Summary
Content
Update on the situation in Haiti
- Some commercial cargo flights are now serving Port-au-Prince airport. Furthermore, the first commercial passenger flight is planned for 19 February.
- UNHAS has begun a passenger transport service to several destinations within Haiti: Les Cayes and Jacmel on Tuesdays; Hinche and Ounaminthe on Wednesdays; Cap Haitien on Tursdays; and Saint-Marc, Gonaives and Belladere on Saturdays. The schedule is also available on our website at http://www.logcluster.org/ops/hti10a/UNHAS_Haiti_Internal-Flights_100208.pdf
- The traffic situation in Jimaní is difficult. Only one truck can pass at a time, something that contributes to severe congestion.
- Organisations that wish to import vehicles to Haiti are still recommended to drive the vehicle across the border, rather than sending it as cargo. It is important to carry all necessary paperwork, including identification as a humanitarian organisation.
- The Haitian Civil Protection is establishing an office at the Haitian side of the border to assist humanitarian organisations with customs and border crossing.
- IFRC has started a passenger air service between Santo Domingo and Port-au-Prince, with four to five departures a week.
- The Clinton Foundation has donated 200 vehicles to organisations working in Haiti. The Logistics Cluster will manage this fleet, which is expected to significantly augment the Cluster’s trucking capacity.
- The warehousing capacity in Port-au-Prince is still strained, but a second warehouse of 3200 m2 is now operational. The warehouse is operated by a local NGO – BND, with support from Handicap International/Atlas. Nevertheless, a 7 day limit has been enforced for all organisations using the interagency storage service.
- Port operations in Port-au-Prince are going better than expected. The current offloading capacity is of 350 containers per day. Two floating docks will be operational within short time and this is expected to increase capacity to 1500 containers per day.
- Organisations operating out of Santo Domingo are encouraged to establish a clear distribution schedule before moving cargo into Port-au-Prince. This change from push to pull system is necessary in order to maintain the flow of cargo and avoid congestion at the Haitian side.
Please refer to the latest situation report for the very latest updates from Haiti.
Update on the situation Dominican Republic
- Updates on Logistics Cluster achievements to date: As of 9 February, the Logistics Cluster had transported 6737 m3 of NFIs and some 1400mt of food from Santo Domingo to Haiti. Some 370 truckloads have been dispatched, serving the needs of 38 organisations and several other clusters, including Shelter, Protection, Nutrition, and Food.
Cargo handling and storage
- The Logistics Cluster is expecting a significant increase in the amount of humanitarian cargo arriving in Santo Domingo in the coming weeks, especially sea freight.
- WFP is, on behalf of the Logistics Cluster, working with the local authorities to secure a dedicated warehouse space at Las Americas airport.
- The warehouse in Caucedo is now fully operational. Cargo arriving at Las Americas may be moved to Caucedo due to the limited storage capacity at the airport.
- As requested by the humanitarian community, WFP is in the process of securing interagency warehouse space in Jimaní on behalf of the Logistics Cluster.
Surface transport
- The trucking capacity of the Logistics Cluster is currently sufficient to cater to our current needs. A dedicated fleet of 85 contracted trucks, plus some 30 additional vehicles, ensures that the transport requirements of the humanitarian capacity are met. The number of trucks can and will be augmented if the situation so requires.
- Cold chain transport is available. Reefer containers are being positioned in Santo Domingo and Port-au-Prince. One to two trucks will do rotations between the two locations.
- It is important that all cargo documents are completed in a correct manner. Please refer to the SOPs for complete guidance on how to fill in these documents. Further guidance on how to fill in the cargo documents in the correct manner is attached to these minutes.
- The NFI database is now partially operational. As some organisations have already experienced, emails with updates on cargo movement will to an increasing extent be automatic. It is essential, however, to ease the information flow and to ensure proper receipt of cargo, that cargo documents are completed in a correct manner. A consignee instruction is attached to these minutes. Regular customs procedures are now in place in the Dominican Republic, and the Logistics Cluster will therefore have to refuse cargo which is not accompanied by documents that are correctly filled in.
Air operations
- UNHAS passenger transport capacities ex Santo Domingo is still one 1 DASH8 (35 pax capacity) and one Caravan (8 pax capacity).
- As of Tuesday 9 February, the Caravan started doing internal flights within Haiti. In order to make use of this asset, please contact the Logistics Cluster
- In order to avoid congestion at Port-au-Prince airport, there are no cargo flights on Sundays.
- With regards to helicopters, the three helicopters (18 pax and2,5 mt capacity) are currently based in La Isabela, doing daily rotations to different destinations in Haiti.
- The Antonov 12 is now off contract. If regional flights are required, please contact UNHAS and the Logistics Cluster.
- No-shows are becoming a serious problem at UNHAS flights. These seats are in high demand, and all organisations are strongly encouraged to respect their bookings.
Updates and questions from participants
- AECID informed that regular customs procedures are now in place at the airport for organisations that are importing goods outside of the Cluster umbrella. Cargo in transit needs to be escorted from Santo Domingo to Jimaní.
- There are reports of looting of and assaults on Dominican trucks and drivers in Haiti. Participants are requesting an update on the marshalling area which is to be established outside Port-au-Prince.
- As long as there is available space, UNHAS has no restrictions on the number of passengers from one organisation on their passenger flights. It was reported that a cargo transport service is offered between Cabo Rojo, Pedernales and Jacmel. A Dominican Navy vessel does one rotation per day.
- Passenger bookings from Port-au-Prince to Santo Domingo need to be done in person from the MINUSTAH Logbase.
- The International Medical Corps informed that they run and ER service at the General University Hospital in Port-au-Prince. There is sufficient medical supplies to cater for more patients, and this service is available to international humanitarian workers. .
- If any organisations have questions regarding customs procedures for import of vehicles they are welcome to contact the Logistics Cluster
- Some organisations are experiencing problems when approaching local transporters in Santo Domingo. Transporters are not providing standard prices; rather they tend to give quotations per day. Prices are reported to be increasing.
- The Logistics Cluster can facilitate transport to locations in the border area. Please contact the Logistics Cluster if you have requirements for such transport.
Action points: The Logistics Cluster to inquire more information on the marshalling area in Port-au-Prince