IMPT Update DR 'Humanitarian Corridor'

UPDATE - New strict procedures have been implemented, starting TOMORROW that apply to transporting humanitarian CARGO and PASSENGERS via Dominican Republic to Haiti.

Also: the UN has negotiated clearance of customs for this humanitarian corridor for the next six months.

This information is relevant esp to smaller NGOs, groups wishing to sent humanitarian supplies or medicine into Haiti and Port-au-Prince with security provided, using the UN convoy system, via the Dominican Republic - who may not have logistical support or their own truck, storage, etc.

Take home message: New impt rules are in place for UN agencies, and larger NGOs who are part of the official relief effort.

To quote the report (following, below) from the UN Logistics Cluster in charge of this transportation and shipping of humanitarian aid aspect of the Haiti quake relief effort:

"Strict procedures are now in place for booking of both passenger and cargo transport. All requests for passenger transport should be directed to unhaspax.haiti@wfp.org, while (email) cargo movement requests should be sent to haiti.cargo@logcluster.org)."

Further below is today's UN Cluster Group Logistics Situation Update with complete details I discuss here first.

UPDATE:

Today in S. Domingo I slipped over to the UN House at Rue Anaconda 9 (for future mtgs for those of you in smaller NGOs - impt mtg place for all cluster gps including nutrition, protection, etc. related to Quake) to attend a weekly meeting of the UN Cluster Gp on Logistics... a regular update they're having with key relief orgs handling logistics for UN relief effort via border.

This was attended by the major UN players and larger NGOs who are in the humanitarian area bringing large-scale supplies into Haiti via the 'humanitarian corridor' being set up.Only a few non UN groups attended, but the info is very relevant to all NGOs and gps seeking to bring supplies into Haiti.

Bottom line is that new transport and storage services are available including:

--new container space,
--new warehouse space at Jimani,
--new flight schedules for cargo from Las Americas airport. UNHAS is in charge and registration is required. Contact the email listed below on the UN Logistics Cluster Situation Report. Flights will happen twice daily, for up to 35 passengers.

--and commercial flights from Las Americas will also be available. UNHAS also in charge.

-- trucks and groups without trucks invited to participate in UN transport convoy that go out twice daily from Jimani to Port-au-Prince,with UN security provided
--Barahona airport(very soon -will be ready). Contact UN Logistics Cluster email listed below for cargo transport requests.

-- sea access is being developed at smaller ports - updates soon from the Cluster.

Also: Fuel, trucks have been added to both P au P and Jimani ends of the shipping routes. 20.000 gallons of fuel has been brought in, and fuel is available to NGOs putting trucks into the UN convoys at BOTH ends.

This is for transporting supplies WITH the UN convoy. which also has security provided to the convoys via MINUSTAH -- an arrangement set up by the Dominican Govt, not the UN.

Note: while security concerns have been raised, the groups at the meeting today did NOT report security problems regarding the UN transport convoys to date.

UPDATE: This service is available to smaller NGOs and groups without their own trucks or bringing in smaller donations, etc.. but you must work through the Cluster Group to register with them, to inform them of your needs in advance, at either end of the process.

You can store your pallets, etc at a DHL run warehouse at Jimani set up for smaller NGOs.

All cargo hoping to use DHL assistance/storage in warehouse must make sure to post the name of the CARGO AGENT on the manifest -- which is DAMA. '

Warehouse is located inside the customs area at Jimani border. Address:

DHL Temporary Warehouse
Unit 14, CV, SDQ'
Jimani
tel: 829-774-2225

YOU are NOT REQUIRED TO DO THIS, but it's available. Obviously, this will help agencies and smaller groups avoid customs fees and delays, and get secure passage to and from the Port-au-Prince airport for further distribution to food distribution points in Haiti -- and Jimani, Dominican Republic.


Below is the Official Situation Report from that Meeting, posted at the Cluster Group Logistics website.
------------------------------------------------------------

Logistics Cluster

SANTO DOMINGO LOGISTICS CLUSTER
SITUATION REPORT
HAITI EARTHQUAKE

DATE: 24/JANUARY/2010
CONTENTS

1. HIGHLIGHT
2. LOGISTICS COORDINATION
3. BORDER CROSSING AND CUSTOMS
4. AIR OPERATION
5. INFRASTRUCTURE AND STORAGE

1 Highlight
• UNHAS has increased the capacity for cargo and passengers out of Santo Domingo (La
Isabela airport).

2 Logistics Coordination
• The Logistics Cluster in Santo Domingo held its third meeting today, Sunday 24 January. 30
different organisations participated.
• The next Logistics Cluster meeting will be held at the UN House in Santo Domingo on
Wednesday 27 January at 1400 hrs.
• The Barahona hub is not yet operational.
• Operational procedures are now in place for cargo movement requests (CMRs). CMRs should,
regardless of means of transport, be sent to haiti.cargo@logcluster.org

3 Border Crossing and Customs:
• WFP has on behalf of the Logistics Cluster negotiated tax exemption at the airport on all
incoming humanitarian goods for the next six months. Further details will be disseminated in
the following days.
• Two Logistics Officers are based at the border crossing in Jimaní. Further staff is currently being
deployed.

4 Air Operation
• The cargo transport capacity between Santo Domingo and Port-au Prince has increased.
Pending demand, two aircrafts, one Caribou aircraft capable of carrying 2.7 mt and one
Antonov 12 capable of carrying 16 mt, are available.
• The capacity of the UNHAS passenger service between Port-au-Prince and Santo Domingo has
also increased. Pending demand, 2 aircrafts are now available to provide transport up to a
maximum of 86 passengers each day.
• Strict procedures are now in place for booking of both passenger and cargo transport. All
requests for passenger transport should be directed to unhaspax.haiti@wfp.org, while cargo
movement requests should be sent to the address referred to above
(haiti.cargo@logcluster.org).

5 Infrastructure and storage
• 70 flatbed trailers continue to operate between Santo Domingo and the Haitian border, where
they twice daily are met by the MINUSTAH escort. No problems have been reported
concerning this route.
• More incoming cargo is expected at Las Americas airport. The Logistics Cluster is currently
working on increasing existing storage capacity.

For inquiries about participation or this service, please contact:

Eva-Kristin Urestad Pedersen
Logistics Cluster
Information Management Officer
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Mob.: + (1)829 817 1606