Shekou

Size limits

LOA 399.992m, beam 59m, draught 16.2m, 222,676DWT.

Water density

1019.

Load line zone

Summer.

Tides

Max rise 2.94m, min 0.13m, average rise 1.36m.

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

Approach

The channel has a draught limitation of 11.7m plus tide to Shekou and 12.5m plus tide to the container terminal.

Tugs

There are 10 tugs of 1,500-4,600hp available.

Charts and publications

BA 4124, 341, 343, 3026. Admiralty Pilot NP30, NP286(6).

ETA and pre-arrival notices

The Master should advise of the vessel's ETA to the state agent or through the local agent to the state agency 72, 48 and 24 hours prior to the vessel's arrival at the pilot station. The ETA message should include the time and date of the vessel's arrival and sea/fresh water draughts.

If there is any dangerous cargo onboard, the Master should also report details of that cargo including description, packaging, IMO code and gross/net weight.

Should the vessel's ETA or other circumstances change, prior to arrival, the Master should send further messages.

Communications

Radio: Vessels calling at Chinese ports are recommended to use Shanghai Radio (callsign "XSG") and Tianjin Radio (callsign "XSV") for passing messages at long range. Both stations work throughout 24 hours. Inmarsat communication is possible through Shanghai.

VHF: Ch 11 and 08, monitored throughout 24 hours, callsign "Penevico Shenzhen".

Standard messages

The vessel's agent will send instructions to inbound vessels through the coast radio station being used or via Inmarsat. The instructions usually include the time and position of the pilot boarding. The Master is required to confirm receipt of messages to avoid delays to the vessel.

Notice of readiness

Normally NOR should be tendered according to the relevant clause in the charter party. If there is no special clause then it should be tendered according to the actual working hours of the port.

Documents

Note: LA = local agent, IM = Immigration office, CH = Customs House, QI = Quarantine Inspection office, AP = Animal and Plant Inspection office, HM = Harbour Master.

Health

When a vessel departs its previous port, prior to calling at a Chinese port, it should apply for pratique by radio.

Once the vessel arrives in port, the Quarantine officer boards to carry out an inspection.

Before pratique is granted, the vessel must fly the Interco "Q" flag and no crew are allowed to proceed ashore.

Ship Sanitation and Ship Sanitation Exemption Certificates can be renewed in all Chinese ports licensed for handling international vessels.

Customs and immigration

Allowances: The allowance for officers and crew are 2 cartons of cigarettes and 2 bottles of liquid which must be included in the Crew's Effects Declaration to the Customs House. There is a penalty for non compliance. The punishment for additional liquids varies according to the brand.

Immigration: Shore Passes are issued to each crew member after the Master has submitted/shown all the necessary documentation required to the Immigration officer. This includes General Declaration, Crew's Effects Declaration, Crew List and passports.

Crew are allowed to proceed ashore with a Shore Pass and their passport. All crew must be back onboard by 2359hrs. The crew are restricted to the city area and will be fined if they proceed outside this area. All foreign crew members should obey all the laws and practices of the PRC.

Flags

The national flag of the PRC, which is not old, damaged or colour faded, must be displayed in addition to normal Interco flags. Other flags are not to be displayed without permission from the Harbour Master.

Port State Control here: Tokyo 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: Ministry of Transportation and Communications, Department of Water Transportation.

Contact: Senior Marine Officer.

Address: 11 Jian Guo Men Nei Av, Beijing, 100736, China.

Tel: +86 01 652 92626.

Fax: +86 01 652 92642.

Email: [email protected]

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

Repairs

Available.

Dry docks

Ma Zhou Island (22°30.0'N 113°50.4'E): Ship repair yard.

Bunkers, water and stores

Fresh water: Available.

Bunkering: Available.

Stores: Available.

Medical

Nearest hospital: Shekou People's Hospital Wuwan Community Health Service Center, 0.5km.

Transport

Nearest airport: Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport, 21km.

Where it is

The port of Shekou is situated on the N shore of Hau Hoi Bay, E of the Zhujiang (Pearl) River estuary and forms part of the Shenzhen port complex.

The port

Shekou Port is a key deep-water port serving both cargo and passenger operations. It handles general cargo, grain and container shipments which plays a crucial role in regional trade and logistics. The port also features ferry services connecting to Hong Kong, Macau and nearby regions, making it a vital transportation hub in the Pearl River Delta.

Traffic

Approx 12,000,000TEU (merged figure with Chiwan and Mawan) handled annually.

What are the pilot arrangements at Shekou?

Compulsory. Pilot service is available during the daytime.

What time zone is Shekou in?

Local time at Shekou is UTC+8. No summer time.

What is the maximum draft at Shekou?

The deepest berth listed is at Shekou Container Terminal: 15.60 m maximum draught. The "Max draft per terminal" table gives each terminal's figure.

What is the water density at Shekou?

1019.

Which load line zone is Shekou in?

Summer.

Who carries out Port State Control at Shekou?

Port State Control at Shekou: Tokyo MOU.

What is the UN/LOCODE of Shekou?

The UN/LOCODE of Shekou is CNSHK.

What crews who called at Shekou 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.

Read and add tips for Shekou →