three charter aircraft were used for the Victoria hubbing operation. Mr Davis says that Gibraltar proved it can provide a faultless turnaround service to cruise ships. Some passengers took just 27 minutes to get from their aircraft to onboard the ship. He said the line had acknowledged that nowhere else could do better.

At present there are no further cruise turnarounds planned but Mr Davis is hopeful that lines will now see that using Gibraltar as a base port is a realistic option.

Although there is no doubt that there has been massive progress in developing Gibraltar as a cruise destination Mr Davis cautions against complacency. There are issues that will need to be addressed to ensure the Rock's future in the cruise business.

The government is continuing its drive to improve the physical facilities for cruise passengers. Work is underway on improvements to the passenger terminal and on resurfacing the quays used by the cruise ships.

In the longer term, though, further substantial investment will be needed in terminal facilities.

In the short term, however, Gibraltar is now able to compete strongly as a cruise destination and offer a product which is increasingly attractive to repeat cruise passengers. It is also ready and able to act as a base port for cruise operators.

 

Cammell Laird breathes new life into dockyard

Gibraltar's large former naval dockyard with its three graving docks should be one of the pillars of an emerging, commercially based economy. Since the Ministry of Defence handed over the yard to civilian hands its history has been less than happy but the past year has witnessed a remarkable turn around in fortunes which has done much to boost optimism in the future of the port as a whole.

When Kvaerner abruptly decided to leave Gibraltar about two years ago it was difficult to be upbeat about the yard's prospects. The problems of the recent past, however, tended to make people forget what the dockyard had going for it - in the right hands.

Even though several operators failed to make a success of the yard, due at least in part to political and labour issues, it enjoys considerable competitive advantages. The basic facilities, the legacy of the Royal Navy, are in good condition and include a 270 metre dock and two smaller ones of 190 metres and 150 metres.

Other assets include 800 metres of deepwater berths for alongside work and 3,500 square metres of covered workshops. In addition a mainly dry sub-tropical climate is virtually ideal for shiprepair work which can be affected by adverse weather. A tidal range of just 1 metre means there are no tidal restrictions on vessels' movements.

In addition, of course, Gibraltar is right on one of the world's busiest sea lanes, used by some 70,000 ships each year. That means planned dockings can often be fitted into schedules without the need for expensive diversions. Its position also ensures the yard is well placed to accept emergency repair work following casualties in the Western Mediterranean and Eastern Atlantic.

Put like that it is difficult to see how such a well-endowed yard could fail. But early last year prospects certainly looked bleak and the talk was of "one last chance".

Cammell Laird (CL), which had built up a strong shiprepair and conversion business on the Merseyside site of the former shipbuilder of the same name, took a 20-year renewable lease on the Gibraltar yard. It turned out to be the first move in a rapid expansion programme which has turned into the UK's largest shiprepairer.

On the Rock, CL has turned the dockyard into an instant success story. Operations director Tom Parry says the yard received nearly 400 enquiries during its first year of operation and about 150 of those led to actual contract, a very high "hit rate".

Major shipowners have been using the yard in the short time it has been back in operation including Cosco. CL has an agreement with the Chinese owner to work on its vessels if they require work while in the region although the yard would not be able to compete on price with the Chinese yards that do most of the work needed on the Cosco fleet.

Several units of the local fleet of bunker barges, tugs and similar craft have also spent spells in the yard since CL took over. Large grey ships, once such a common sight in Gibraltar, are once again being seen in the dockyard. It has won repair contracts for several British Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels. Mr. Parry sees this development as an important step in building a secure future for the yard.

So far work has been of a "bread and butter" shiprepair nature. This type of work implies fairly low margins and is vulnerable to fluctuations in the fortunes of the shipping markets. Mr. Parry notes some slacking off in the repair market during the early part of this year. He says: "Owners are deferring work right now rather than spending."

That is why CL is looking to undertake conversions. To do what it needed to upgrade the yard to ISO 9000 standard which it achieved in November. Since then it has been bidding for suitable projects.

They also plan to develop another niche market for which Gibraltar is particularly suited - the repair and refurbishment of "superyachts". These craft, which look more like small cruise liners than yachts, frequent the southern coast of Europe in summer and many of them switch to the Caribbean for the winter.

CL has already undertaken superyacht work and is marketing itself strongly in this sector. It also plans to invest in a movable cover for its smallest graving dock which will be used for work on these expensive vessels.

Already there has been speculation that CL may expand its capacity by bringing in a floating dock. That, though, would only make sense if the largest, panamax dock was being regularly used for conversions.

In the meantime they are investing in the future by taking on 20 apprentices and have set up a training facility. About 170 people work at the yard which, currently, does not use contractors.

In another vote of confidence in the long-term success of the Gibraltar facility, CL is basing its new riding crew operation Cammell Laird International at the yard.

All in all there has been an amazingly rapid change in fortunes which has had considerable beneficial knock-on effects on the port and consequently Gibraltar's economy.

 

Good location, good prices

There are few ports better situated than Gibraltar's to provide stores, spares and crew changes to the world's fleet. Over 5,000 vessels called at Gibraltar last year, mainly for bunkers, but with some 70,000 ships passing by every year there is plenty of scope to expand.

Extremely fierce competition between ship suppliers means Gibraltar offers some of the lowest prices anywhere. In fact the prices are so competitive that Paul Mifsud of ship supply firm James Molinary cannot understand how the handful of firms that remain can make realistic profits.

Mr Mifsud is determined, though, to keep the long-established firm going.

He has just set a deal to import provisions from Holland which he hopes will help his firm remain competitive.

 

GROWING OFF-PORT BUSINESS

While the number of ships coming into Gibraltar continues to grow an increasing number of vessels now take on stores and change crew members off-port limits. This has the advantage for owners that they do not need to come off hire but can pick up stores at approved rendezvous points just off the Rock.

Permission was first given for off-port limits storing in 1993 when 105 vessels used the services provided by a number of local companies using tugs and other craft. Last year 410 vessels were serviced off port limits and the number has risen further this year.

The Captain of the Port, John Prior, is careful to ensure that these operations are carried out safely.

At present there is a limit of four tonnes of cargo, but the Government is going to do away with limits. It is one of the first recommendations they are going to put in place following the setting up of a committee to make recommendations for future port operations.

Further increases in off-limits business is an aim of policy.

 

Volumes soar as Gibraltar becomes biggest bunker port in Western Mediterranean

Gibraltar has emerged as the Western Mediterranean's biggest bunker port.

The boom in bunkering calls has greatly increased the number of vessels coming into the port but competition with other ports has pushed profit margins to very low levels.

Ten years ago 932 called at Gibraltar primarily to take bunkers. Last year the number was 3,275 and indications are volumes are still increasing. That equates to over 2.5 million tonnes of bunker fuel.

Those figures leave rival ports in the Strait of Gibraltar way behind. Algeciras on the other side of Gibraltar Bay handled 1.25 million tonnes and Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta handled 0.5 million tonnes.

The big increases in volume have occurred since 1995 when 1,631 ships called for bunkers. The largest player in the local bunker market is Cepsa (Gibraltar) which supplies fuel from Spanish oil company Cepsa's nearby refinery to Gibraltar using three bunker barges run by Gibraltar-based Maritime Gibraltar. It delivered about 1.5 million tonnes last year of which it supplied 620,000 tonnes to Shell Gibraltar and 360,000 tonnes to Peninsular Petroleum, in both cases for sale in Gibraltar.

The driving force of Cepsa (Gibraltar) is its chairman John Bassadone whose company Gibunco Holdings owns half of Cepsa (Gibraltar), half of Maritime Gibraltar and 100% of Peninsular. They have a good track record.

The Texaco-Chevron joint venture Fuel and Marine Marketing (FAMM) handled some 770,000 tonnes last year, up about 300,000 tonnes on the year before.

FAMM uses a shoreside tank facility, leased from the Ministry of Defence, and previously used by Shell. The King's Lines terminal is operated by Javaoil.

Until early last year Texaco, prior to the formation of FAMM, used Vemaoil Company's barges to take bunkers to vessels. Then it switched to Aegean Bunkering (Gibraltar) which operates three Panamanian-flag tankers.

Both Vemaoil, which still operates and sells bunkers directly, and Aegean are Greek owned companies. Aegean's operations director Apostolos Manitsas says that his company employs ten Gibraltarians on its vessels. In conjunction with the government Aegean has sent six locally recruited crew to the UK for training.

 

Gibraltar growing as a commercial towage and salvage centre

Sometimes the scene in Gibraltar harbour gives the impression that nothing has changed. A large Royal Fleet Auxiliary oiler can still on occasions be seen manoeuvring off the South Mole with, apparently, the aid of five naval tugs.

Appearances are very deceptive. Almost everything has changed. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) only keeps one tug in what was once a key strategic base. The other four tugs, albeit wearing naval black and stone, are operated by private companies. Three belong to TP Towage while the other is owned by Gibunco. And there is another operator with fleet of roughly similar size to TP's, Straits Towing.

There is no hard and fast division between towage and the provision of supplies. One of Straits' tugs, the Nicky, is primarily used for taking lube oil out to vessels while the company also operates two water barges.

TP has also been involved in carrying out crew changes and taking spare parts out to vessels.

Agent and stevedore, MH Bland, also operates one tug which is used for taking stores, spares and provisions out to ships in the anchorage and to the increasing number of ships taking stores off port limits.

Gibunco's ex-MOD tug Sealyham is mainly used for naval movements, of which there are still quite a number despite the military run-down.

For many years commercial towage in Gibraltar was undertaken by UK-based Alexandra Towing. About four years ago Alexandra became part of Australian-owned Howard Smith which decided in January last year to pull out of Gibraltar.

In retrospect Howard Smith's decision seems strange though it was taken at a time of considerable uncertainty over the future, with the dockyard closed and its prospects hanging in the balance. Since the beginning of last year Cammell Laird has taken over the dockyard and consequently shipping movements at Gibraltar have continued to increase.

Nevertheless Howard Smith did get out, offering its local manager Thomas Peñalver the chance to take over the Gibraltar operation. Mr Penalver established TP Towage which currently operates three tugs.

The result of this competition is that the port is now very well served by tugs and that it can serve as a base for salvage operations. TP Towage has already attended casualties while the presence of an active shiprepairer in the port bolsters Gibraltar's status as a growing towage and salvage centre.

Both the two main tug operators profess optimism for the future. TP has experienced a busy first year and is seriously looking at acquiring an additional tug.

 

Hard times due to stiff competition

Gibraltar's agents are probably busier than they have ever been. The boom in the bunker trade means that, on average, about 15 ships call at Gibraltar every day.

The port is certainly well served by agents with a number of long-established local firms as well as two international groups - Barwil and Inchcape. Owners calling at Gibraltar have little to complain about as competition has pushed agency charges to very low levels. Those calling just for bunkers are being offered a package including agency services at no additional cost.

Not surprisingly agents are less than happy at a situation which has seen their margins plummet. Paul Imossi, of Lloyd's Agent Smith Imossi, notes that fees for a bunker call have dropped from around £600 to less than £250.

George Gaggero, deputy chairman of MH Bland, makes the same point. "There are a lot of ships coming here now but it is hard for agents. Margins have been pushed down in the past year," he says.

Mr Imossi cautions that the port has become very dependent on bunkers and if volumes were ever to dip agents would be in for a particularly lean time.

Fortunately there are other sectors which are looking brighter. Cruise calls are now back to the levels of the mid-nineties. The agents have been closely involved with the government in promoting Gibraltar as a cruise destination. Several of them have attended international trade shows as part of a marketing drive that appears to be paying off.

Worries remain however. The issue of whether cruise operators and passengers should be able to choose between taxis and coaches for Rock tours still simmers.

MH Bland operates tour coaches as part of a wide range of activities extending from agency and stevedoring to running the cable car to the top of the Rock. Mr Gaggero stresses, though, that the agents see the issue as being about the freedom of choice of the customers - the cruise lines.

There is also a feeling among agents that more lines need to be attracted to Gibraltar. This year three vessels calling regularly make up a large proportion of total calls.

Agents are however also able to benefit from increased activity in the port as resulting from the reopening of the dockyard by Cammell Laird. According to the Port Department, 66 ships called for repairs in 1998 but that number is set to be much higher this year with the yard back in full operation.

Off-port-limits storing and crew changing is another area that is growing, with some agents operating their own craft. In the longer term any development of a container port would also bring the prospect of more work for agents.

Increased ship arrests has also helped. Work required on arrested vessels can be considerable, including arranging crew changes and hotel accommodation.

In the short term, however, agents are likely to continue to struggle against downward pressures on their margins.

Update - 13th December 1999

The Future Of The Port

THE COMMERCIAL OPERATION OF THE PORT

BUNKERING

It is recognised that this is the major source of activity in the Port. The recommendation from the consultants appointed by the Government, MDS Transmodal, that a strategic plan for the bunker market should be developed is endorsed, In addition, the Government will ensure that appropriate antipollution and safety legislation is in place.

No bunkering shall be allowed on the East side for safety reasons, as a pollution incident there could affect Gibraltar's principal beaches.

It is intended that a nominal levy on bunkering should be raised in order to create a fund to combat oil pollution. In addition, any fines levied against polluters shall be retained by the Gibraltar Port Authority, and applied to this special pollution fund.

The Government has recently entered into a contract for the establishment of a new sullage plant. This will meet modern operational and environmental standards and provide an increased level of service in this area to complement Gibraltar's position as a major bunkering port.

OFF-LIMITS OPERATIONS

In order to greatly increase activity and thereby revenue, without in any way decreasing the volume or value of existing port calls, off-limit calls will be encouraged as follows:

-The 4 tonne limit for off port limits supply of provisions, stores and supplies will be abolished. The sole criteria will be that the Captain of the Port must be satisfied that a vessel supplying a ship off port limits can safely carry out the job given the weather and other conditions at the time.

-Each vessel engaged in off limits supplies will need to be licensed by the Captain of the Port who will set a maximum cargo limit based on the vessel's size and capability.

-The basis on which fees for off port limits calls is charged will be reviewed, and issues of pilotage and the possible introduction of a port service charge will be considered

-Ships anchored off the East side will be serviced by Port operators as Off limits calls.

CONTAINER HANDLING

MDS Transmodal recommends that, in common with Spain, there should be a charge of £10/unit per loaded container, trailer or unitised cargo; £1/unit for empties and 50p/tonne for bulk cargo. This recommendation is not accepted! as the cost of importation by sea is already considerably higher than by land, and further charges will make the market dwindle.

The sea link for containers is considered to be of importance to Gibraltar, and Government wishes not only that certain minimum volumes be maintained, but that this sector should increase. Government will therefore consider options to make the direct sea option more attractive.

The MDS Transmodal recommendation that the Port should be the sole stevedore is not accepted; this area of activity should continue in private hands. Licensed port operators will not be allowed to obtain a stevedoring licence to handle their own cargo, on grounds of safety and in order to guarantee proper control of stevedores. Advantage will be taken of this opportunity to revisit the flock Labour Board Ordinance to consider whether it needs to be updated.

Issues relating to container handling impact on road haulage. Government has therefore decided to study a range of matters which impact on the access to and operation of foreign registered road haulage and goods vehicles in Gibraltar, and the system of customs clearance.

In arriving at policy in these matters, the Government will take into account the possible cost implications of changes, as these costs will ultimately be passed onto the consumer.

CONTAINER TRANSHIPMENT

Government will pursue the possibility of siting a container transhipment facility in the port, and to this end will issue an EU tender for the appointment of a Transaction Adviser who will in the first instance commission a study to establish the technical feasibility and a marketing analysis of the potential business for such a container port.

BOARDING

Boarding of ships on arrival in the manner in which it has hitherto been carried out will be abolished. It will be replaced with:

-Boarding whenever there is a specific need to visit a ship

-Boarding to ensure that ships comply in all respects with what is required of them e.g. for purposes of Port State Control

-Clearance will be given to ships by radio in the ordinary course on the arrival of the vessel and thereafter, if requested, to the ship's agent.

-No third party will be allowed to collect the documents from a ship and present them to the port prior to the vessel's departure.

-Training on radio clearance will be given to staff, if required.

-Boarding will be carried out on about 25% of arrivals at Gibraltar, in the ordinary course.

-The recommendation that a flat fee of £25 for clearance be instituted, as recommended by the consultants, has not been accepted.

-A fee of £25 will be charged to a vessel which requires a clearance certificate prior to sailing to its next port.

PORT RESOURCES

(a) BERTHS

There is a need for additional berths, particularly for ships which are laid up and for vessels under arrest. It is important that the Port Authority should have use of and control over the whole of the Detached Mole. In the meantime, Government will press the MOD to pass on commercial fees generated by the Detached Mole to Government, i.e. the MOD should not exploit the Detached Mole for its commercial gain at the expense of the Port Authority. This will reciprocate the existing arrangement whereby Government does not charge the MOD berthing fees for MOD vessels which use commercial berths.

The MDS Transmodal recommendation that the Detached Mole be used for ship bunkering activities and tankage is not accepted. No berths on the Detached Mole will be permanently allocated to any port user. However, ships will be allowed to discharge sullage at the Detached Mole.

Government has also identified the need to create additional berths for work vessels, such as Pilot launches, tugs, barges and Agents' launches, so that those existing berths which they occupy and which can be exploited for commercial benefit can be released. In order to achieve this end it is intended to create berthage on the north side of the reclaimed land which stretches from the Port Office to the Ferry Terminal.

(b) COALING ISLAND

It is accepted as a long-term policy aim that all non-Port activity be resited away from Coaling Island. This will ensure that land which abuts the port and valuable berths can be maximised for Port-related purposes.

In the short-term, the outer berths (which are shallow) can be used for harbour craft to decongest other areas of the Port. The Captain of the Port will be asked to identify whether all existing harbour craft should continue to be licensed. Berthing fees for these craft will be reviewed to more realistic levels, with a scale of charges being introduced in due course to reflect inter alia the size of the harbour craft. As a corollary, this will help to eliminate many older, less serviceable vessels.

It is not accepted that the long-term aim should be to create new cruise ship berths and resite improved facilities for cruise passengers at Coaling Island, including a new Cruise Terminal.

The inner berths will be used for the mooring of craft which belong to the Small Boat Owners Association, who will be resited primarily from Western Beach.

It is not accepted that the long-term aim should be to create new cruise ship berths and resite improved facilities for cruise passengers at Coaling Island, including a new Cruise Terminal.

(c) LAND RECLAMATION

Government has accepted that there is a need to create more land for cargo working and for the provision of additional berthage.

Should the feasibility studies prove positive, land will also need to be reclaimed to allow for the development of a container transhipment facility.

(d) SUPERPORT

The MDS recommendation that Government should take over and exploit the potential of Superport is not accepted. The land has been put out to tender for potential developers to submit proposals for Government consideration.

(e) EASTSIDE The East side is used as an uncontrolled and unrestricted anchorage. This will change as follows:

-The possibility of siting a microwave link with the Port Lookout tower will be explored, so that staff can observe ship movements and activity on the east side

-The Captain of the Port will be asked to specify certain co-ordinates as the sole areas where anchoring of vessels can take place so that those areas which are sensitive because of marine heritage, such as reefs, can be declared out of bounds to shipping

-The Port Department will monitor activity on the east side, particularly to prevent pollution and dumping

-When the Captain of the Port is given express authority to effectively police the East side, port dues for East side anchoring will be introduced with exemptions for vessels which are temporarily diverted there by the Port Department due to congestion at the West Anchorage.

(f) PORT LAUNCHES

The proper resourcing of the Port Authority is a priority. In line with this policy, Government has placed an order for a new Port launch, a Talisman 49, which is being built in England and which should be commissioned by the end of December 1999. An order for a new second Port launch, a Salvamar, which has a search and rescue function, will shortly be placed.

It is intended that the existing Port launch should be specially prepared to fight oil pollution incidents once the new Port launches are commissioned,

(g) WORKING PRACTICES

It was recommended by MDS Transmodal, and it is already Government policy, that:

a. Passenger and freight activity should be zoned, and kept separate, This is not feasible in the short term, but it is a long term aim, if the Cruise Terminal is resited.

b. Petroleum products should not be handled on a passenger berth. This does not happen simultaneously. As a longterm aim, a petroleum berth shall not be sited adjacent to a passenger berth.

c. Public access to the Port should be restricted and controlled at the earliest possible opportunity. This will include the issue and control of fishing permits by the Port Department, to persons who meet the criteria for the issue of the permits, as it is policy that bona fide fishermen should be given access to the Western Arm to practice their sport except when a cruise ship or white oil tanker is alongside. Additionally, fishermen will be given permits to allow them to fish off the Detached Mole and from the outside of the south Mole. Permits will be free of charge and may have restrictions applied, to include inter alia a maximum number of rods per fisherman.

d. There is a need to differentiate between cargo areas and roadways. This will be done by painting road demarcation lines on the tarmac/paving once the controlled and restricted zones come into operation.

SHIP ARRESTS

Government will seek to provide additional lay-up berths for ships which are under arrest.

CRUISE CALLS & FERRIES

The MDS Transmodal recommendation that there should be a shuttle link from the Cruise Terminal to the city centre is endorsed: this is in any case Government policy. The service should be provided commercially.

Government attaches importance to a reliable ferry link between Gibraltar and Morocco. It is furthermore considered desirable that the ferry service between Gibraltar and Tangier should be upgraded to carry cars, lorries and buses. This is, however, a matter for a commercial operator.

The MDS Transmodal recommendations with regard to passenger tax for cruise ships have been overtaken by events. Insofar as ferries are concerned, the tax shall be:

50p per passenger who embarks or disembarks

For the future, when the service is upgraded, the following taxes will apply:

£1 per motorcycle which is embarked or disembarked

£3 per oar which is embarked or disembarked

£10 per lorry which is embarked or disembarked

£12 per coach which is embarked or disembarked

PORT SERVICES

(a) WHARFAGE CHARGE

The MDS Transmodal recommendation that a wharfage charge on cargo should be introduced is not accepted.

(b) WATER CHARGES

Water charges are too high in Gibraltar compared with competitor ports in the region it is Governments intention to increase the volume of sales considerably by requesting operators to substantially reduce their fees for a trial period during which it is intended to show that Gibraltar can attract vessels for water and that this incremental business will additionally request other Port services.

It is not accepted that there should be any additional water points on the container berth or elsewhere, or that new water pipelines should be installed at this stage.

(c) PILOTAGE

MDS recommended that the present system of pilotage exemption certificates should be extended This has already been done in respect of all fuel bunkerers except Cepsa. Discussions will now commence with all relevant parties with a view to establishing under what circumstances pilotage exemption certificates should be granted to Cepsa.

There is a long-standing request from pilots to increase their scale of fees, which has not been revised in nine years, and is below the scale of fees which apply in other ports in the area. Government is committed to examining the scale of fees when this becomes necessary, particularly if should there be a drop in the number of ships and the tonnage of the vessels which access Gibraltar port annually.

The level of pilots' fees will be kept under constant review, in the light of changing circumstances.

Government does not wish to see any change in the employment conditions of pilots: they will continue to be self-employed and will not become salaried employees of the Port Authority.

LEISURE MARITIME ACTIVITIES

The Government wishes to encourage increased calls from yachtsmen, and to this end:

-compulsory reporting by yachts on entry into Gibraltar at the existing Reporting Berth will in the ordinary course, be abolished; but the port, immigration and customs authorities will nevertheless retain their existing rights to examine yachts on arrival whenever necessary

-unless required to do otherwise, yachts will report to the authorities on arrival at the marina where they intend to berth

-further international yachting and speed boat events in Gibraltar waters, or commencing or finishing in Gibraltar will be encouraged

Government will amend legislation to allow bona fide owners of fast motor launches to enter Gibraltar wafers.

Government also wishes to further control the activity of jet ski users, to provide for safe enjoyment of the waters round Gibraltar.

It is the Government's policy to encourage more maritime leisure actives, including scuba diving and fishing, and to promote public enjoyment of those areas of waterfront which can be developed for general use.

PORT ADVISORY BOARD

The Minister with responsibility for the Port will constitute an Advisory Board which will advise him on all matters referred to the Board by the Minister in connection with the development of the Port. The members of the Advisory Board will be appointed in a personal capacity and not as representatives of any of the interests of Fort operators.

FEES

The existing scale of Port fees is inadequate as:

1. Fees have not been revised in many years

2. There are a significant number of services which are carried out free of charge by the Port Department, for which a charge should be raised

3. There is at present no licensing regime to control port activities

The new fee structure has been designed for the Port Authority to generate sufficient income to cover its annual recurrent costs.

CREATION OF THE PORT AUTHORITY

The Mission statement of the Port Authority will be:

The Gibraltar Maritime Authority is the promoter and controller of one of the world's leading maritime centres. Its strategy is to build on Gibraltar's unique geographical position and fiscal status. Across all maritime industry, it strives to ensure that competitive services are provided to well recognised international standards and at the same time ensures compliance with its local and International Treaty obligations. It performs this function using its resources to market port services and to promote private investment in the provision and improvement of maritime infrastructure.

It is Government policy that there should be a proactive marketing of the port. It is also policy that tight budgetary control should be exercised by a person with a commercial background. It is envisaged that the role of Chief Executive should encompass both these elements, as well as heading the new Port Authority.

The Chief Executive will be tasked with overseeing the transition to the new Port Authority which should be self-financing in the medium term and revenue generating in the long term. He will additionally assess the operation of all port operators and ensure that appropriate controls, where necessary, are in place and policed. He will also liaise with all other authorities to ensure that the Port provides an efficient service.

A proposed structure for the Port Authority. This will be tabled for discussion with the Staff Associations which represent the interests of the Port Department staff. It is not Government policy that the Port Authority should be privatised.

The Captain of the Port will remain responsible for the control of navigation, safety and other maritime issues. The Captain of the Port will now institute a review to recommend what is required to properly monitor navigation in the port area. The computer technology available to the Port Authority will be examined as part of this review, and the Authority will make recommendations on how it should be upgraded.

The volume of work of the Port Surveyor is increasing given, in part, the need to institute more Port State Control. As the Ship Registry also increases its activity, there will be even more survey work to carry out. A second Surveyor will therefore be recruited.

The role of the former Maintenance team will be taken over by a commercial contract. There will nevertheless be a continuing need for minor maintenance work to be done in-house, and this will continue as at present as part of the job description for seamen and coxswains. The four posts in the maintenance team will be replaced by four posts in the security cadre.

Government has already taken decisions in respect of the purchase of new port launches. The Authority will therefore be better resourced in the future. The new launches will allow the Port to take on additional duties.

The roles which the Port Authority will cover are:

- Monitoring of all activity in the Port, both at sea (including the east side) and on land

-Provision of security controls within the restricted and controlled zones of the port.

-Increased control of yachting movements

-Pollution control

-Provision of Gibraltar Radio facility

-Sea rescues

Other possible roles for employees of the Port Authority may be tabled by their staff association for consideration.

It is recognised that there is now a proper strategy in place, through membership of Oil Spill Response Limited, to combat any oil pollution incidents. Exercises to test the procedures and response mechanisms will be conducted at least once a year.

Once constituted, the Port Authority will as a priority institute a dynamic marketing campaign. In particular, a marketing and sales campaign should be devised to generate container volumes for the local market.

The recommendation of the consultants that the Gibraltar Port Authority should join the Association of British Ports in order to keep abreast of UK and EU developments in port-related matters is endorsed.

USEFUL ADDRESSES

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Gibraltar Tourism and Transport Department
Duke of Kent House, Cathedral Square, Gibraltar	Tel: (350) 74950	- Fax: (350) 74943
TP Towage Company Ltd
Berth 11, North Mole, Gibraltar	Tel: (350) 41912	- After hours: (350) 72758/ (350)58236000	- Email: tp.towage@gibnynex.gi
Marine Service Shipping (Gibraltar) Ltd
Suite 204, Neptune House, Marina Bay, PO Box 446, Gibraltar	Tel: (350) 73606	- Fax: (350) 76562
Triay & Triay
28 Irish Town, PO Box 15, Gibraltar	Tel: (350) 72020	- Fax: (350) 72270
M.H. Bland & Co. Ltd
1st Floor, Cloister Building, PO Box 554, Market Lane, Gibraltar	Tel: (350) 79478	- Fax: (350) 71608	- Email: shipping@mhbland.gi
Intra Marine Services Limited
Suite 2, Horse Barrack Court, 9/15 Horse Barrack Lane, Gibraltar	Tel: (350) 40714	- Fax: (350) 40715	- Email: intra@gibnet.gi
James Molinary Ltd
40 Irish Town, Gibraltar	Tel: (350) 78881 /40645	- Fax: (350) 75334	- Email: jamesmol@gibnet.gi
Smith Imossi & Co Ltd
47 Irish Town, Gibraltar	Tel: (350) 78644	- Fax: (350) 77838
Cammell Laird Gibraltar
PO Box 858, Gibraltar	Tel: (350) 40354 /59400	- Fax: (350) 44404	- Email: mail@lairds.gi
Cepsa (Gibraltar) Ltd
Europort, Building 7, PO Box 51, Gibraltar	Tel: (350) 76170	- Fax: (350) 76195
©PANORAMA 1999