Messina

1. Messina port pilot boarding Pilot boards38°14.6′N 015°34.5′E
2. Strait of Messina boarding — southbound passage Pilot boards38°18.2′N 015°40.6′E
3. Strait of Messina boarding — northbound passage Pilot boards38°08.9′N 015°36.6′E
4. Stretto di Messina – SBARCO pilota, navi provenienti da nord (Ril. 172° d=3,1 NM Faro di S. Raineri) Pilot boards38°08.5′N 015°35.0′E

Size limits

LOA 347.1m, beam 47m, draught 10m, 34,987DWT.

Water density

1025.

Load line zone

Summer.

Tides

Range approx 0.6m.

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

Approach

Major light: Punta San Raineri Light (38°11.5'N 015°34.5'E).

Approaches: Vessels approaching from N bound, which for any reason may have to stop engines, or proceed slowly, should navigate with caution, having taken into consideration the strong current.

Vessels approaching from S, owing to the strong currents experienced off Punta San Raineri and the port designated restricted area, should make a very wide turn at Punta Secca before heading for the entrance.

Vessels should avoid approaching closed than 40m from the E side of the entrance to the harbour and closed than 70m from the W side as these waters ate not safe.

Vessels entering or leaving the harbour or manoeuvring within the harbour must navigate, making allowances for the currents within the harbour.

Anchorages

Designated anchor berths:

Anchorage A (38°13.7'N 015°34.7'E) off Paradiso.

Anchorage B (38°14.3'N 015°35.3'E) off Grotta.

Anchorage C (38°14.6'N 015°35.5'E) of Grotta.

Anchorage is prohibited in Rada Paradiso for vessels conveying noxious substances and/or dangerous cargoes, as defined by MARPOL 73/78, or which have conveyed these cargoes and have not been cleaned or are not gas-free. Exceptions to this prohibition are vessels waiting to undertake commercial operations in Porto di Messina.

Tugs

Two tugs available throughout 24 hours, of 4,000hp and 1,500hp.

Charts and publications

BA 994, 917, 1018. US Publications 131. Admiralty Pilot NP45, NP286(3).

ETA and pre-arrival notices

Vessels should advise initial ETA to the pilots by email 12 hours prior to arrival and contact by VHF Ch 12, 2 hours and 1 hour before arrival.

Communications

Radio: Messina or Roma Radio throughout 24 hours. Inmarsat communication is possible.

VHF: Pilots: Ch 16, 12. Call Pilotina Messina Nord or Pilotina Messina Sud. (For Straits Northbound, Straits Southbound or Messina Port). Tel: +39 090 312544, Email: [email protected].

Port: Ch 16, 14.

Tugs: Ch 12. Available 0800-2700 hours.

Messina Traffic: Ch 20, 16, 13, 14. Tel/Fax: +39 090 [email protected].

Notice of readiness

NOR to be tendered as per terms and conditions of Charter Party.

Documents

Ship's forms are accepted. No boarding passes are required.

Local authorities board on vessel's arrival. International forms are normally accepted. If any Italian forms are required, they will be delivered onboard by agent on arrival.

Health

Pratique should be applied for through agent prior to arrival. Radio pratique is possible.

Ship Sanitation Control Certificate and Ship Sanitation Control Exemption Certificates can be renewed.

Customs and immigration

The customs allowance is 1 box of cigarettes and 1 bottle of liquor or equivalent not exceeding the value of 90 Euro. Duty free shop and casino to be kept closed in port.

Fines vary from 2 to 10 times the value of taxes included on the goods exceeding the above mentioned value.

Immigration authorities will board on arrival. Clearance to crew and passengers is normally granted in 10-15 minutes.

Notices and regulations

Regulations concerning entry:

Hydrofoil Craft: From sunset to sunrise and during conditions of poor visibility, hydrofoils must not navigate on their foils in the 2nm wide coastal corridor along the coastal zone of the Messina Maritime Division. This restriction is extended beyond 2nm from the coast into the Stretto di Messina, to cover the waters of the strait which are under the jurisdiction of the Messina Maritime Division, the sea area bounded by the lines through:

Punta Calamizzi and the church of Tremestieri.

Torre Cavallo and Capo Peloro.

Tankers: Tankers conveying hydrocarbons or noxious substances or dangerous chemical products in a liquid or gaseous state, and exceeding 500GT, must maintain a distance of not less than 3nm from the coast, whilst passing through the waters controlled by the Messina Maritime Division. This prohibition does not apply to through traffic passing the narrow part of the Strait.

All vessels: All vessels, when navigating in the water adjacent of the degassing station, to the W of Porto di Messina, must pass at a distance of not less than 100m from a ship which is berthed to that pier.

Navigation is prohibited for power driven vessels in a zone 300m wide from the coast within the area bounded by:

The point at 50m W abreast Punta San Salvatore.

The point at 300m E abreast Punta San Raineri.

Craft entering harbour must pass Punta Secca at a distance of not less than 700m.

Power driven vessels must obey the speed limit of 7kts, which is established within a 0.5nm radius of the entrance to Porto di Messina.

Vessels may not enter harbour until a quayside berth has been allocated.

All vessels with the exception of high speed craft (hydrofoils, catamarans, mono-hulls) which are carrying out daily connection with the Italian mainland, must, on arrival at Porto di Messina wait outside the port until they have confirmed that no departing craft is using the entrance. Vessels leaving have precedence over those entering.

Precedence for entry is based on a vessel's arrival at 0.5nm from the harbour entrance. Vessels must (by VHF Ch 16), inform interested traffic of their intentions.

Warships have precedence over all merchant vessels, whether entering or leaving.

During entry/departure movements at the port, vessels must maintain a distance from each other of not less than 200m.

Vessels are prohibited from passing one another in the entrance of the harbour.

In the event of simultaneous entry/departure by vessels, Italian State Railway train ferries take precedence over others.

There is a maximum speed limit of 7kts from vessels entering or leaving harbour.

Ships owners/agents must deliver a berthing request, in accordance with current formats, to the port authority at least 24 hours in advance of a vessels ETA. Exemptions are:

Vessels bound for the Italian Navy area of the harbour.

Craft which use a leased berth.

Naval and police craft.

High-speed craft (hydrofoils, catamarans, mono-hulls) on daily connecting services with the Italian mainland.

Craft plying regular passenger and ferry traffic with the Italian mainland.

No vessel is allowed to swing at anchor within the harbour; all must be secured head and stern.

Dangerous cargoes: Entry into the port is prohibited for vessels conveying hydrocarbons and/or noxious substances and/or chemical products in a liquid or gaseous state, or which have conveyed the said cargoes and have not been cleaned and/or is not gas free.

Mooring of the above vessels to the Norimberga Quay can be authorised, with advance agreement of the port authority, for the purpose of commercial operations connected with the function of the coastal depots which are connected to this quay.

Sound signals: Vessels are prohibited from sounding a whistle or siren except for the purpose of making a signal prescribed by the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea.

Port VHF watch: When in the port, all vessels must maintain a continuous 24 hour watch on Ch 16.

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: Italian Coast Guard Headquarters, Legal Department.

Address: Viale dell'Arte 16, I-00146 Rome, Italy.

Tel: +39 06 590 841 87.

Fax: +39 06 596 482 93.

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.guardiacostiera.gov.it

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

Repairs

Available. There are several workshops for engine/electrical and other repairs. Divers available.

Repair berth: Length 165m, depth 7.0m.

Bunkers, water and stores

Fresh water: Available at all quays.

Bunkering: Gas oil and MDO can be supplied by road tankers with a minimum of 24 hours notice.

Stores: Available.

Transport

Nearest airport: Reggio Calabria, 13km.

Nearest railway: Messina.

Working hours

Mon-Fri 0800-1700hrs; Sat morning overtime can be ordered.

Where it is

Messina is situated in NE Sicily, facing the Straits of Messina and the mainland.

The port

The port offers facilities for general and bulk cargoes as well as cruise, car and rail ferry and fast ferry passengers. The principal exports are fruit, wine, sulphur and silk.

An entrance, over 400m wide, allows easy access and the port is considered sheltered in all weathers.

Traffic

Approx 7,000,000t of cargo and 8,000,000 passengers handled annually.

Where does the pilot board at Messina?

The pilot boards at Messina port pilot boarding, 38°14.6′N 015°34.5′E. Messina has 4 pilot boarding places.

What time zone is Messina in?

Local time at Messina 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 Messina?

The deepest berth listed is at Messina SW Quays: 10.00 m maximum draught. The "Max draft per terminal" table gives each terminal's figure.

What is the water density at Messina?

1025.

Which load line zone is Messina in?

Summer.

Who carries out Port State Control at Messina?

Port State Control at Messina: Paris MOU.

What is the UN/LOCODE of Messina?

The UN/LOCODE of Messina is ITMSN.

What crews who called at Messina 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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