PORT GUIDE · FOR OFFICERS, MASTERS AND SHORE TEAMS
Sacramento
Pilot
updated May 2010Compulsory. Pilot boards in San Francisco Bay. River pilots may be obtained through the Port Office.
Key data
updated Nov 2023Size limits
LOA 190m, beam 32.26m, 56,918DWT.
Water density
1000.
Load line zone
Summer.
Tides
Range 1.5m. From Nov to Apr major floods occur in Sacramento River. This can result in a rise of 3.0m at its mouth, and as much as 9.0m at Sacramento. There is little or no in-going stream at Sacramento, and the out-going stream is strong.
During the dry season the in-going stream reaches Paintersville, 48km above the river mouth, and is then non-tidal as far as Freeport, 17.7km farther N.
Local knowledge is required to assess the strength of the stream.
Max draft per terminal
| Terminal | Max draught | Max LOA | Berths |
|---|---|---|---|
| Port of Sacramento | — | 190 m | 11 |
| Cemex Terminal | — | 190 m | 1 |
| Yara Terminal | — | 183 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 2023Approach
Access to the Port of Sacramento is from San Francisco Bay via dredged channels in San Pablo Bay, Carquinez Strait, Suuisun Bay and the Sacramento Deep Water Ship Channel, which is some 145km from the Golden Gate Bridge.
Deep Water Channel: The channel extends from the harbour for 42.8nm to the mouth of the Sacramento River at Collinsville.
Restrictions
Vertical Clearances: The minimum vertical clearance under any of the bridges spanning the channels through the bays leading to Sacramento River is 40.8m at Carquinez Strait Bridges. Rio Vista Lift Bridge spans the Deep Water Ship Channel (38°09'N 121°42'W) above the town of Rio Vista. The bridge has a vertical clearance of 5.4m when down and 43m when up; the operators can be contacted on VHF radio.
Antioch Railroad Bridge has a vertical clearance of 41m.
The minimum vertical clearance over the Sacramento River is 4.5m at the highway bridge (38°10'N 121°36'W) when it is down, 0.75nm above Isleton.
The minimum safe overhead clearance under any of the power cables on the route to the Sacramento River is 38m, and on the river itself it is 33m.
Tugs
There are 2 tugs available.
Charts and publications
BA 2530. Admiralty Pilot NP8, NP286(5).
Reporting before arrival
updated Aug 2010ETA and pre-arrival notices
Vessels arriving in first US port: Please see country information.
Communications
VHF: Port: Ch 16, 18A.
See San Francisco Bay Pilots.
River Pilot: callsign "KPB366" obtained though Port Office.
Documents
Please see country information for details of documentation requirements.
Health
No action initiated unless there is illness onboard.
Ship Sanitation Control Certificates: Please see country information.
Customs and immigration
For crew not to be detained onboard each crew member must have a visa in their passport or Seaman's Book.
Notices and regulations
Coastguard Vessel Inspection: Please see country information.
Inspections
Port State Control here: US Coast Guard.
Foreign ships are examined by the US Coast Guard. File the Advance Notice of Arrival 96 hours ahead (33 CFR 160).
ISPS
ISPS Designated Authority: United States Coast Guard, Office of Compliance. Address: 2100 Second St, SW, Washington DC, 20593, USA. Tel: +1 202 267 2978. Fax: +1 202 267 4858. Email: [email protected]. For further ISPS information see IMO website http://www2.imo.org/ISPSCode.
Port services
updated Nov 2023Repairs
Minor repairs possible.
Bunkers, water and stores
Fresh water: Available at the quays.
Bunkering: Available by barge or road tanker.
Medical
Nearest hospital: Mercy General Hospital (9km).
Transport
Nearest airport: Sacramento International Airport (16km).
Nearest train station: Sacramento Valley (5km).
Working hours
Throughout 24 hours.
About Sacramento
updated Nov 2023Where it is
The inland port of Sacramento, California, is located 79nm NE of San Francisco.
The port
Sacramento is centred in one of the richest agricultural and industrial regions in the world. The port serves northern California, Nevada and southern Oregon dealing primarily with bulk cargoes such as rice, clay, woodchips, logs and fertilisers.
Traffic
Approx 560, 000t of cargoes handled annually.
Questions about Sacramento
What are the pilot arrangements at Sacramento?
Compulsory. Pilot boards in San Francisco Bay.
What time zone is Sacramento in?
Local time at Sacramento is UTC−8. Clocks go to UTC−7 on 14 Mar 2027. Back to UTC−8 on 7 Nov 2027.
What is the water density at Sacramento?
1000.
Which load line zone is Sacramento in?
Summer.
Who carries out Port State Control at Sacramento?
Port State Control at Sacramento: US Coast Guard.
What is the UN/LOCODE of Sacramento?
The UN/LOCODE of Sacramento is USSAC.
Tips from seafarers
What crews who called at Sacramento 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.