PORT GUIDE · FOR OFFICERS, MASTERS AND SHORE TEAMS
Salvador
Pilot
updated Mar 2016Pilotage is compulsory for all foreign vessels and is available day and night. Pilots board the vessel from a launch SW of Banco da Panela. Advance notice should be given 48hrs and 24hrs prior to arrival. Salvador Pilots can be contact on VHF Chs10, 11 and 16.
The Bahia Regasification Terminal (TRBA) - The use of pilots is compulsory for vessels bound for TRBA from the anchorage area. Three pilotage services - Salvador Pilots, Bahia Pilots and Todos os Santos Bay - are in standby 24hrs per day. Request for pilot will be done via ship's agent at least 3hrs in advance of leaving the anchorage area and 4hrs before undocking at TRBA. Contact may be made on VHF Ch 16. Pilots will board in the following location - 12° 58.100'S 38° 32.220'W.
Key data
updated Dec 2022Size limits
Harbour - Draught 14.7m, LOA 333.30m, Beam 48.4m, 134,007DWT.
Offshore - LOA 299.16m, draught 12.5m, 95,253DWT.
Water density
1025.
Load line zone
Tropical.
Tides
Spring range 2.2m, neap range 0.9m.
TRBA - tides range from 0.53 - 3.55m.
Max draft per terminal
| Terminal | Max draught | Max LOA | Berths |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tecon Salvador | 14.70 m | 330 m | 3 |
| The Bahia Regasification Terminal (TRBA) | 12.50 m | 315 m | 2 |
| Commercial Quay | 11.40 m | 333 m | 6 |
| Enseada Terminal | — | — | 1 |
| Sao Joaquim Terminal | — | — | 2 |
Deepest first. The draught is the largest any of the terminal's berths states; a dash means the source gives none.
Approach
updated Sep 2021Approach
There are two access channels; the inner channel (city side) has a min depth of 8.0m, and the outer channel (Itaperica Island) has a depth of 13.0m to 55.0m.
Approaching from the E, sound depth continuously and round Banco de Santo Antonio in depths of over 22.0m.
Approaching from the S note that the current sets into the bay to the N of Morro de Sao Paulo situated 31nm SW of Ponta de Santo Antonio, (13°01'S 038°32'W), during fresh onshore winds. Do not therefore bring Morro de Sao Paulo to bear less than 225°, nor approach Ilha de Itaparica within depths of less than 20.0m.
Approach the entrance with Santo de Antonio Light tower bearing 013° and 030° and enter the bay with Ponta de Monte Serrat Light tower, bearing 022°, to pass 1.2nm W of Ponta de Santo Antonio and avoid the shoals of the W side of the entrance, which do not show in calm weather, by keeping E of the E cardinal lightbuoy marking the E extremity of Baxio Grande. This course leads up to the pilot boarding ground off the SW side of Banco da Panela.
Port limits
The port is delimited by a line running E/W that passes by the Santo Antonio Lighthouse, extending to the coast of Itaparica Island, following it in the direction of the bay up to the same E/W line that attains the continent and from there along the coast to the N up to parallel 12°50'S, following it eastward until it reaches the continent.
Traffic schemes and VTS
The Port of Salvador doesn't have special service for traffic and navigation control.
Anchorages
Anchorages may be obtained to the N of Banco da Panels in depths of 10-22m, mud, good holding ground. Care should be taken not to obstruct the passage of vessels using the N entrance to the harbour.
Strong S winds, which are liable to occur from Apr to Aug, send a considerable sea into these anchorages.
Anchorages for lash vessels and their lighters are established at the N end of the harbour.
A quarantine anchorage is situated 2.5nm W of Ponte de Monte Serrat.
An explosives anchorage is situated 2.75nm SW of Ponta de Monte Serrat.
Anchoring is prohibited in an area centred approx 0.5nm NE of the N head of the detached breakwater.
Tugs
Tugs up to 2,100bhp are available. Compulsory for all vessels performing mooring/unmooring manoeuvres. Tugs must be used upon entry and departure from Todos os Santos Bay, one tug and pilot are to be assigned to escort from pilot boarding station to anchorage and/or terminal. A minimum of four tugs with no less than 40t bollard pull for berthing and unberthing manoeuvres. Tugs are equipped with VHF for continuous communication ship/tugs during the mooring and undocking manoeuvres. Watch is maintained during 24hrs a day on Ch16.
Charts and publications
BA 545, 540, 3975. Brazilian Charts 1101, 1102, 1104, 1106, 1107 and 1110. Admiralty Pilot NP5, NP286(7).
Reporting before arrival
updated Mar 2016ETA and pre-arrival notices
Masters should give 48 and 24 hours notice of ETA.
TRBA - On departure from loading port and 96, 48, 24, 12 and 6hrs prior to arrival at Salvador Port anchor area, LNG carriers shall send notifications updating its position. Vessels shall establish first contact with port control on VHF Ch16 at least 2hrs before ETA. If ETA changes by more than 4hrs, notification shall be updated.
Communications
VHF: Pilots and port: Ch 16, 13, 06, 09, 10, 11, 12, 14.
Tugs: Ch 16; 14.
Agent: Ch 71.
Salvador Pilot email: [email protected].
Documents
Port without paper programme: The Brazilian Federal Ports Bureau's Porto Sem Papel - PSP (Port Without Paper) programme was implemented at Santos Port in 2011. Initially, this will work alongside the old paper system. Several ports are now operating PSP, including Salvador. It is planned to introduce this system to 34 public ports of Brazil. See Country Section for additional information.
Health
Ship Sanitation Control Exemption Certificates issued.
Customs and immigration
Contraband: Brazilian laws are very strict with respect to smuggling and Masters are requested to instruct their crews not to take more than 2 packets of cigarettes and other articles ashore. Cigarettes in cartons, tobacco, alcoholic beverages, narcotics, souvenirs, explosives, firearms, etc should be collected prior to arrival in port and listed with the items in the Crew's Personal Effects List and placed in the custody of the Master.
Immigration: All a vessel's passengers and/or crew members may only enter the national territory after their documents have been inspected by the Federal Police Department, the Revenue Authorities and the Port Health Authorities.
Vessels owners are responsible for the disembarkation and the embarkation of transit passengers as well as crew members who fail to join a vessel before it sails. Such responsibility includes the maintenance and other expenses until repatriation. In the event of non existence of a compulsory deposit as guarantee to cover such expenses, owners will sign, at the Federal Police Department, a form of responsibility inherent to such obligations as therein expressed.
Flags
All vessels, while in Brazilian ports, must fly the Brazilian national flag from 0800hrs to sunset.
Inspections
ISPS
ISPS Designated Authority: Comissao Nacional de Seguranca Publica nos Portos, Terminais e Vias Navegaveis - CONPORTOS.
Contact person: Ezio Borghetti.
Position: Secretario Executivo.
Address: Esplenada dos Ministerios, Bloco T, 5 andar - Ministerio da Justica, DF, 70064-900, Brasilia, Brazil.
Tel: +55 61 429 3173.
Fax: +55 61 429 9169.
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.mj.gov.br
For further ISPS information see IMO website http://www.imo.org
Port services
updated Sep 2021Repairs
Minor repairs to hull and engines.
Bunkers, water and stores
Fresh water: Available.
Bunkering: Available.
Stores: Available with 48 hours prior notice.
Medical
Hospitals and clinics within 5km to 10km of Salvador.
Transport
Nearest airport: Salvador, 40km.
Nearest railway: Salvador, 2km from port.
Working hours
Mon-Sat 0700-1100hrs and 1300-1700hrs. Mon-Sat. Overtime available.
About Salvador
updated Dec 2022Where it is
Located in northern Brazil, on the eastern part of the entrance to the Todos os Santos Bay.
The port
The main port area of Salvador has numerous berths, three of which handle containers and one for Ro-Ro operations. An LNG Berth, located approx. 24km NW of the main port area, known as The Bahia Regasification Terminal (TRBA), is an offshore sea island that has one berth where FSRU Excelerate Sequoia is moored for the regasification and storage of LNG. This LNG is converted to CNG and unloaded to LNG carriers that berth alongside the FSRU where it is discharged.
Traffic
Approx. 5,200,000t of cargo, 630 vessels and 330,000TEUs handled annually.
Questions about Salvador
What are the pilot arrangements at Salvador?
Pilotage is compulsory for all foreign vessels and is available day and night.
What time zone is Salvador in?
Local time at Salvador is UTC−3. No summer time.
What is the maximum draft at Salvador?
The deepest berth listed is at Tecon Salvador: 14.70 m maximum draught. The "Max draft per terminal" table gives each terminal's figure.
What is the water density at Salvador?
1025.
Which load line zone is Salvador in?
Tropical.
What is the UN/LOCODE of Salvador?
The UN/LOCODE of Salvador is BRSSA.
Tips from seafarers
What crews who called at Salvador 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.