M/V “Ever Given”: Do you have any cargo on board? How to protect your interests

On 23 March 2021, one of the largest containerships in the world grounded in the Suez Canal. The vessel was touching the banks on both sides effectively blocking the channel for six days. This caused the stoppage of the “EVER GIVEN” voyage and the delay of about four hundred vessels that were queuing to cross the channel. As a result of this situation, the delivery of the cargoes on board “EVER GIVEN” and the other blocked vessels has been also delayed.

The 2018 container vessel was bound to the Port of Rotterdam from where its cargo was to be distributed to its destination, many of them to Spain.

Although some of the details of the casualty and the causes are still unknown, cargo owners are worried about what will happen to their cargoes now.

Presently, the M/V “EVER GIVEN” has re-floated and is being towed to a place of refuge where to she will be inspected for damage assessment. This could take days, if not weeks. In fact, if the vessel does not pass the inspection, the vessel operator, EVERGREEN, will probably be compelled to tranship the cargo onto one or more alternative ships to conclude the voyage. This will increase the delay on delivery and the costs.

As a summary, therefore, and regardless of how the events will develop, the cargoes on board the “EVER GIVEN” and/or the approximately four hundred blocked vessels will arrive to their destination with important delays and significant costs. The situation with the blockage will take time to be resolved and that it will also cause bottlenecks on the global logistic chain.

Would cargo owners be entitled to claim damages for delayed delivery against the carrier?

Spanish law does give some protection on that respect. To claim damages for delay, cargo interests will need to provide evidence that the delay was unreasonable under the circumstances. Would Spanish Law be sufficient protection? Would Spanish law be applicable to the contract of carriage? After having studied the contracts of carriage generally used by sea carriers, we may conclude that Spanish law will not be applicable as the conditions of these contracts usually remit to English law.

Will the insurance grant cover for delay?

Most marine cargo insurance policies do not cover losses due to delays. This is the case, for example, of “all risks” ICC A clauses in which delay is expressly excluded. Therefore, unless there is an express agreement to remove such exclusion, cargo insurance will not cover the losses for delay.

Lastly, cargo owners might end paying a large part of the invoice for the salvage operation through General Average.

Cargo interests should also bear in mind that salvors that are intervening to rescue the vessel and her cargo have the right to lien the vessel, the cargo, her freight, and bunkers as a guarantee for the payment of their salvage reward. Presumably, a salvage contract (LOF) has been entered into by Owners and Salvors through which the salvage costs and reward will be paid by Owners and the Salvors will not claim against cargo interests directly.

However, it is possible that the shipowner decides to declare General Average. This is a specialty of maritime law based on equity and an interesting option to the shipowner since it requires that interested parties in the marine adventure (vessel, cargo, freight) contribute in proportion to their interests to the payment of the salvage costs.

Cargo interests insured under any of the ICC policies will be covered and their insurer will take care of the General Average contribution. But uninsured cargo interests will need to handle the claim and procure average guarantees/security by themselves before they obtain delivery of the cargo. If guarantee/security for the General Average contribution is not placed, the carrier will be entitled to exercise a lien on the cargo.

Consequently, cargo interests are encouraged to contact their legal advisors to take adequate steps for the handling on this incident.

Challenges for Maritime Law

“Puertos y más”, a magazine specialised in transport and logistics, publishes today an article on the challenges the maritime sector is facing in these difficult times by our colleagues Verónica Meana and Irantzu Sedano.

The year 2020 and its special circumstances had a profound impact on the maritime sector. The covid pandemic has altered the way we operate, hindering the supply of goods and limiting the mobility of people. This has led to the maritime transport of goods being declared an essential activity in Spain. Moreover, the year ended with the culmination of Brexit, which meant no less than additional challenges.

Maritime law is obliged to adjust to the new times and the circumstances arising from this new reality, which is why, in 2021, there are many challenges that the sector in Spain is facing. These include, for example, the development of intermodality, guaranteeing thus connectivity with air and land means of transport, and above all, the rail transport.

Thanks to these connections, delivery times will be speeded up, which will ensure the supply of essential goods. Improving work safety is another challenge to be met that will require bettering the employment situation of seafarers, which has been seriously jeopardised by the pandemic, including labour conflicts due to excessive embarkation periods; fatigue syndromes; uncertainty about their embarkation or disembarkation dates and reliefs; and the need to ensure the repatriation of workers.

We cannot also forget the need to guarantee environmental sustainability of maritime services. Maritime transport is still considered a highly polluting mode of transport (due to the high volume of goods transported by sea and the consequent abundance of maritime traffic). A major effort has already been made to enforce the use of low sulphur fuels, but the maritime industry wants to and must continue to evolve. Some of the challenges that arise in this respect are: researching maritime propulsion systems powered by renewable energies; developing the shipping industry to make new constructions less polluting; and adapting existing ships to new, more environmentally friendly fuels.

Finally, it is necessary to continue to make progress in the digitalisation of administrative and bureaucratic processes, as well as in the automation of port-logistic operations and to adapt legislation to the autonomous vessels that are already a reality. After the complex 2020, this year will bring changes to some of the regulations that affect the sector, such as the State Ports and Merchant Marine Act and the Maritime Navigation Act, as part of the constant adaptation and modernisation required by the maritime world at international, European and national level, as well as by the agents that form part of it, as is the case of our firm, to meet the future challenges the sector is facing.

Read article published HERE

BREXIT: The New European Scenario

The European Union ended the year 2020 with breaking news. It was the agreement reached “in extremis” with the United Kingdom on the management of trade relations after 1st January 2021; the date on which, after approximately 4 years of extensions and postponements, BREXIT would finally enter into force.  

After arduous negotiations, on 24th December, Ursula Von der Leyen (President of the European Commission) and Boris Johnson (Prime Minister of the United Kingdom) announced that an agreement had been reached, avoiding so the much feared “Hard Brexit” or “extreme Brexit”, whereby the United Kingdom would leave the European Union without a previous agreement.

There is no doubt that the close trade relations that exist between the two territories have produced significant pressure which has led to this final agreement. In any case, whether by means of a global agreement or by means of sectoral agreements, trade relations with the United Kingdom would ultimately be signed since UK is a vital trading partner for the European Union. In fact, for Spain, the United Kingdom is the fifth in the scale of its trading partners, moving (between imports and exports) over 32 billion Euros during 2019. 

The importance of this agreement arises, to a certain extent, from the fact that thanks to it, bilateral trade relations can be maintained without customs duties or quotas, an aspect that is of particular interest to exporters and importers, but which in general affects the whole society, since the costs to be assumed in import operations, as well as in export operations, will always have an impact on the final cost and customer. However, this agreement does not prevent bureaucratic, administrative, and fiscal procedures from being multiplied due to this departure. Examples of it are customs declarations, sanitary and phytosanitary controls, and the payment of VAT on the declared value of the goods at the time of import.

In other words, since 1st January 2021 the United Kingdom is a third country for the European Union, and as it happens with goods entering and leaving third countries outside the EU, the Spanish Customs Authorities will have to ensure that they are informed on and have control of the goods that are to be introduced into their territory and, consequently, into the European Union. 

This information about entries and exits will generally be provided by the company carrying out the transport of the goods (shipping companies, airlines, or land carriers) and must coincide with the presented customs declarations. In fact, efficiency and speed in the transmission of this information will be key to facilitating border formalities and thus avoiding discontinuities and delays, which for now are unavoidable. Companies that usually trade with importers or exporters from third countries outside the Union are already aware of the formalities required for these operations.

 

TRADE AND COOPERATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE EUROPEAN UNION AND THE EUROPEAN ATOMIC ENERGY COMMUNITY, ON THE ONE HAND, AND THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND, ON THE OTHER HAND

With respect to the Agreement reached, we would like to highlight its second part, which includes aspects related to trade, transport, fishing and other provisions that are of interest to our sector with the aim of facilitating trade of goods between the parties and maintaining liberalized trade to the extent agreed in the Agreement. 

To this end, different aspects are addressed, such as:

  1. The recognition of the freedom of transit through their territories to persons with nationality of either Party. 
  2. The prohibition of customs duties, that is, a Party may not adopt or maintain any duties, taxes and other charges imposed on the exportation of a good to the other Party or in connection with such exportation, or any tax that is higher than the tax or charge that would be imposed on similar goods but destined for domestic consumption. 
  3. With respect to taxes and charges, the Parties may not assess these amounts ad valorem, but may simply charge such taxes and charges limited in amount to the cost of the services rendered and shall not constitute indirect protection of domestic products. There are exceptions for some specific services.
  4. Agree that the Parties may not impose restrictions, prohibitions or monopolies on imports or exports of goods destined for the territory of the other Party (except Article 11 of the GATT 1994). 
  5. That each Party shall determine in its territory the customs value of the goods of the other Party. 
  6. To create rules for determining the origin of goods for the purposes of applying preferential tariff treatment and to establish origin procedures. 
  7. Agree on the sanitary and phytosanitary measures to be applied on goods imported into the Parties to this Agreement. 
  8. Ensure customs cooperation for trade simplification. To this end, measures such as the rapid release of goods, the presentation and advance electronic processing of documentation, the promotion of the association of authorized economic operators, the establishment of the single window, the facilitation of roll-on-roll-off traffic, etc., are taken. 

Although this agreement regulates many aspects of interest for the sector, there are other things that it does not resolve and that are fundamental for the correct development of commercial relations. In particular, we would like to make special mention of the exequatur or recognition of foreign judgments, as well as the jurisdiction applicable in the resolution of disputes between the Parties. 

Given the transcendence that an incorrect choice of the applicable jurisdiction may imply for the subjects involved in international trade operations, from AIYON Abogados we would like to recommend all agents involved in trade with the United Kingdom, before starting a new commercial relationship, to make express agreements where the jurisdiction to which they will submit their disputes is agreed. In case of pre-existing commercial relations, we recommend analysing whether the jurisdiction agreed upon at the time is still the best for the defence of their present and future commercial interests.

Royal Decree 927/2020, of 27 October, which extends the scope of the action of Ship Inspection and Survey Organizations, and modifies Royal Decree 877/2011, of 24 June, and Royal Decree 357/2015, of 8 May

States are responsible for ensuring that ships under their flag are designed, constructed and maintained in compliance with the safety requirements established in the conventions and instruments approved within the IMO. To carry out these tasks, they are supported by the classification societies.

The regulation of classification societies in Spain is contained in articles 97 and 107 of Law 14/2014, of 24 July, known as the Spanish Shipping Act. It is algo applicable the Royal Decree 877/2011, issued following European Directive 2009/15/CE, of 23 April 2009, that establishes unified rules and regulations for organizations in charge of inspection and recognition of vessels, and various European Regulations, such as Regulations (EC) 336/2006, of 15 February 2006, y (EU) 1257/2013 of 20 November 2013.

The main purpose of Royal Decree 927/2020 is to establish in which cases a recognized organization can act in the name of the Spanish Maritime Administration The aim is to reduce waiting times for obtaining the obligatory certificates and to improve the competitiveness of ships flying the Spanish flag as these cannot see their activity affected by delays in carrying out necessary inspections. The new international Conventions and EU Regulations affecting maritime safety and prevention of contamination of the marine environment require more flexibility and delegating on these organizations.

The cases in which recognized organizations may be authorized to carry out ship surveys on behalf of the Spanish General Directorate of the Merchant Navy (GDMN) are as follows:

a) When a Spanish ship is in a foreign port and needs to extend the term of validity of any mandatory certificate as the expiration date approaches.

b) When a Spanish ship is dedicated to making trips between foreign ports and its transfer to a national port is detrimental to its commercial exploitation, to carry out any of the mandatory surveys.

c) When a Spanish ship, due to breakdowns or other causes of accident, must be recognized abroad.

d) When a Spanish ship is built or carries out transformation, reform or major repair works abroad.

e) When a Spanish ship calls in a Spanish port on non-working days or outside working hours, or for any other reason, the surveys cannot be provided by the inspection services of the Harbour Master Office.

f) When, in light of logistical conditions, to adapt to its procedures or the need for agility in the operation, the company so decides.

g) When a ship is abroad and requests to be flagged in Spain.

h) When a company has its head office abroad.

In addition to the above, authorized organizations will be able to control that the rules for the management of the operational safety of a vessel are followed and will be able issue and renew the maritime labour certificate and the declaration of maritime labour compliance Part I, referred to in the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC).

AIYON Abogados collaborates with the “ICLG Shipping Laws and Regulations, 2020”

Our partners of Madrid and Bilbao offices, Veronica Meana and Mikel Garteiz-goxeaskoa, have participated in the chapter dedicated to Spanish Law of the ICLG Shipping Laws and Regulations: 2020,publication which covers common issues in the area of Shipping law in forty jurisdictions.

Among these common issues are: the regulation of maritime casualties, cargo claims and passenger claims, the regulation of ship arrest and procedural issues such as the collection of evidence, judicial and other dispute resolutions methods applicable to maritime claims and the enforcement of court judgments and arbitration awards.

 

Royal Decree-Law 26/2020, of 7 July, on economic recovery measures to deal with the impact of COVID-19 in the areas of transport and housing

On Wednesday 8 July 2020, Royal Decree Law 26/2020, was published in the Official State Bulletin, with the aim of approving a set of measures required for the purposes of economic recovery in the transport sector and in the field of housing, protecting the health of workers and travellers, guaranteeing the availability of essential goods and services, providing liquidity to companies and reducing administrative burdens.

In this article, we will analyse this regulatory text, focusing on the specific measures arising for the transport service. 

1. AIR TRANSPORT

Articles 2 to 7 include the management measures adopted for air transport. General prevention measures against COVID-19 that companies in the sector must guarantee compliance with, as well as all those that the Autonomous Communities have adopted. 

Operational guidelines have been established from Europe, which are applicable to the entire Spanish territory. The EASA/ECDC Guidelines will be compulsory not only for airport managers but also for companies that carry out their work as auxiliaries at airports: 

– Inform users on the preventive measures and health reasons why they should refrain from accessing the airport, as well as the consequences of detecting a person suspected of having COVID-19 during health checks. 

For its part, the Transport Facilitation Committee will be responsible for coordinating and supervising all the actors who have a role in the application or definition of these measures.

 

2. MARITIME TRANSPORT

Articles 8 to 14 set out the measures taken to revitalise the maritime sector. Firstly, the reasoned reduction of maritime traffic requirements for 2020 at the request of the concessionaire will be permitted, due to the impossibility of compliance (deriving from COVID-19). 

Likewise, the liquid quota of the occupation rate accrued during the financial year 2020 may be reduced, being determined this reduction depending on the decrease in maritime traffic or, failing this, on incomes attributable to the activity, the different types and also depending on the economic and financial situation of the Port Authority. 

With regard to the activity tax, the Port Authorities may (upon request of the taxpayer) leave the lower limit of the annual activity tax quota without effect for the year 2020. In turn, the enforceability of the activity fee established in the authorisation may also be modified. 

As we have already commented in other publications, this Royal Decree confirms that the fees for vessels (between 1 March 2020 and 31 October 2020) may be modified, depending on the reason for the stay in port waters. Likewise, the Port Authorities may grant deferrals of tax debts accrued (between 1 March and 31 October 2020) and not paid.

As a final comment, it should be noted that the provision of human resources at the passenger terminals serving the regular maritime services during the state of alarm, are considered as emergency services for all purposes.

 

3. RAIL TRANSPORT

With regard to Railway Transport, it should be mentioned that RENFE is authorised to arrange credit operations during the 2020 financial year, for the amount of 1 billion euros. 

It is also planned to authorise extraordinary credits to be financed with Public Debt.

 

4. ROAD TRANSPORT

Articles 18 to 30 contain the provisions relating to road transport. Firstly, moratoriums will be granted for the public goods and occasional passenger transported by bus. 

Among other measures, deferrals of payments of instalments on loan, leasing and renting contracts used by self-employed persons and public undertakings for the purchase of buses and public transport vehicles of more than 3.5 tonnes, maximum authorised mass, are accepted. 

With regard to the approval of road transport authorisations, this will be extended, establishing 2021 as an open deadline for approval of transport authorisations that should be endorsed in 2020 and have not been yet. Also, for those authorizations that should be endorsed in 2020 and have done so, the deadline for their next endorsement is extended until 2023. In addition, the opportunity to apply for extraordinary rehabilitation for public transport authorisations invalidated during 2020 is provided due to the inability to certify the requirements for their endorsement. 

Finally, an extension of 3 months is established for those technical inspection certificates of vehicles that expire between 21 June and 31 August. 

AIYON Abogados cooperates with the Master’s programme of the IME (Spanish Maritime Institute)

AIYON Abogados maintains its commitment to cooperate with diverse institutions and associations involved in the progress and application of maritime law in Spain, as well as with Universities and educational institutions engaged in the formation of future professionals of the sector. This is evidenced by our already consolidated relationship with the IME (Spanish Maritime Institute) over the last several years, teaching subjects that belong to our area of expertise.

This year, due to the lock-down, the partners of our Madrid and Bilbao offices, Ms. Verónica Meana and Mr. Mikel Garteiz-Goxeaskoa, gave their annual lecture at the IME through video-conferencing system.  In particular, the lecture was focused on the applicable wreck removal provisions and the Nairobi Convention (not in force in Spain), as well as on the Civil Liability for Carriage of HNS goods regime under the 2010 Convention (still to enter into force).

We hope the students enjoy the lectures in the same way as our partners do, and we are grateful for IME’s support and effort that makes possible that the formation continues also during the COVID-19 crisis.

 

 

Current situation arising from Covid-19, developments in Mobility and Transport

One of the main reasons why the Spanish Government advocates maintaining the State of Alarm is to be able to guarantee restrictions on citizens’ mobility, both in and beyond their territory.

At national level, the Ministerial Order TMA/400/2020, of 9 May, which establishes the conditions to be applied in the first phase of the de-escalation of mobility, was approved. In order to guarantee the mobility of the Canary and Balearic Islands by means of Air Transport, it has been decided, among others, to lift the ban on regular commercial operations between islands, to establish a minimum of daily frequencies, always guaranteeing the safety distance, as well as to keep the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGAC) informed.

With regard to Railway Transport, either in suburban trains or in any other state-owned service, it has been agreed to gradually increase it until the effective recovery of 100% of its services and lines.

If we refer to the Maritime Transport of the Balearic and Canary Islands, specifically in the Canary Islands:

1) The disembarkation of passengers from RoRo passenger ships that provide regular services between the Peninsula and the Islands is prohibited, with the exception of drivers on board of ro-ro cargoes.

2) The Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands is authorised to lay down conditions for the provision of regular inter-island services or shipping lines.

3) The following vessels and boats may navigate between ports or points on the coast of the same municipality and nearby inhabited islands

– Those of tourist transport of passengers.

– Those devoted to practical trainings and courses.

– Those used for recreational/sports purposes by their owners or in nautical rentals.

If we focus on the Balearic Islands, and conditioned to guarantee health protection measures:

1) Transport on lines between the Peninsula and the Balearic Islands is authorised.

2) The embarkation/disembarkation of passengers and vehicles is permitted on RoRo passenger ships and passenger ships providing regular services on the inter-island maritime lines of the Autonomous Community.

3) Recreational sailing is permitted between points on the coast of the same municipality and nearby uninhabited islands.

On both islands, the above restrictions shall not apply to state ships or cargo ships, or to ships sailing for humanitarian, medical or emergency purposes.

At international level, three Ministerial Orders have been agreed which directly regulate entry to and exit from the country by the different means of transport (Order INT/396/2020, of 8 May, Order INT/409/2020, of 14 May and Order TMA/410/2020, of 14 May), and a fourth additional one (Order SND/403/2020, of 11 May).

Order INT/396/2020, of May 8, extending internal border controls and maintaining limited access, among others, for Spanish citizens and residents in Spain, cross-border workers, persons traveling for exclusively work purposes. It is important to note that these restrictions will not affect the transport of goods. Under the heading “transport of goods” we must also consider the crew members of ships in order to ensure the provision of maritime transport services and fishing activities, and the aviaiton personnel necessary to carry out commercial air transport activities.

The restrictions set out in this order are complementary to those already established at land borders and at the external borders of ports and airports (originating in countries outside the Schengen area).

Order INT/409/2020, of 14 May, extending the criteria for the application of a temporary restriction on non-essential traveling from third countries to the European Union and associated Schengen countries for reasons of public order and health, as a result of the health crisis caused by COVID-19.

Entry shall be denied on grounds of public policy and public health in connection with the health crisis caused by COVID-19 to any third-country citizen, subject to the proposed exceptions which include habitual residents in the European Union, the Schengen associated States or Andorra, cross-border workers or personnel engaged in transport of goods in the course of their work (ship and flight crews). This shall not apply at the land border with Andorra or at the checkpoint of persons with the territory of Gibraltar.

The Order TMA/410/2020, of May 14, which limits entry to aircrafts and passenger ships restrictions on mobility of citizens through designated points of entry with the capacity to respond to public health emergencies of international importance, updated by Order TMA/415/2020 of May 17, which aims to designate the ports and airports that will be enabled as the only point of entry into Spain, for passenger flights from any airport located outside Spanish territory or for passenger ships or passenger vessels and ROROs that provide a regular line service originating in any port outside Spanish territory (provided that the passengers transported are not the drivers of the road vehicles). Specifically, the airports of “Sevilla”, “Menorca”, “Ibiza”, “Lanzarote-César Manrique”, “Fuerteventura”, “Tenerife Sur”, “Alicante-Elche” and “Valencia”, and the ports of Barcelona, Bilbao, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Málaga, Palma de Mallorca, Tenerife, Valencia and Vigo will be operational.

These limitations do not apply to State aircrafts or vessels, aircrafts making stopovers for non-commercial purposes, exclusive cargo flights or vessels, or positional, humanitarian, medical or emergency flights or vessels.

Bearing in mind, in any case, the Order SND/403/2020, of May 11, by which all persons coming from abroad will be quarantined for 14 days after their arrival; order that came into force on May 15.

Maritime transport

With regard to the maritime transport sector, there have been abundant Ministerial Orders and recommendations of the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and the Urban Agenda since the State of Alert was decreed on 14 March. Therefore, we have decided to emphasise two Ministerial Orders, Order TMA/419/2020, of 18 May, and Order TMA/374/2020, of 28 April, for their relevance.

If we delve into its content, the Order TMA/419/2020, of 18 May, which updates the measures in general  management of maritime navigation adopted during the state of alarm  to deal with the health crisis caused by the COVID-19 to the de-escalation process. It presents restrictions on the entry of ships into Spanish ports (i) for cruise ships from any port; (ii) for foreign ships or recreational vessels that do not have their port of stay in Spain (with exceptions).

On the other hand, it regulates the management of ballast water and ship sediments, the procedures to be followed for the transfer of ships, whether for repair or maintenance purposes or for sale and purchase, and the transfer of ships between ports. In addition, in its Single Repeal Provision it repeals certain Orders and modifies Order TMA/258/2020, of 19 March, by rewriting the article on titles whose validity is extended and on inspection activities.

On the other hand, Order TMA/374/2020, of 28 April, which establishes the documentation with which the crew members of the vessels may prove their condition in order to facilitate their movement to ensure the provision of maritime transport services, due to the health crisis situation caused by the COVID-19. The order stipulates the necessary documentation to allow changes of crew in Spain and the return to their countries of residence or boarding another vessel calling at a Spanish port. Specifically:

– Certificate of Competence or Seafarers’ Identity Card or Discharge Book

– Employment agreement or letter of appointment. This documentation shall include at least the name of the vessel and its flag, the port where the vessel is located and the estimated date of embarkation/disembarkation.

Likewise, the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda has published preventive recommendations to be implemented in maritime passenger stations and on board of the ships for the restart of passenger traffic in order to prevent and minimize the risks of possible COVID-19 infections when passenger traffic is re-established.

Maritime Administration Inspection activities / Administrative Certificates

Due to the exceptional situation generated by COVID-19, the Administration has taken action by extending the validity of certain administrative titles and suspending significant part of its inspection activities.

The titles whose validity is extended if they expire during the State of Alarm are: (i) professional cards and certificates issued to seafarers, as provided for in international conventions and national regulations; (ii) certificates and documents issued to ships governed by international instruments of the IMO, ILO and the European Union; (iii) certificates and documents issued to ships and vessels operating services, as provided for in national regulations; (iv) certificates of maritime training issued to seafarers in accordance with the STCW Convention and health regulations; (v) certificates of medical fitness issued to seafarers in accordance with the STCW Convention and national regulations; (vi) certificates of medical fitness issued to seafarers in accordance with the STCW Convention and national regulations; (vii) fitness certificates expired during the State of Alert.

In addition, the conduct of scheduled inspections and surveys by the Maritime Administration, as provided for in the Regulations on Inspection and Certification of Civilian Ships, has been suspended, unless they result from emergency situations, and the conduct of periodic inspections of foreign ships, with the exception of those to (i) ships subject to a report or notification by another Member State; (ii) ships which cannot be identified in the inspection database; (iii) ships which have been involved in a collision, grounding or stranding on their way to port; (iv) ships which have been accused of violating allegedly the provisions in force concerning the discharge of hazardous substances or effluents; (v) ships which have manoeuvred in an erratic or unsafe manner.

News about the State of Alarm in Spain (April 6th, 2020)

On April 4th, the President of the Spanish Government announced his intention to request the Congress of Deputies to agree to the extension of the State of Alarm for at least 15 days more. Therefore the State of Alarm, enacted on March 14th, will be maintained until midnight of April 25th.

His petition seems to have the support of the leaders of the rest of the political forces in the State; nevertheless, the extension will not be made official until it is approved by the Congress of Deputies at the forthcoming plenary session scheduled for April 9th.

However, and as the President Pedro Sánchez has already announced, the extension of the State of Alarm does not necessarily imply the extension of the suspension of non-essential activities, a suspension tackled in our publication of April 2 (RDL 10/2020 of March 29th – Suspension of Non-essential Activities) that, since these restrictive economic measures were made public, has received a lot of criticism and pressure to analyse its possible moderation or suppression. Both on part of the industries that asked to maintain their essential activities in order to prevent the total economy freeze, and the political forces in the country. Therefore, and depending on the decisions made by the Government, these non-essential activities might be reactivated from April 9th. 

As we have seen, during the three weeks of the State of Alarm that we have already undergone in Spain, this situation is having an enormous impact on all social and economic sectors in Spain and, in particular, the sectors of industry, commerce and trade, and a part of the transportation sector have been severely hit by this situation.

 

FISHERIES SECTOR 

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food published Order APA/315/2020 of April 1st in the BOE (Official State Gazette). This Order establishes new criteria for the management of fishing quotas assigned to the Kingdom of Spain in order to optimize their use and modifies certain Ministerial Orders that regulate these concepts since 2014.  

This Order is mainly applicable to the stocks subject to the total allowable catches and quotas in the peninsula waters of the Atlantic Ocean. 

These are the main measures that have been taken: 

  • Flexibilization of the transmissions of fishing possibilities (quotas) for the vessels with individual distribution, thus allowing a better adaptation to the fisheries within the previously established distribution, that is to say, that the vessels themselves through the transmissions regulate the distribution of quotas. Those operating in the Bay of Biscay and the Northwest, Gulf of Cadiz and those trawling in Portuguese waters. 
  • Establishment of a mechanism for the annual optimisation of the boilermakers’ quotas. As of October 1st, vessels that have already exhausted their quotas will be able to continue fishing and using the quotas that will be left over for other vessels, thus guaranteeing the full use of the quotas allocated.
  • Establishment of procedures for the management of quotas allocated to Spain but which, until now, have mostly not been established. 
  • Establishment of criteria for the annual allocation of quotas not yet allocated in Spain, (blue whiting or horse mackerel in EU waters and swordfish in the North Atlantic). 
  • Establishment of uniform procedures for the cessation of activity and the closure of fisheries in cases where quotas have been exhausted. 
  • Establishment of management measures for recreational fisheries for sea bream in the Cantabrian Sea. 

The Order APA/315/2020, of April 1st, reinforces Spain’s commitment to sustainable and responsible fisheries management and shows progress in the regulation regarding the fishing quotas assigned to Spain.  

 

LAND TRANSPORT

Many measures are being taken with regard to land transport as it is an essential resource to secure the local supply chain, above all on local and national level. 

Administrations are beginning to ensure the protection of truck carriers by distributing personal protective equipment by enabling filling stations and providing places for weekly rest of at least 24 hours. 

Likewise, the National Road Transport Committee communicated to the Ministry of Transport its commitment to maintain transport and guarantee the supply of medicines in hospitals during the Easter weeks. 

For its part, rail transport is also adapting to this situation and some initiatives are already beginning to be made public, such as adapting trains of the Operator Renfe for the transport of patients affected by COVID-19 between different autonomous communities. 

 

AIR TRANSPORT

The Spanish airports are adapting to the COVID-19, among other forms, by enabling their esplanades to offer parking to the planes that, due to the evident reduction of flights, are not operating and therefore have to remain on the ground. 

Since the health emergency does not only affect Spain but it is a global phenomenon, many flights and many regular lines operated by air operators will be suspended for an undefined period of time.

 

MARITIME TRANSPORTATION

With regard to maritime transport, it is important to highlight the change of direction that the maritime industry is taking in order to face the pandemic. 

Many shipping companies are temporarily suspending some of their usual shipping lines, as well as adapting their rotations to the progressive increase in Asian imports to the demanding European continent. This increase is materialized in the fact that rates from the Mediterranean to the Far East have increased by 42.4% and in the oil price crash. 

Although there are shipping companies that have decided to suspend temporary their services with stopovers in Spanish ports, there are still sufficient services to guarantee the supply chain. 

For its part, the Spanish ports have been taking measures to mitigate the effects that might arise from abandonment of goods and containers in the ports (in many cases forced). Let us take as an example the Port of Barcelona that has implemented the so called “flat rate” regarding the cost resulting from storage of the containers in the ports with the aim to mitigate the economic impact that COVID-19 is producing in the importing companies. 

This measure adopted by the Port of Barcelona shall be applicable to the import containers located in the container terminals of the enclave between March 31st and April 13th (for the time being). According the experts’ estimation, the cost of storage of the containers will be reduced by 65 % as a result of these measures.

As we can observe, all sectors are renewing and readapting themselves in this uncertain and unknown situation we are just undergoing in order to guarantee the supply chain of products and materials, securing so that basic needs of the citizens are met and that the industries, to the maximum possible extent, continue operating.