Beihai Pt (CNBIH)

Beihai is a major commercial and transhipment port which consists of the areas: Haijiao, Shibuling, Tieshan (currently under construction), Dafengjiang and Weizhou Island (see separate entry). Shibuling port area is the main area for handling foreign trade and transhipment, including containers and chemicals. Tieshan, 48km E, is a new large scale port construction area at Guangxi, including bulk and LNG terminals. Imports: Fertilisers, grains, sugar, steel products, crude oil, natural gas, sulphuric acid, coal, metal ores, timber and finished products. Exports: Ores, aluminium, manganese, timber, phosphoric acid. Beihai, Qinzhou and Fangcheng ports are on the Guangxi Beibu Gulf. All three port operators are owned by the Guangxi Beibu Gulf International Port Group, which in turn is controlled by the Guangxi government.

China Sea Seasonal Tropical Area, Tropical Jan 21 to Apr 30, Summer May 1 to Jan 20.

Beihai is located on the NE shore of the Gulf of Tonkin about 60nm from the China (mainland)/Vietnam border and is a main international trading port of South West China.

Harbour: LOA 315.2m, beam 50m, draught 12.9m, 180,201DWT. Off Shore: LOA 228.6m, BCM 115.3m, 75,499DWT.

Approx 53,000,000t of cargo, 700,000TEU and 220,000 passengers handled annually.

The port has 4 designated anchorages, 1 pilot (Inspection) anchorage and 3 lightering anchorages. ..... 1. Pilot (Inspection) anchorage: The area is a circle from the centre of 21° 21.3'N 109°00.1'E, with a radius of 800m and depths of 9.0-10.0m. 2. Lightening anchorages: Anchorage Depth (m) Latitude Longitude No 1 9.0 21°29.14'N 109°04.14'E 21°29.32'N 109°04.14'E 21°29.20'N 109°04.43'E 21°29.39'N 109°04.43'E No 2 7.0 21°29.20'N 109°04.43'E 21°29.39'N 109°04.43'E 21°29.32'N 109°05.16'E 21°29.49'N 109°05.16'E No 3 5.0 21°29.32'N 109°05.16'E 21°29.43'N 109°05.16'E 21°29.43'N 109°05.49'E 21°29.59'N 109°05.49'E

From a position SSW of Baisungong Jiao (21°23'N 108°12'E) off the seaward end of the border between Vietnam and China (mainland) the track leads ENE to the Beihai pilot boarding station close to Buoy No 0, a distance of about 43nm. The port is approached from SSW. Lightbuoys mark the main fairway for entry. The Beihai channel: Extends from the pilotage and quarantine anchorage to the lightening/topping off anchorage area. The length of the channel is 14.6km with a width of 500-2,000m. The channel has a depth of 12.0m and has been navigated by 70,000DWT vessels at high water. Shibuling harbour channel: The channel to Shibuling harbour is from the central part of Beihai channel to the harbour. It is 1,300m in length, 100-130m in width with depths of up to 12.9m. Vessels up to 70,000DWT can reach No 4 Berth Shibuling harbour at high water. The channel is lit with buoys. The Waisha harbour channel: This extends from the end of Beihai channel to Waisha harbour. The channel is approx 1,200m in length, 60-80m wide and 2.8-3.5m deep. Access can be made by vessels up to 2,000DWT on high water. Tieshan Channel: Length from Paideng to Qinglongsha is 10km width 750-1,400m and depth 6.0m to 18.0m. Lanmensha, at the entrance to the east and west divisions, has a width of 2,5km and a depth of 2.2 to 3.5m. The east division is 8.5km long with depth of 6.0m to 10.0m and the west division has a length of 10km and a depth of 8.0m to 10.0m. The new port is presently capable of accepting 50,000DWT coal vessels.

BA 3939, 1725, 1728, 3892, 3992. Admiralty Pilot NP30, NP286(6).

1025.

Pilotage is compulsory for foreign vessels entering and leaving Beihai. Pilotage is available 0800-1800hrs. The position of the pilot boarding station and quarantine anchorage is 21° 21.3'N 109°00.1'E (close to No 0 Lightbuoy). ETA and request for pilot should be sent 24 hours and confirmed 12 hours prior to arrival. Departing vessels must apply for pilotage 12 hours prior to departure.

The port limits are defined as follows: The N boundary is 21°31'N, extending E to 109°08.9'E; its S boundary is 21° 23.25'N; its E boundary is 109°05'E, extending N to the shore; and its W boundary is 108°05'E.

There are 3 prominent lighthouses in the area with ranges from 5 to 15nm. There are also numerous buoys marking the channels.

MHWS 5.3m, MLWS 0.6m, with an average of 3.9m. The tidal current runs from SW to NE during flood tide and reverses during the ebb, the ebb tide has greater strength than the flood.

Six tugs are available, 2 x 4,800hp, 2 x 2,960hp, 1 x 720hp and 1 x 200hp.

The wind has seasonal changes. The prevailing winds are N'ly in winter and SE'ly in summer. On average the port experiences 3 typhoons annually. With the port area being reasonably well sheltered by Hainan Island and Leizhou peninsula the maximum wind force experienced in the typhoons is 22-55kts.The port averages 13 foggy days each year which concentrates in the spring and will usually start at 0200hr to 0900hrs. Visibility during fog will vary from 100-800m.

Beihai Radio works 500, 486, 4244, 6379.5, 8530 and 2730kHz. The station is worked throughout 24 hours. MSA (Marine Safety Administation): Ch 09, Tel: +86(0)779 3033492, Fax: +86(0)779 3032591 Port Authority: +86(0)779 3903481, Fax: +86(0)779 3906387, Website: www.bhport.com Pilots: VHF Ch16;14, Tel: +86()779 3922249

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.

..... Document Distribution (copies) LA IM CH QI AP HM Total 1. General Declaration - 1 1 1 1 1 5 2. Cargo Declaration - - 1 1 1 1 4 3. Ship's Stores Declaration - - 1 1 1 - 3 4. Crew's Effects Declaration - 1 1 - - - 2 5. Crew List 1 2 1 1 1 1 7 6. Passenger List - 2 1 1 1 1 6 7. Maritime Declaration of Health - - - 1 - - 1 8. Last Port Clearance - - - - - 1 1 9. Ship's particulars 1 - - - - 1 2 10. Crew's passports - All - - - - All 11. Chinese Tonnage Dues Certificate - - 1 - - - 1 12. Cargo Manifest 1 - 2 - - - 3 13. Bills of Lading 1 - - - - - 1 14. Stowage Plan 1 - - - - - 1 Note: In the above table LA = local agent, IM = Immigration office, CH = Customs House, QI = Quarantine Inspection office, AP = Animal and Plant Inspection office, HM = Harbour Master. All vessels, upon arrival should report, via the vessel's agent to the Port Director, all cargo to be discharged/loaded. The report in the form of the Ship's Manifest and Stowage Plan should show the number of units, commodity, weight, destination, consignee and all other information which the port of Beihai deems necessary for compilation of commercial statistics, for reserving necessary warehouse or wharf space, or other purpose.

The Master should advise the vessel's ETA to the state agent, or through the local agent to the state agency, 7 days, 5 days, 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.

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.

The Master should be aware of the following regulations when the vessel is under normal commercial operations: ..... 1. Before adjusting ballast water, lowering lifeboats, inspecting the main engine, testing/using radio or painting the outer hull, the vessel should apply to the Harbour Master in writing. 2. When taking bunkers or welding, in addition to first obtaining permission of the Harbour Master, the work must be done under the Harbour Master's supervision. 3. There must be crew available at the top of the gangway to adjust it as required. A safety net must be securely rigged under the gangway. 4. The Master must arrange for a duty officer to be available to solve any potential problems during the vessel's loading and discharging and he should liaise closely with shore personnel. 5. Whilst at anchor, a duty officer must maintain a VHF watch on the nominated channel.

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

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.

The vessel's agent will send instructions to in bound 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.