Logistics Cluster
L
OGISTICS
C
LUSTER
M
EETING
M
INUTES
Location:
NDMO Emergency Operations Centre
Date: 10th October, 2009, 11:00
Action Point:
Any Organization or Entity that requires accreditation with the Disaster Advisory
Committee for Customs privileges to notify Logistics Cluster by close of business on
Monday 12
th
October.
Final deadline
Action Point:
Individual Organizations to begin entering data on Logistics Cluster Status Report09
spreadsheet immediately, and send to Logistics Cluster for compilation
Action Point
:
Aus Aid to provide commercial shipping schedule for circulation to all Logistics
Cluster partner organizations
Action Point
:
NDMO to provide a compiled list of Heads of Families to Logistics Cluster and
Customs to facilitate clearance procedures for unsolicited aid
Action Point
:
NDMO to arrange an urgent meeting with Customs and Port Authority to discuss
guidelines and policy for receipt of containerised relief assistance
Action Point
:
Aus Aid to arrange and facilitate a meeting between Min. Of Commerce and
Local Industry Group to determine local procurement capacity
1.
Welcome / Action Points update
•
AP1. Only one organization has submitted a scanned letter to Logistics Cluster requesting
accreditation with the Disaster Advisory Committee for Customs privileges. Final deadline for
submissions set for CoB Monday 12
th
October. No further extensions to this date
•
AP2. Australia and New Zealand Aid concur to including their respective aid commitments in the
consolidated spreadsheet to be compiled by the Logistics Cluster
•
AP3. The DHL Disaster Response Team data entry sheet (Logistics Cluster Status Report09.xls) was
circulated to all Logistics Cluster participants on Friday October 9
th.
Individual Organizations should
begin populating this spreadsheet with expected (either tentative or confirmed) incoming
humanitarian assistance and send to Logistics Cluster for compilation of data.
•
AP4. The Customs Liaison Officer confirms that the concessionary Customs privilege for disaster
relief goods is not limited to the “30-day State of Emergency” declared by the Government of
Samoa on 1
st
October. A specified end-date is yet to be confirmed.
•
AP5. No action taken to date. With many of the initial disaster response personnel and assessment
teams beginning to wind down operations, it is expected that more light vehicles will become
available in the coming days.
2.
Operational Updates, Gaps / Other Logistics Issues
•
World Vision International has brought in Non-Food Items (NFI) sufficient for 500 families. Also
tentatively expecting 120 solar radios and 400 solar lanterns in the near future. Gaps are still being
assessed, but the WVI Health representative is looking for partnerships with other organizations on
health projects. It was suggested in the meeting that WVI talk to Philip Mann, UNICEF Regional
Disaster Representative for more information on health partnerships
Faleata Fire Station, Apia, Samoa
Contact Information Logistics Cluster Cell:
-
David Allen, Logistics Cluster Coordinator
o
Mobile: +865 761 06 71
o
E-mail:
david.allen@wfp.org
Website Pacific Disaster Net:
http://www.pacificdisaster.net:8080/Plone/samoa-tsunami
Logistics Cluster
•
UNICEF Health has brought in soap, 3,500 water containers (10 litre collapsible), 3,500 sanitary pads
(with an expected further 40,000 to be confirmed), syringes, safety disposable boxes and Vitamin A
supplements. They are also assessing the possibility of a nation-wide measles vaccination
campaign. The cold-chain storage of vaccines and medicines in Samoa has already been
assessed in terms of augmenting capacity and needs. Education has brought in 10 sets of
education kits. A video-conferencing facility has also been provided to UNDP conference room.
•
Aus Aid states that the logistics elements of its relief mission are almost complete, and that their
assistance will move into support for the recovery phase, which will require little additional logistics
inputs. Aus Aid do not expect to arrange any additional charter flights to Samoa, and are currently
looking at a movement of bulk stores, some bilateral support to other departments (e.g. a fire-
fighting vehicle to the Samoa Fire Service) and heavy plant equipment (if required) by vessel to
both Samoa and Tonga. The intention is to hold this vessel in Sydney for the next two-three weeks,
allowing other vessels with unsolicited (gifted) aid to berth and discharge. Aus Aid will also be
supporting the Ministry of Health by supplying listed drugs and other health materials. A schedule of
commercial shipping expected arrivals until the end of the year has been obtained and will be
circulated to all Logistics Cluster Partner Organizations
A special note of thanks and appreciation to the Government of Samoa for their rapid and
effective response to the tsunami, as well as their support to the international relief community was
mentioned by AusAid, and endorsed by all Logistics Cluster attendees.
•
NZ Aid/NZ Def is also not expecting to arrange any additional aircraft relief support for Samoa. The
Naval vessel HMSNZ Canterbury which is expected to arrive in Samoan waters on 13
th
October,
with a tentative manifest of 11 containers (still to be finalised and likely to include some unsolicited
aid) is also likely to be the only relief vessel arranged by the NZ Government. A concern was
expressed over the unsolicited aid containing dutiable goods, and it was agreed that NDMO
needs to provide a compiled list of Heads of Families to facilitate clearance on arrival.
•
DHL Disaster Response Team (DRT) have completed their assessment of the logistics needs and
decided that they do not envisage a need for the DRT to be further involved at this stage of the
response operation.
DHL DRT are to be particularly commended for the initiative on Tuesday 6
th
October to meet with
the Prime Minister of the Government of Samoa, where his endorsement of a coordinated
approach to the logistics requirements of the tsunami response facilitated the rapid establishing of
the Logistics Coordination forum that now exists
•
IFRC have recently received 1,500 mosquito nets, and a further 500 are expected. 46 water
storage tanks of varying sizes have been procured locally, with an additional 46 to be procured in
Aus. It is hoped that these can be included on the Aus Aid vessel, along with 2-3 containers of
agricultural tools (500 kits), shelter tools (500 kits) and 20 community kits. 2 water delivery trucks are
already contracted, with a third expected to be added next week. A question mark was raised
over the availability of sufficient lumber in Samoa for local procurement of shelter materials (see
Agenda item 5 below)
3.
Port Authority Operations
•
Since a representative of the Port Authority was unable to attend the meeting, it was generally
understood that a meeting between NDMO, Customs and Port Authorities at the earliest
opportunity would be essential to discuss policy and procedures for the expected arrival of
containerised relief assistance, as this is a key concern for many of the meeting participants.
•
Customs will need Disaster Advisory Committee stamp of approval on all Invoices and WayBills to
facilitate pre-clearance and Customs privilege procedures
•
It was suggested that the local shipping agents PFL and Betham Brothers Ltd. Be invited to the next
logistics meeting as well as a representative of the Port Authority
4.
Operational Capacity for receipt of containerised aid
•
The existing NDMO Emergency Operations Centre has worked extremely well for the airlifted relief
assistance received to date. With the much larger and heavier quantity of items expected to
arrive by vessel in the coming days, a dedicated warehouse space for receipt, sorting into village
or household lots, and temporary storing of goods until despatch would need to be identified,
since wharf space is limited. It is understood that there is some available storage space at the Port,
where goods could be held until Customs and Quarantine have cleared the shipment.
Logistics Cluster
5.
Supporting local procurement. Pros and cons
•
Whilst local procurement is preferable to support the local economy after the tsunami and
resulting reduced tourism, the concern is that it could create shortages and price hikes in the
market for the local population. It was suggested to arrange a meeting between the Ministry
of Commerce, the Local Industry Group and a Logistics Cluster representative to explore local
capacity and purchase pipeline capacity. If then deemed feasible, there could be a
publicised list of required items for tender put into the local papers.
6.
AOB
•
Given the imminent arrival of the HMSNZ Canterbury, it was agreed that a working group of
concerned parties would hold a meeting at the NZ High Commission on Tuesday 13
th
October
at 10:00 to ensure necessary arrangements are in place to receive and off-load the vessel.
Participants to include Cmdr Tony Powell (Aus Aid/Aus Def), FltOffr Gabby Knight (NZ Def),
John Alama (ACEO Customs) and David Allen (Logistics Cluster Coordinator), as well as a
representative of NDMO if available.
Next meeting Logistics Cluster 14
th
October, 14:00. Venue as above.
Contact Information Logistics Cluster Cell:
-
David Allen, Logistics Cluster Coordinator
o
Mobile: +865 761 06 71
o
E-mail:
david.allen@wfp.org
Website Pacific Disaster Net:
http://www.pacificdisaster.net:8080/Plone/samoa-tsunami