LOGISTICS CLUSTER - YEMEN Meeting Minutes

LOCATION: WFP Office, Djibouti DATE: 18 July, 2017 CHAIR: Logistics Cluster PARTICIPANTS: USAID, ACF, Logistics Cluster 1. Operation Overview (including Cholera response) AGENDA: 2. Cholera Response – specific activities  ACTION POINTS: The Logistics Cluster to post updated air operation SOPs to assist organisations with their requests for airlift;  The Logistics Cluster to disseminate guidelines on Unsolicited Bilateral Donations (UBDs).

Operations Overview

Air Transport Cholera response  In response to the cholera outbreak, the Logistics Cluster has added dedicated cargo flights from Djibouti to Sana’a. The first flight took place on June 19 on a B727, transporting 24 mt/90 m3. The second was finalised last week on 12 and 13 July over two rotations, with 139 mt /528 m3 of cholera response cargo on B747.  The Logistics Cluster has received requests to facilitate transport for over 130 mt of cargo via air to Sana’a in response to cholera. To meet requirements, as of early August, WFP will establish an air bridge with a dedicated cargo aircraft based in Djibouti which will provide regular rotations between Djibouti and Sana’a to the humanitarian community. Capacity will be sufficient to airlift an estimated total of 240 mt of cholera cargo destined for Yemen.

 Service Requests Forms (SRFs) must be submitted at least ten days prior to the scheduled airlift and all accompanying documentation must be submitted no later than 72 hours before ETD and preferably earlier to avoid issues.

 Service users should note that when completing the SFR, separate line items should be used for cargo requiring special handling such as cold chain or dangerous goods to ensure that the proper measures can be put in place.

 Distribution plans are required for all airlifts. These should be simple but must include: commodity type, total weight, total volume, total value, programme and/or location where the items will be distributed, and the ETA in Yemen.

 In reason of the substantial increase in activity at Sana’a airport it is essential to obtain the import authorisation from the relevant Ministry or MoFA in Yemen to facilitate customs clearance.

 All cargo for transhipment in Djibouti destined for Yemen must be clearly marked as “goods in transit to Yemen” to facilitate clearance procedures in Djibouti. For health items specifically, additional requirements for medicines in transit must be followed and the organisation’s clearing agents must liaise with the Ministry of Public Health in Djibouti to facilitate the transit. This can take 3 to 5 days for the consignment to be cleared for export to Yemen.

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 All clearances must be completed at least 72 hours prior to scheduled airlifts.

 Airlift SOPs are available on the Logistics Cluster website. Revised SOPs will be disseminated via the mailing list and posted on the website this week. Regular operations  For non-medical items, the usual clearance procedures for cargo in transit are in place.  Capacity at Djibouti airport for loading is limited, especially on Mondays and Tuesdays, which are mostly reserved for commercial cargo. Capacity at Sana’a airport is better, as no commercial cargo enters this airport.

 Light cargo is also accepted on UNHAS passenger flights from Djibouti to Aden and Sana’a. The service is not available on UNHAS flights from Amman.

 The monthly UNHAS passenger schedule, as well as booking forms and focal point assignment forms are available on the Logistics Cluster website at the following link: www.logcluster.org/ops/yem10a

 Regular airlifts from Djibouti to Sana’a for non-cholera specific cargo will continue to take place every two months. The tentative schedule is available on the Logistics Cluster website at the link: www.logcluster.org/document/airlifts-djibouti-sana’-tentative-schedule Sea Transport Cholera response  A 20-foot container will be installed on the Vos Apollo for an initial period of four months to provide cold chain transport capacity. This should be tested and ready to accept cargo as of end July/early August. A second container is planned for temperature controlled (15°C-25°C). Organisations will be informed via the mailing list when the cold chain storage is available on the vessel. Regular operations  The Logistics Cluster facilitates passenger and cargo transport by sea from Djibouti to Aden. Capacity is 25 passengers and 500 mt of cargo. Containers, vehicles, palletised, and bulk cargo can all be accepted. Provisions are in place for some dangerous goods and cargo requiring special handling as well – service users are requested to liaise directly with the Logistics Cluster for dangerous goods cargo. Funding has been received to ensure that weekly rotations will continue until at least mid-November.

 Container loading will now take place from the new Djibouti Multipurpose Port (DMP) port. The boat can take up to 27 stacked containers.

 Some organisations requested to review the passenger schedule, however the current schedule (Sunday to Aden, Wednesday returning to Djibouti) seems to be convenient for the majority of passengers, hence the schedule remains unaltered for now. The August schedule will be sent out to the mailing list this week.

 Organisations should note that the cut-off time for bookings and cancellations is strict in reason of the need to obtain advance clearance for all passengers. No changes to the passenger list can be done after this is closed and submitted for clearance, therefore standby passengers can’t be accepted at the gate.

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 Double-booking on the UNHAS flight and the vessel are strongly discouraged and will result in the passenger being considered as a no-show since the vessel is currently often at capacity and late cancellations prevent others from travelling. Booking fees and no-show penalties are being discussed.  Passenger departure and loading of bulk cargo will continue as previously from the old port.

 Passenger booking forms, service request forms and SOPs are available on the Logistics Cluster website at the following link: www.logcluster.org/ops/yem10a

 A contract is in place to provide transport on dhows from Djibouti to Hodeidah upon request. These dhows capacity is 400 to 500 m3; they can’t take containers but only bulk or de-palletised cargo. Road Transport Cholera response  Five dedicated reefer trucks have now been placed in Sana’a on stand-by for urgent transport of cholera cargo. These vehicles can take cold chain and temperature controlled cargo as well as regular cargo. Additional capacity can be provided if required.

Regular operations  Contingent on security and road conditions, the Logistics Cluster facilitates road transport in Yemen on WFP- contracted vehicles. Storage  Due to an increase in demand stemming from the cholera response, storage capacity is being augmented in all locations.

 Aden: 640 m2 is already available and a contract has been signed on a 5,000 m2 warehouse compound. A reefer for cold chain may be added for short-term use.  Sana’a: a second MSU will be established to increase capacity to 640 m2.

 Hodeidah: Capacity has now been increased to 3,640 m2. Fuel Provision  To facilitate an uninterrupted supply chain, a contingency stock of fuel is maintained for partners operating in Yemen and distributed in Aden, Sana’a, and Hodeidah.

 Petrol is currently unavailable at all locations. The Logistics Cluster is working on the issue and will inform all partners by mailing list as soon as it becomes available once again.

Cholera Response - specific activities

 Regular coordination meetings are being held in Sana’a, Aden, and Djibouti, and a working group has been established in Sana’a with the Health and WASH clusters to compile pipeline information, identify bottlenecks, and ensure that Logistics Cluster support can meet the increased demands of the cholera response.  A guide has been prepared to assist organisations facing an influx of unsolicited bilateral donations (UBDs), which could use up already scarce resources and pose several of logistics issues. This will be disseminated via

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the mailing list and made available on the Logistics Cluster website. The Logistics Cluster will remain available to provide guidance on UBD cargo if required.

Contacts

Cargo requests [email protected]

Passengers requests [email protected]

Christophe Morard Logistics Cluster Coordinator (Sana’a) [email protected] Katherine Ely Logistics Officer (Djibouti) [email protected] Carlotta Negri IM Officer Djibouti [email protected]