Arzew and Bethioua port information

At a glance

UN/LOCODE

DZAZW

Position

35°50′–35°52′N, 0°08′–0°17′W (Arzew)

Charts

BA 0838, BA 0822

Local time

UTC+1 all year

Port control

VHF 14

Terminal

VHF 16, working 14 or 12

Pilots

VHF 16, working 13 or 12

ISPS

Port ID 13567 (Arzew), 25762 (Bethioua)

Sea water density

1.025

Cargoes

Crude oil, LPG, LNG, condensate, naphtha, gasoil, lube oil and methanol

Berths

• Water depth: 21 m alongside B1 to B3, with approach channels of 23.5 m (east) and 21 m (west). 10.5 m alongside S2 and S3, with a 19 m approach.
• Mooring: 8 lines forward and 8 aft at B1 to B3, 6 and 6 at S2. Ships use their own ropes; wires are accepted at S2 and S3.
• A Suezmax has no particular parallel body restriction; crude usually loads at B2 and B3.
• Ballast: arrive with clean sea water ballast. There is no special exchange requirement.

Arrival

1. Send ETA notices to the suppliers, the terminal and us 96, 72, 48, 24 and 12 hours before arrival (product cargoes: 72, 48, 24 and 12 hours, as per the charterer’s instructions).
2. Send the ISPS form 48 hours ahead to the port facility security officer, with the Maritime Declaration of Health and the crew list, copying us. We send the form with our port information.
3. Hoist the Algerian flag on arrival The coastguard checks it as soon as the ship reaches the roads, and can fine a ship that hasn’t.
4. Call port control at 10 NM and drift Anchoring is not permitted at Arzew or Bethioua. Port control tells the ship where to drift; it then waits at about 5 NM until called, and the pilot boards at about 2 NM. Stay within VHF range of port control.
5. Berth in daytime Since 20 February 2013, ships may not berth or sail between 21:00 and 05:00 unless the pilots decide otherwise for that ship. Sailing ships go before arriving ones.
6. Clear in The master signs a declaration that the ship is seaworthy and holds every certificate required. Logbooks, certificates and registers are inspected.
7. Declare sailing at least 2 hours before the ship sails.

Good to know

• Local fishing boats work the area 35.55–36.00 N, 000.00–000.05 W. Avoid drifting there if you can, and keep 10 miles off Kef Salamandre.
• Berthing at B2 and P3 can be held up by open-sea weather: strong wind or swell.
• Free pratique: at the sea line or SPM it is granted by a visiting sanitary officer or by the pilot, if the health declaration is in order; inside the harbour, by the health officer who boards.
• Sonatrach, as shipper, gives the ship a copy of the cargo’s safety data sheet.

Pilots and tugs

• Pilotage is compulsory. The pilot boards in the waiting zone and agrees the passage plan with the master.
• Rig the pilot ladder on the lee side, 1 m above the water. Large ships in ballast rig a combination with the accommodation ladder, about 5 m above the water.
• Tugs are compulsory for ships over 1,500 GT. Tankers of 50,000 dwt and more use at least three tugs to berth.
• The ship supplies the towlines, in good condition and suited to the manoeuvre.
• Sign the pilotage bills in and out with the exact towage times, and report the particulars on the class-approved certificate (the reduced gross tonnage for a ship with segregated ballast tanks).

Documents

Before arrival

Send copies to us as early as possible; the Algerian authorities ask for them before the ship arrives.

• General declaration
• International Ship Security Certificate
• Cargo declaration
• Crew effects declaration
• Crew list
• Ship’s stores declaration
• Passenger list
• Dangerous goods manifest
• International Tonnage Certificate (1969)
• Certificate of registry
• Oil pollution liability insurance certificate
• Ship’s particulars

On arrival, by authority

Have them ready, dated, signed and stamped, when the officials board.

Weather at Arzew and Bethioua

Days are flagged when the wind reaches 25 knots, gusts 34 knots or the sea 2.5 m. They are a prompt to plan, not a port closure: the harbour master and the pilots decide. Forecast: Open-Meteo (ECMWF and Météo-France models), CC BY 4.0.

Questions