PORT GUIDE · FOR OFFICERS, MASTERS AND SHORE TEAMS
Malaga
Pilot
updated Mar 2013- Malaga pilot boarding Pilot boards36°42.0′N 004°24.7′W
Pilotage is compulsory for vessels over 500GT and is available 24 hours. Vessel's should send ETA 24 hours prior to arrival and confirm 2 and 1 hour/s prior to arrival.
The pilot boats are black with the letter "P" in white and display a blue flag with the letter "P" in the centre. At night they burn a white flare at intervals.
Pilots will board an incoming vessel in position 36°41.5'N 004°24.6'W, 0.5nm SSE of Dique de Levante Breakwater Light, in bad weather they will board at the entrance to the port.
Pilots will advise masters whether vessel has a free berth or has to anchor in the roads. Further particulars can be obtained from the pilot.
Key data
updated Oct 2026Size limits
LOA 399.98, draught 15.8m, beam 59m, 221,517DWT.
Water density
1025.
Load line zone
Summer.
Tides
MHWS 0.7m; MHWN 0.6m; MLWN 0.3m; MLWS 0.2m.
Max draft per terminal
| Terminal | Max draught | Max LOA | Berths |
|---|---|---|---|
| Noatum Container Terminal | 15.80 m | 400 m | 2 |
| Eastern Passenger Terminal B | 15.60 m | 366 m | 2 |
| Malaga Commercial Terminal | 13.40 m | 240 m | 9 |
| Eastern Passenger Terminal A | 9.30 m | 362 m | 2 |
| Fishing Terminal | — | 23 m | 1 |
Deepest first. The draught is the largest any of the terminal's berths states; a dash means the source gives none.
Approach
updated Nov 2019Approach
At night a vessel approaching from S should keep the main lighthouse bearing less than 020° to clear the shoal bank off the mouth of Rio Guadalhorce and in poor visibility should not approach into depths of less than 13.0m until the lights on the mole heads are sighted.
A vessel approaching Malaga from SW should, after passing Torre Bermeja at a distance of about 1.5nm, keep parallel with the coast.
Care must be taken to pass well clear of the offshore oiling berth about 1nm S of the entrance to Malaga.
The entrance mouth width of Malaga is 345m with a depth of 17.0m.
Port limits
Four lines define limits of the port of Malaga, two of them are imaginary straight lines traced in N-S direction, with a length of 3nm. The first line part of the extreme point of the right margin of the River Guadalhorce; the second line part of the extreme point of the left margin of the outlet of Galica Creek; the third line is the coastline between the two cited points and the fourth line an imaginary straight line joining the extremities of the S side of the first two cited lines.
Restrictions
Submarine cables and pipelines: There are numerous cables, some of which run through designated anchorages, in the area.
An anchoring and fishing prohibited area surrounds the ammonia terminal and a cable area SW of it.
Charts and publications
Spanish 455 A. BA 1850, 1851. Admiralty Pilot NP45, NP286(3).
Reporting before arrival
updated May 2010ETA and pre-arrival notices
Vessels should send ETA 24 hours prior to arrival and confirm ETA 2 and 1 hour prior to arrival.
Communications
VHF: Port Authorities: Ch 16, 12.
Port Control Ch 11.
Pilot Ch 12.
Notice of readiness
NOR to be tendered to agent on berthing or at anchorage if vessel does not come alongside on arrival.
Health
Ship Sanitation Control Certificates and Exemption Certificates renewed.
Customs and immigration
Tobacco: If more than 6kg of tobacco per crew, the excess must be declared in a separate manifest, which is issued by the Spanish Consul.
Inspections
Port State Control here: Paris MOU.
Running now: the Paris and Tokyo MOU concentrated inspection campaign on cargo securing, 1 September to 30 November 2026. Its questions are published: the questionnaire.
ISPS
ISPS Designated Authority: Puertos del Estado (Ministerio de Fomento)
Title: Coordinador de Proteccion Portuaria
Address: Av de la Marina, 3, 15001, A Coruna, Spain
Tel: +34 98 121 9618
Fax: +34 98 121 9607
Mob: +34 630 957875
For further ISPS information see IMO website http://www.imo.org
Port services
updated Nov 2019Repairs
There are several workshops where repairs can be done.
Dry docks
Floating dock owned by Mario Lopez, SA.
Bunkers, water and stores
Fresh water: Available.
Bunkering: Available.
Stores: Available.
Medical
Regional Hospital of Malaga, 3.5km.
Crew change
Possible.
Transport
Nearest airport: Malaga International Airport, 8km.
Nearest railway: The berths are connected to the rail network.
Working hours
Normally Mon-Fri 0800-2359hrs; 1400-1800hrs. Saturdays 0800-1400hrs; overtime by arrangement.
About Malaga
updated Oct 2026Where it is
Malaga is situated approx 50nm NE of Gibraltar.
The port
The port is protected by two breakwaters and has facilities to handles container, Ro-Ro, dry bulk and liquid cargo. Malaga also handles a large number of cruise and ferry passengers.
Traffic
Approx 5,600,000t of cargo, 350,000TEU, 900,000 passengers and 1,300 vessels handled annually.
Questions about Malaga
Where does the pilot board at Malaga?
The pilot boards at Malaga pilot boarding, 36°42.0′N 004°24.7′W.
What time zone is Malaga in?
Local time at Malaga is UTC+1. Clocks go to UTC+2 on 28 Mar 2027. Back to UTC+1 on 31 Oct 2027.
What is the maximum draft at Malaga?
The deepest berth listed is at Noatum Container Terminal: 15.80 m maximum draught. The "Max draft per terminal" table gives each terminal's figure.
What is the water density at Malaga?
1025.
Which load line zone is Malaga in?
Summer.
Who carries out Port State Control at Malaga?
Port State Control at Malaga: Paris MOU.
What is the UN/LOCODE of Malaga?
The UN/LOCODE of Malaga is ESAGP.
Tips from seafarers
What crews who called at Malaga 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.
A planning aid, not for navigation. These facts come from public sources and each section shows how old it is. Check with the port, your agent, your ENCs and official publications. Spotted something wrong? Tell us on the feedback board.