Summary
Content
Action Point: Logistics Cluster to provide list of commercial handlers and freight forwarders
Action Point: Organizations to provide input for a list of suppliers and transporters
Border/Customs
- As of Saturday, customs procedures at the Jimani border returned to standard practices which requires all trucks carrying cargo to have a “declaration form” included with their standard transport documentation. This form costs about 1 USD per truckload. The implementation caused some congestion at the crossing on Saturday, however things appear to be running more smoothly at present.
- A customs official has been going daily to the border to stamp these declarations. The LC is trying to meet with the Director of Customs to clarify procedures and see if there is a way to make the system easier. Proposals may include finding a way to prepare these documents ahead of time or having one document covering a number of truckloads.
- The Logistics Cluster is planning to post someone on the Haitian side of the border crossing to assist in the process and follow up on any problems organizations are facing with goods coming in from Santo Domingo by road.
- To qualify for duty and tax exemptions NGOs must be registered in the country through the Ministry of Planification. However this body is not fully operational at present, and even in normal circumstances the process can take some time. In the meantime, non-registered organizations are importing goods with support from the DPC. This process should be put in place in advance of the arrival of cargo and requires a letter to the DPC outlining that the organization has begun the process of registration, arrival and shipment information for the cargo, and details of the projects and locations the goods are destined for, etc.
- A decree has been issued notifying the customs department that this is a valid option for bringing goods into the country. The DPC has not been taking custody of goods or enforcing certain distribution areas for cargo coming in under their assistance. The Logistics Cluster is offering assistance with the procedure.
- For registered organizations, the procedures appear to be working as long as the paperwork is in order and a customs broker is used.
- No problems have been noted regarding the re-export of equipment, but this may be because there has been no major redeployment with the exception of diplomatic entities. The Logistics Cluster will look into the issue.
Bilateral Assistance
- The Logistics Cluster has been working with the governments of Mexico and Taiwan to facilitate incoming cargo and find partners for distribution to ensure onward movement. A third request for assistance has now come from the government of El Salvador.
Hubs
- The Logistics Cluster and UNHAS have met with cluster leads in Leogane to establish a plan for a fast assessment of 6 hard-to-reach areas - Parques, Beausejour, Citronnier, Fonds d’Oie, Oranger and Morne Chandelle (Gressier) - which to date have received no support from international organizations and little from national bodies.
- The food, shelter, health and potentially agriculture clusters will participate in the assessment missions. The teams will include WHO medical teams to provide immediate care to members of the communities as well as a representative of the local authorities. Based on these assessments, materials will be called forward immediately and helicopter deliveries will begin to these locations.
- The LC will report back on the list of established needs.
- A similar plan will be developed for Jacmel to support operations in the surrounding areas before the start of the rainy season.
- It is recognized that the road to Jacmel may not support full operations to that area once the rainy season comes. WFP and the Food Cluster are currently planning to preposition goods in areas with road access problems to ensure stocks are already in place before the weather makes transport more difficult. Other clusters appear to be following the same approach.
- In view of this, the issue of storage space in sub- and field-offices will become a focus in the coming weeks. WFP is currently planning to establish 5 mobile storage units in Jacmel, three for food and 2 for UNICEF NFI. The requirement for common warehousing may increase and will require a contingency plan to be put in place before the start of the rainy and hurricane seasons.
Update on Air Operations
Airports
- American Airlines and Air France have resumed flights into PAP and the US Military is in the process of handing back management of the airport to the Haitian authorities and commercial operators.
- The humanitarian cargo village will be closing at the end of this week, after which any cargo left at the airport will become subject to charges.
- The capacity for bonded warehousing and holding areas is a concern, as well as a possible shortage of handling equipment.
- The Logistics Cluster has begun researching forwarding companies to establish a list of available handlers and their capacity.
- Once items have cleared customs the Logistics Cluster may be able to help with temporary storage until the goods can be moved on.
Action Point: LC to provide list of commercial handlers and freight forwarders
Helicopter Operations
- There are still a high number of requests for assessment missions. The LC is trying to ensure that this process is driven by field- and sub-offices. This has already been done in Jacmel and is now ongoing in Leogane. Many suboffices have cargo already available for airlift from these forward locations.
- Assessment teams can also use the internal passenger flights now available. The schedule and passenger booking forms are available at: http://www.logcluster.org/ops/hti10a.
- As of February 19, 228 sorties have taken place to deliver goods to hard-to-reach locations.
Passenger Flights
- More than 3,000 passengers from over 230 UN agencies, NGOs, governments and media institutions have used the UNHAS passenger service between Santo Domingo and Port au Prince.
- Resumed passenger flights mean that personnel now do not have to enter Haiti via Santo Domingo, however the SD – PAP service is still in high use. Once demand begins to decrease the current assets will be reviewed.
Surface Transport
- Two major road repair projects are being spearheaded by US Army Engineers to ensure that roads remain passable once the rainy season begins. One is route 204 between Leogane and Jacmel, the other is route 102 from the Jimani border. Funding has already been allocated.
- The Logistics Cluster will continue to provide no-cost-to-user transport from the Dominican Republic for at least another two months. If there is a continued need for interagency transport after this, it may continue on a cost-recovery basis.
- WFP – Logistics Cluster free-to-user interagency transport has existed in Haiti since 2008 and subject to funding it is envisaged that the system will remain in place.
- The Clinton Foundation has donated 32 Penske flatbed trucks of 11 – 15 mt capacity. These will be used for interagency transport in urban areas, freeing up the all-terrain vehicles for the field.
- In addition some single and double cab GMC pickups of 1.5 to 2.5 mt capacity have been provided. WFP and the Logistics Cluster will be allocating these to organizations working in Haiti and to national institutions. The criteria for organizations to receive these trucks are being finalized and will be put before the HCT and the humanitarian coordinator for approval. These will include proof of medium to long term projects in Haiti (such as participation in the consolidated appeal) and being registered in country, which is necessary to be able to register and insure the vehicles, etc.
- To date the WFP-led Logistics Cluster in PAP has transported 980 mt (4,740 m3) of goods out of PAP for 53 different UN agencies and NGOs. 926 mt has been transported by Handicap International/Atlas Logistique out of Jacmel, Petit Goave, Cap Haitien and Gonaives. More than 13,250 m³ of NFI have been transported from the Dominican Republic into Haiti for 52 different organisations.
Warehousing/Infrastructure
- Logistics Cluster warehouse 2 at the Airport Industrial Park is 68% full (down from 90% yesterday), and Logistics Cluster 1 is at 62% capacity.
- A 3,000 m2 mobile storage unit being constructed by Logistics Cluster Warehouse 1 behind the American embassy and a second will follow. This facility will be for joint WFP and Logistics Cluster use.
Sea Transport
- The transition of port management to the APN (Autorite Portuaire Nationale) and commercial operators will be in charge of all handling as of March 1. The US is continuing to support the APN in a coordination and management role. The Logistics Cluster will provide a list of agents at the port which can be used for future shipments.
- Current port operations have been going very well under the combined efforts of the US Coast Guard, Navy, Army and APN. However some issues are expected to arise once their current services are no longer available and commercial activity resumes.
- The smaller ports of Cap Haitien, Laffiteau, Gonaives etc are also running smoothly and remain a viable option for bringing cargo into Haiti.
- Some roads into the provinces, including the one to Jacmel, cannot support the transport of containers directly from the port. Destuffing and transport by closed vehicle is recommended.
- Many organizations are currently using the Varreaux terminal ten minutes from the APN terminal for breakbulk and small lighterage.
- The UK ship RFA Largs Bay is currently in PAP port following a delivery of operational support equipment for NGOs, the Red Cross and WFP. The vessel is now loading MREs and rice for Gonaives. This ship can also be tasked for NFI and there will be a second sailing to Jacmel at the end of next week. Any organization wishing to take advantage of this service should contact the Logistics Cluster. Goods must be palletized.
AOB
- The Logistics Cluster is preparing a suppliers list of useful services including construction materials, clearing agents, transporters etc. Organizations have been requested to provide the details of trusted suppliers to assist the humanitarian community.
- A list of trucking rates has been drawn up to establish a benchmark of costs. This is being shared among participating organizations.