PORT GUIDE · FOR OFFICERS, MASTERS AND SHORE TEAMS
Ust-Luga
Pilot
updated Feb 2015- Ust-Luga pilot boarding, Eastern area Pilot boards59°56.4′N 028°34.6′E
- Ust-Luga pilot boarding, Western area Pilot boards59°42.5′N 028°17.4′E
Pilotage is compulsory and available 24 hours. Request for a pilot should be made to the Pilot Service Controller at least 24 hours in advance and confirmed 1 hour before approaching the Port VTS boundary or the pilot boarding position.
Pilots board in the following positions:
Eastern area of the port: No 1 Lightbuoy (59°56.41'N 028°34.61'E).
Western area of the port: (59°41.96'N 028°18.61'E).
Vessels intending to depart from the port or carry out operations within the port must request pilotage at least 3 hours in advance.
Key data
updated May 2022Size limits
LOA 291.95m, beam 50m, draught 15.5m, 177,897DWT.
Load line zone
North Atlantic Winter Seasonal Zone II. Winter: 1 Nov-31 Mar. Summer: 1 Apr-31 Oct.
Max draft per terminal
| Terminal | Max draught | Max LOA | Berths |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lugaport Universal Trading Terminal | 15.50 m | 289 m | 5 |
| Ultramar Terminal | 15.35 m | 229 m | 5 |
| Oil Transshipment Terminal | 15.00 m | 276 m | 2 |
| Ust-Luga Complex | 15.00 m | 256 m | 2 |
| Ust-Luga Oil Terminal | 15.00 m | 285 m | 3 |
| Coal Terminal | 14.60 m | 261 m | 2 |
| Universal Transloading Terminal | 14.60 m | 292 m | 2 |
| Sulphur Terminal | 14.00 m | 229 m | 2 |
| Ust-Luga Container Terminal | 12.10 m | 229 m | 2 |
| Reloading Liquefied Hydrocarbon Gases | 11.50 m | 200 m | 2 |
| Yug 2 Transhipment Terminal | 11.10 m | 261 m | 2 |
| Fertilizer Terminal | 9.90 m | 180 m | 1 |
| Novaya Gavan Terminal | 8.30 m | 166 m | 1 |
| Auto Rail Ferry Terminal (ARFT) | 8.10 m | 190 m | 2 |
| Timber Terminal Factor | 6.10 m | 128 m | 3 |
All 16 terminals
| Terminal | Max draught | Max LOA | Berths |
|---|---|---|---|
| Metallurgical Terminal | — | 230 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 Dec 2022Approach
Reka Luga is entered from the vicinity of the Fairway Buoy (59°41.7'N 028°18.7'E) on the alignment (173°) of leading lights (each white round tower, black stripe on black base, front 11m in height) (59°40.3'N 028°19.1'E), standing on the shore close E of the river entrance. From the bar 0.2nm S of the fairway, the channel, in places 40m wide, is marked by buoys (lateral). 0.5nm N of the front beacon, the channel alters to the alignment (211.5°) of leading lights (each red round tower, black stripe and base) (59°39.8'N 028°17.7'E) near the Timber Export Pier.
Ust-Luga Sea Merchant Port: A ship channel length 3.7km, depth 17.0m leads into the new port area.
Traffic schemes and VTS
The Ust-Luga VTS area comprises the water area enclosed by a circle of radius 18nm centred on Gorki Light (59°47.98'N 028°29.79'E).
Vessels bound for Ust-Luga will pass through the coverage area of St Petersburg Coastal VTS. For full operational details and details of Ust-Luga VTS reporting procedures, see St Petersburg VTS section.
Anchorages
Anchorage may be obtained 0.5nm E of the Fairway Buoy in a depth of 7.0m, sand. An alternative anchorage, with shelter from W winds, is situated 0.5nm SE of Mys Luto Light (59°42.7'N 028°13.7'E) in a depth of 8.0m, sand.
Restrictions
Ultramar Terminal is an all weather berth with the following weather restrictions: LOA up to 140m and 8.5m draught.
Tugs
4 tugs up to 4,000hp available.
Tugs are compulsory for vessels at maximum draught, but are at the discretion of the pilot for draughts of less than 4.4m.
Charts and publications
BA 2698, 2713, 2264. Admiralty Pilot NP20, NP286(2).
Reporting before arrival
updated Feb 2015Communications
VHF: Pilot Service Controller: Ust-Luga Radio 4, Ch 16.
Port Controller: Ust-Luga Radio 2, Ch 02.
Port State Control Inspection: Ust-Luga Radio 5, Ch 04, 10, 16.
VTS: Ust-Luga Traffic Ch 16, 76, 86..
Health
Ship Sanitation Control Certificate (SSCC) and Ship Sanitation Control Exemption Certificate (SSCEC) can be issued.
Inspections
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 Transport of the Russian Federation.
Position: Head of Maritime Security Service.
Address: 3/6, Petrovka Str, Moscow 125993, Russia.
Tel: +7 495 221 7130.
Fax: +7 495 200 1003.
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: http://www.msecurity.ru
For further ISPS information see IMO website http://www.imo.org
Port services
updated May 2022Repairs
Available.
Bunkers, water and stores
Freshwater: Auto Rail Ferry Terminal (ARFT) available.
Bunkering : Available.
Medical
Hospital Ivangorod in Leningrad, 72km.
Transport
Nearest airport: Pulkovo Airport in Saint Petersburg, 148km.
Nearest railway: The port has good rail connections serving Mga, Gatchina and Veimarn stations.
A port and intraport rail connection has been built to service the coal terminal.
Nearest highway: The major highway, M-11, has been widened and repaired to create links with the St Petersburg -Tallinn highway.
About Ust-Luga
updated Jun 2026Where it is
Ust-Luga is situated on both sides of Reka Luga, on the NW coast of Russia, approx 130km SW of St Petersburg. The new deep water port, built mainly on reclaimed land is 7km to the east of the river berths.
The port
The port handles dry bulk cargo, tankers, LPG carriers, Ro-Ro and container vessels.
Traffic
Approx 131,000,000t of cargo, 30,000TEU and 1,500 vessels handled annually.
Questions about Ust-Luga
Where does the pilot board at Ust-Luga?
The pilot boards at Ust-Luga pilot boarding, Eastern area, 59°56.4′N 028°34.6′E. Ust-Luga has 2 pilot boarding places.
What time zone is Ust-Luga in?
Local time at Ust-Luga is UTC+3. No summer time.
What is the maximum draft at Ust-Luga?
The deepest berth listed is at Lugaport Universal Trading Terminal: 15.50 m maximum draught. The "Max draft per terminal" table gives each terminal's figure.
Which load line zone is Ust-Luga in?
North Atlantic Winter Seasonal Zone II.
Who carries out Port State Control at Ust-Luga?
Port State Control at Ust-Luga: Tokyo MOU.
What is the UN/LOCODE of Ust-Luga?
The UN/LOCODE of Ust-Luga is RUULU.
Tips from seafarers
What crews who called at Ust-Luga 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.