Taranto

1. Taranto boarding — drafts of 16m or less Pilot boards40°25.3′N 017°09.8′E
2. Pilot boarding place Pilot boards40°24.3′N 017°07.3′E

Size limits

Harbour: LOA 366.07m, beam 58m, draught 25.0m, 350,000DWT.

Off shore: LOA 350m, beam 50m, draught 22.0m, 300,000DWT.

Water density

1025-1031.

Load line zone

Summer.

Tides

Negligible; variations do not normally reach 0.3m. Only in winter when S'ly winds occur, they may exceptionally reach 0.5m.

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

Approach

Mar Grande is approached through the traffic separation scheme, and entered between Isolotto San Paolo SE mole head and Diga di San Vito mole head.

Taranto Container Terminal (Molo Polisettoriale) and Porto Industriale Esterno are approached through the restricted entry channel NW of Diga Frangiflutti and entered between the NW end of Diga Frangiflutti and the SW end of Diga di Sottoflutto.

Mar Piccolo is approached through Mar Grande and entered via Canale Navigabile.

The entrance to the roads is open and direct (between St Vito's shoal and St Paul Island, total width approx 1,500m). The depth in the roads is 16.0-44m.

However, deep draught vessels should be aware of a 16.7m depth shoal at approx position 40°25.3'N 017°11.0'E, marked by a lightbuoy.

The outer harbour entrance is limited by the breakwater pointing NW from Capo S Vito Lighthouse. At the end of the breakwater there is a pyramidal light with a Racon (TA) signal. The entrance is 1,500m in width and on the other end there is the red light of S Paolo Island. The SBM in position 40°25.3'N 017°10.5'E has a radar reflector.

The access to Mar Piccolo Roads is via a navigable canal joining Mar Grande with Mar Piccolo. The use of tugs is compulsory.

Port limits

Taranto port waters extend from 40°09.0'N 016°41.0'E to 40°17.0'N 017°46.0'E.

Anchorages

Anchorage areas are in the outer harbour, there are no prohibited anchorage areas. The bottom is clay, medium holding; anchorages are safe in any weather.

Vessels with a draught of less than 5.0m normally anchor in the W part, vessels with a draught of more than 5.0m anchoring is in the centre part; the E part is reserved for the Navy.

Mar Grande. In Mar Grande roads, anchorage space is available for large vessels. Distance from the boat jetty is 0.5-2nm.The main anchorage extends in a broad "U" shape, 0.4-0.8nm wide, from the NE part of Mar Grande, 0.4nm S of Porto Mercantile, towards the entrance and then to the NW to 0.8nm S from Punta Rondinella. Depths in the S and E vary from 11.0-33m, and in the NW part from 6.0-15.0m. The bottom is mud, reasonable holding and generally safe in all weathers. However, vessels in ballast may drag in strong weather.

Tarantro Container Terminal has an anchorage which extends from 1.3nm SW of Diga Frangiflutti.

All vessels anchored in the roads should maintain a listening watch on VHF Ch 12 from H+15 to H+20 every hour so that instructions and information can be relayed.

Restrictions

Vessels which are carrying, or which have carried, dangerous or polluting cargoes in a liquid or gaseous state, are prohibited from navigating within the coastal zone extending 6nm from the coast between the mouth of Fiume Sinni and Punta Prosciutto (40°17.5'N 017°45.8'E), unless entering or leaving the port.

Berthing permitted only in daytime, unberthing permitted at anytime. As per harbour master's orders, berthing is not permitted if S'ly winds of 14kts or more are blowing or N'ly winds of 16kts or more are blowing. With winds of 18kts or more, cargo hoses must be disconnected.

Vessels cannot stand idle at berth. If for any reason loading/unloading is not carried out, vessels must shift to anchorage at roads.

No immobilisation of vessel's engine is allowed at berth.

Night transit between the two basins of Mar Piccolo is not allowed.

OBO's with dry cargoes should inert (or completely fill with water) any slop tank which contains slops before entering the port.

Vertical clearances: Canale Navigable swing bridge has a closed vertical clearance of 12m above mean sea level.

Mar Piccolo road bridge, between Mar Piccolo W and E has a vertical clearance of about 34m.

Mooring

Linesmen are compulsory for all vessels over 500GT.

Charts and publications

BA 186, 187, 1417. Admiralty Pilot NP45, NP286(3).

ETA and pre-arrival notices

Cargo vessels should send ETA at least 6 hours in advance. Tankers should send ETA by telex at least 36 hours in advance giving SOLOAS and Civil Liability Convention (CLC) requirements.

Communications

If vessels are carrying out coastal trade they can use Italian radio stations covering HF bands throughout 24 hours. The nearest Radio stations are Bari Radio Ch 16-27 and Crotone Radio Ch 16-25.

Inmarsat is available.

VHF: Harbour master, pilots and tugs: Ch 12.

Taranto Pilots: Tel: +39 099 470 7574. Email: [email protected].

Pilot vessel: Ch 10, available 0700-2300hrs. Tel: +39 099 471 1145.

Taranto VTS: Ch 16, 13, 73, available throughout 24 hours. Tel: +39 099 471 3611. Email: [email protected].

Services: Ch 14.

Emergency: Ch 16.

Castello Signal Station: Ch 67.

It is obligatory for Italian and foreign vessels passing through the Canale Navigable (entering or departing) to maintain a listening watch on VHF Ch 67 in order to make direct contact with the Castello Signal Station.

Notice of readiness

Vessels carrying dry cargoes are usually requested to present their NOR advising arrival time at berth or at anchor if berth is not available. Tankers may present their NOR advising arrival time at the roads. Lay days start to count from 1400hrs if vessel presents NOR before 1200hrs and at 0800hrs the day after if NOR is presented from 1200-1700hrs. Office hours are normally 0800-1700hrs, Sun and holidays excluded. NOR may be tendered by cable, telex or mail or any other way but it is recommended to let agent handle this on arrival in port.

Documents

Other documents may be required depending on the type of commercial operation to be carried out. As soon as the agent is informed of a vessel's arrival and the type of operation, he will inform the master about documents required, eg if a vessel is arriving with a cargo of coal in bulk, the agent is required to establish with the master/owner that the vessel holds a Certificate of Conformity to the IMO Code of Safe Practice for Solid Bulk Cargoes. It is then necessary to show the harbour master the Certificate of Analysis stating type of cargo and confirmation of its belonging to appendix A/B/C of IMO Code, a shippers' declaration stating; size of cargo/stowing factor/angle of repose/moisture of cargo/its transportable moisture limit and 4/5 days before arrival master must cable the harbour master at Taranto advising the vessel's hatch cover condition, cargo stowage conditions and crew awareness about the danger of cargo and others. All other special forms regarding the various cargo and their origins or destinations are the responsibility of the agents.

Cargo documentation: At completion of commercial operations, cargo documents, Statement of Facts, Custom Manifest and harbour master clearances are released onboard. Vessels cannot leave without these last documents.

Health

For vessels arriving from countries listed below, free pratique may be granted only on arrival in the roads after a visit from members of the health office:

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Belize, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Bhutan, Cambodia, Cameroon, Chad, China (mainland), Colombia, Congo (Democratic Republic), Costa Rica, Cote d'Ivoire Coast, Daghestan, Ecuador, El Salvador, Gaza, Ghana, Djibouti, Gambia, Guatemala, French Guinea, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kenya, Laos, Liberia, Malaysia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, Moldavia, Morocco, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Panama, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Romania, Rwanda, Sao Tome' and Prince, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tuvalu, Ukraine, Uganda, Venezuela, Vietnam and Zambia.

Ship Sanitation Control can be carried out.

Customs and immigration

The customs allowance is 50 cigarettes or 10 cigars or 50 grams of tobacco for each crew member during the vessel's stay in port. The remaining bonded goods must be collected and stored in a sealed locker and kept there as long as the vessel remains in port. In cases of smuggling (excess quantities), the customs authority will require payment of customs duty.

Crew signing on, other than W Europeans, must have an Italian Transit Visa obtained abroad before they reach the Italian border. In the event of their nationality being different from the vessel's flag, they must be in possession of a contract of employment signed abroad. Crew signing off, other than W European nationality, must obtain an Italian Transit Visa.

They must leave Italian territory from Rome, via Brindisi or Bari, by a direct flight abroad departing before vessel's sailing and must be in possession of a closed air ticket from Brindisi or Bari to their own country without an intermediate stop. The same procedures apply to passengers disembarking in Taranto. For crew members of China, the shore passes are limited from 0800-0200hrs except for the master.

Notices and regulations

Note: Tankers flying flags of a country not party to SOLAS 74, Prot. 78 should anchor in the roads to be inspected according to Memorandum of Paris 1982.

In view of the short stay of tankers in port (from 24 to 30 hours) their requirements should be radioed well in advance, especially if the vessel is scheduled to arrive during weekends.

Liaison with the Refinery to be maintained by VHF throughout a vessel's stay at CBM.

Tanker regulations:

Lightering operations may only be carried out with the permission of the harbour master.

Vessels which are carrying, or which have carried, dangerous or polluting cargoes in a liquid or gaseous state, are prohibited from navigating within the coastal zone extending 6nm from the coast between the mouth of Fiume Sinni and Punta Prosciutto (40°17.5'N 017°45.8'E), unless entering or leaving the port.

Vessels must only anchor, or moor to, designated berths or buoys. Authority to use the mooring buoys must be requested from the local Naval authority.

Vessels should not anchor, or touch bottom, in the vicinity of the numerous shellfish beds.

Berthing is permitted only in daylight, unberthing at any time.

Berthing is not permitted if S winds of 14kts or more are blowing or N winds of 16kts or more are blowing.

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

Emergency repairs can be carried out by small workshops located near the port.

Dry docks

There are 3 graving docks in the Naval dockyard and several patent slipways of which the largest can take vessels up to about LOA 120m.

Bunkers, water and stores

Fresh water: Available onshore or by barge with 24 hours notice.

Bunkering: Bunkers must be ordered two days in advance. Min acceptable orders: Fuel 150t, diesel 50t. Minor quantities can be supplied by road tanker and transhipped into barges. Bunkering is only permitted in daytime.

Stores: Available by ship chandlers.

Medical

Hospital in Taranto.

Transport

Nearest airport: Brindisi National Airport (80km) or Bari International Airport (100km) an average of 3 daily flights both connecting to Rome International Airport.

Nearest railway: Taranto.

Working hours

ILVA/Petroleum jetty and SBM, continuous shift work.

Marchant Port, 0700-1500hrs or 0700-1330/1330-2000hrs.

On private piers operations are carried out throughout 24 hours, Sun and holidays included. At the commercial port the stevedores, on request, may work in one shift (0700-1500hrs) or double shift (0700-1330hrs and 1330-2000hrs) per day, Sun and holidays excepted.

Where it is

Taranto is situated on the Mare Grande, a sheltered bay at the northern end of the Gulf of Taranto, in southern Italy.

The port

The port offers facilities for handling containers, general and bulk cargo, wet and dry, as well as most marine services and repairs. The port consists of an outer harbour, Mar Grande and an inner harbour, Mar Piccolo, connected by a narrow canal, "Canale Navigabile", and two piers outside the harbours on the NW side called West Port.

The town of Taranto lies at the head of Mar Grande and extends across the neck of land separating the two harbours, the northern side of outer harbour is occupied by the port. The Italian Navy base and submarine station are located in the Inner Harbour.

Traffic

Approx 12,200,000t of cargo, 10,000TEU, 2,000 vessels and 80,500 passengers handled annually.

Where does the pilot board at Taranto?

The pilot boards at Taranto boarding — drafts of 16m or less, 40°25.3′N 017°09.8′E. Taranto has 2 pilot boarding places.

What time zone is Taranto in?

Local time at Taranto 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 Taranto?

The deepest berth listed is at Ilva Terminal: 25.00 m maximum draught. The "Max draft per terminal" table gives each terminal's figure.

What is the water density at Taranto?

1025-1031.

Which load line zone is Taranto in?

Summer.

Who carries out Port State Control at Taranto?

Port State Control at Taranto: Paris MOU.

What is the UN/LOCODE of Taranto?

The UN/LOCODE of Taranto is ITTAR.

What crews who called at Taranto 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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