Guayaquil

1. Guayaquil pilot boarding place Pilot boards02°44.5′S 080°23.1′W

Size limits

Harbour: LOA 368.5m, draught 12.0m, beam 51m, 150,936DWT.

Offshore: LOA 212.5m, BCM 32.26m, 63,301DWT.

Water density

1006-1025.

Load line zone

Tropical.

Tides

Range at entrance 1.8m; average tidal range at port 3.8m. The spring range is 3.6m, mean range is 3.3m, and the neap range is 1.8m. Between Punta Mondragon and Guayaquil, there is no regularity in the times of tides.

Deepest first. The draught is the largest any of the terminal's berths states; a dash means the source gives none.

Approach

New access channel length 95km in length, width 122m, minimum dredged depth 12.5m (13m in places). Navigational aids and buoys throughout the channel.

Guayaquil is approached through Canal del Morro (02°46.0'S 080°14.0'W), then through Canal de Cascajal (02°40'S 080°05'W) and Rio Guayas, and is entered S of Isla Santay (02°13.0'S 079°51.0'W).The time taken from pilot station to berthing in New Port is approximately 4 hours. There is 10.0m depth available on berths in New Port, max permissible ship draught 9.75m.

Time and tide: When proceeding to the port at speeds of 12-15kts, it is advisable to arrive at the bar off Puerto Balsas (02°34.8'S 079°54.4'W) 30 minutes before HW, and proceed with the in going stream nearly as far as Guayaquil. When proceeding from the port, the best time for the largest vessel capable of using the port to leave Guayaquil is 4 hours before HW. By making good 10kts, the bar is reached 30 minutes before HW at Puerto Balsas.

Directions for berthing at New Port: On an out going tide pass SE and E of Osla Trinitaria and berth starboard side to. On an in going tide continue N and pass N of Isla Trinitaria and berth port side to. There are 4 mooring buoys off the berths used by vessels waiting to berth or fruit vessels loading from lighters. Vessels use anchor and mooring buoy astern.

Anchorages

On arrival off port a vessel's anchor berth will be indicated by the pilot station. Anchorage off Guayaquil is often congested and the holding ground is reported as poor in places.

A vessel proceeding up river approaching Guayaquil city with the ingoing stream should have an anchor ready for letting go. The normal practice is to stop abreast the S end of the city and drift up to the anchorage.

A vessel arriving on the ingoing stream at night is required to wait off Sitio Nuevo, S of the city, until daylight or until the out going stream, before proceeding to the anchorage.

Vessels under way in the anchorage area should not meet and pass in the navigational channel. An overtaking vessel must not cross the bows of the vessel overtaken.

Designated Anchorage areas:

Outer anchorage: Anchorage may be obtained W of Canal del Morro Sea Lightbuoy, in designated anchorages, with positions relative to Punta Chapoya (02°38.2'S 080°26.0'W). Large vessels (5nm S), dangerous cargo (9nm S).

Anchorage may also be obtained in Canal del Morro and in designated anchorages, as follows:

Tanker anchorage (02°26.8'S 079°51.2'W).

Explosives anchorage (02°16.8'S 079°49.8'W).

River General Cargo Anchorages: (centres referred to La Puntilla)

Prohibited anchorage: Anchorage is prohibited in the vicinity of a submarine pipeline, laid across the harbour, ENE from the Customs House, 2nm N of La Puntilla.

Quarantine anchorage: Quarantine anchorage is off Sitio Nuevo.

Restrictions

Berthing and manoeuvring: At Guayaquil, weighing anchor and pointing ship, to proceed down river, on the out going stream, is difficult owing to the narrowness of the channel and the strength of the stream.

It is convenient if vessels berth alongside, bows S, on the last of the in going stream, when there is a greater depth of water for turning in the river. Vessels which are bows N have to turn on departure, soon after LW.

Tugs

Compulsory for berthing/unberthing. Several tugs available up to 1,400hp with onboard VHF communications.

Charts and publications

BA 509, 510, 511, 512, 586, 2257, 3092. Ecuadorian 1075, 1071, 1072, 108. Admiralty Pilot NP7, NP286(7).

ETA and pre-arrival notices

These reports must be sent to "DIGMER" (Direccion General de la Marina Mercante y del Litoral (Maritime Authority) by Fax: +593 4 232 4714 or Telex 42512 and 43325 as soon as possible after entering Ecuadorian waters via radio VHF Ch 16 Data Pilot Station/Practicos Guayquil.

Sitrame Reports:

These reports should be sent prior to arrival to Guayaquil Coast Guard Station, Email: [email protected] and copied to agent.

The format may be found in BA Radio Signals.

Communications

Radio Costera Guayaquil is the recommended station for passing messages at long range. The station works from 0800-2359hrs.

Inmarsat communication is not possible.

VHF: Port: Ch 06, 12, 14, 16.

Pilots: Ch 12, 14, 16. Callsign Data Pilots.

Tugs: Ch 14,16.

Agent: Ch 71, ISS-Anglo SACI stand-by 24 hours while vessel in port.

Notice of readiness

NOR is normally tendered on arrival at first sea pilot station.

Documents

Special forms for completion by the Master are delivered onboard by the local agent on arrival.

Health

Quarantine: A vessel arriving from a port infected or suspected of being infected is fumigated, and allowed to load and discharge. Passengers and crew who are ill are taken to a quarantine station and kept under observation until the danger has passed.

The Medical Officer of Health visits vessels at Guayaquil.

Ship Sanitation Control Certificates and Exemption Certificates renewed.

Customs and immigration

Customs allowances: There is no specific allowance set by Customs. However, personal effects should be limited to one item such as one TV, one radio, etc. Penalties for non compliance result in excess/undeclared items being confiscated.

Immigration: Passports have to be presented. Crew and passengers proceeding ashore must be in possession of their passport and a shore pass which will be inspected.

Flags

For not displaying Interco and/or other flags a vessel may be detained and fined by an amount determined by the local authorities.

Notices and regulations

Authorisation must be obtained from the Port Captain before any repair work or painting commences. The Authority will only authorise painting, scraping is forbidden.

Regulations concerning entry: Vessels under way in the anchorage area should not meet and pass in the navigational channel.

An overtaking vessel, in Rio Guayas, must avoid crossing ahead of the vessel overtaken.

Passing or overtaking is prohibited between No 33 and 45 Lightbuoys. If two vessels meeting, the one with the tidal stream has precedence.

A vessel arriving on the in going stream at night is required to wait off Sitio Neuvo, S of the city, until daylight or until the turn of the tide before proceeding to the anchorage.

ISPS

ISPS Designated Authority: Direccion General de la Marina Mercante y del Litoral, Secretaria de Proteccion Maritima.

Position: Superintendente de Autoridades Portuarias.

Address: Elizalde 101 y Malecon, Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Tel: +593 4 232 4827

Fax: +593 4 232 4827

Mob: +593 9 402 9527

Email: [email protected]

Telex: 43325.

For further ISPS information see IMO website http://www.imo.org

Repairs

Minor repairs work shops available.

Dry docks

Floating dock "Amazonas", owned by the Ecuadorian Navy, for vessels less than 3,500t displacement; extreme length 150m, length on bottom 115m.

Slipway, length 141m for vessels up to 1,200t displacement.

Bunkers, water and stores

Fresh water: Available.

Bunkering: Available.

Stores: Available.

Medical

Nearest hospital: Hospital Guayaquil Abel Gilbert Pontón (4km).

Transport

Nearest airport: Aeropuerto Internacional José Joaquín De Olmedo (12km).

Working hours

Normally Mon-Sun 0130-0630hrs, 0830-1130hrs, 1330-1700hrs, 1830-2330hrs.

Where it is

Guayaquil is situated on Rio Guayas to the N of the Gulf of Guayaquil. The main part of the port, Puerto Nuevo, is in the N of the Gulf of Guayaquil.

The port

Guayaquil is the main port of Ecuador. Puerto Nuevo is located in the salt water estuary of the Gulf of Guayaquil, about 44nm from the sea. The Canal del Morro links the estuary with the port area. A natural channel was dredged to permit access to large ships visiting the harbour. This channel is liable to heavy silting.

The port has an excellent rail link with the capital of Ecuador, Quito, via Riobamba and Latacunga. Cargoes are handled at river anchorage from lighters, in the Old Port and private wharves, the new Port, 5nm SW of city and various oil terminals. Several new terminals for bulk, bananas and fertiliser have recently opened.

Imports: Iron, steel, vehicles, machinery and wheat.

Exports: Bananas, coffee, cocoa, sugar, rice, balsa, fish, vegetable oil, molasses and petroleum products.

Andipuerto, which has exclusive rights to handle bulk/grain cargoes, is located in Puerto Nuevo. The terminal can also attend to reefer and general cargo vessels. The principal import cargoes are wheat, corn, soy bean, paddy rice and fertilisers; main exports are bananas, coffee, cocoa and exotic fruits.

Traffic

Approx 1,900,000TEU and 3,000 vessels handled annually.

Where does the pilot board at Guayaquil?

The pilot boards at Guayaquil pilot boarding place, 02°44.5′S 080°23.1′W.

What time zone is Guayaquil in?

Local time at Guayaquil is UTC−5. No summer time.

What is the maximum draft at Guayaquil?

The deepest berth listed is at Guayaquil Container and Multipurpose Terminals (GCMT): 10.97 m maximum draught. The "Max draft per terminal" table gives each terminal's figure.

What is the water density at Guayaquil?

1006-1025.

Which load line zone is Guayaquil in?

Tropical.

What is the UN/LOCODE of Guayaquil?

The UN/LOCODE of Guayaquil is ECGYE.

What crews who called at Guayaquil say: pilot boarding, the agent's papers, inspections, shore leave. Each tip is shown with the writer's rank and ship type, and an AI summary sits on top once there are three or more.

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