Tchatamba Marine Terminal (GATCT)

The Tchatamba Marine Field consists of a Mobile Offshore Producing Unit (MOPU) which is a converted jack up rig and a Floating Storage and Offloading (FSO) vessel named FSO "Madiela". Crude oil produced from the wells is processed on the MOPU and transferred by submarine pipeline to the FSO for storage and export. The port is closed for operations, information for the port is retained should the port reopen.

The Tchatamba Marine Terminal is located offshore Gabon approximately 90nm S of Cap Lopez

150,000DWT.

The recommended terminal anchorage is within a 2nm radius circle centred on 01° 58.9'S 009°09.9'E. The bottom is sand and clay

The FSO "Madiela" is a converted tanker of 140,763DWT. The FSO is permanently moored with a spread anchor and cable system on a heading of 011°. The anchor deployment circle has a radius of 900m. The terminal has been designed to operate, when an export tanker is moored to the FSO within the following parameters: Wind: max speed 25kts, Sea: max height 3m; Swell: max 3m, current/tidal stream: 2kts.

BA604. Admiralty Pilot NP2.

Mooring will only be undertaken during daylight hours. Vessels arriving at the terminal should arrive no later than 1500hrs to ensure that mooring operations can be completed prior to 1830hrs. Any vessel arriving later than 1500hrs will be instructed to anchor until daylight on the following morning. Visiting tankers should be outfitted with standard OCIMF bow chains stoppers capable of accepting 76mm diameter chain and a SWL of 200t. Bow chocks should conform to OCIMF standards with a min size of 600mm x 400mm. Under routine circumstances tugs will be made fast to export vessels approx 1-2nm from the FSO. One tug will be made fast aft. A second tug will be made fast on either the port or starboard bow, dependent on weather/current conditions. Tugs will be made fast under the supervision of the assistant Mooring Master using their own wires. These are usually heavy duty 50-54mm dia wires with a soft eye spliced in at the end. With tugs assisting and the export vessel carrying minimal way, she will normally be brought to a position approx 90-120m from the bows of the FSO. At this point the pick up rope, attached to a rope messenger lowered from the export tanker, will be retrieved from the mooring boat and brought onboard. With minimal way being maintained the messenger and chain will be hove in until there is sufficient length of chain to allow it to be made fast in her AKD bracket. Once the export tanker is made well fast the forward tug may be cast off and requested to stand by for further duties as directed by the Mooring Master. The mooring boat will also be released.

Location: FSO "Madiela" 02°04.56'S 009°09.82'E Telephone: Terminal:(Inmarsat) +871 1306445 Fax: Terminal; (Inmarsat) +871 1306445 Telex: Terminal (Inmarsat) +871 1306444 Frequency: Terminal: VHF: Ch 11 16 Internal Terminal Traffic Ch 68 Hours: Throughout 24 hours Procedure: ..... 1. Pilotage is compulsory and available 24 hours. Pilot station is located 3nm NW of the FSO in position 02°02.0'S 009°08.0'E. Berthing is available during daylight only but unberthing is available throughout 24 hours. Pilotage and berthing is provided by the Mooring Master. 2. Vessels should send ETA 5 days, 3 days, 48 and 24 hours in advance. 3. If the vessel departs from a port within 12 hours of expected arrival at the Tchatamba Marine Terminal, the ETA must be transmitted immediately on departure from the last port, and confirmed 6 hours before arrival at the terminal. Note: Terminal is operated by Marathon Petroleum Gabon LDC.

The terminal limits enclose a restricted area contained within a circle of 3nm centred on FSO "Madiela" (02°04.55'S 009°09.83'E). Under no circumstances are vessels to enter this restricted area without prior permission from the terminal.

The FSO "Madiela" is fitted as follows: Forward: Fl Mo(U) W 15s; Aft: Fl Mo(U) W 15s and Diaphone Mo(U) 15s Midships.

Should adverse conditions result in a hawser tension being consistently greater than 100t, loading will cease and the tanker unmoored until such time as operations may resume safely.

The predominant ocean current is the N going Benguela current. This current is often significantly modified by equatorial counter currents and local river (delta) discharges into the area. Complete reversal of the current direction should occasionally be expected. Current rates on the surface may occasionally reach 2kts.

Available

The weather patterns are influenced by the wet and dry seasons which range from October-May and June-September respectively. The SE trade winds can veer S and SW due to coastal effect. High temperatures can lead to 28-33kts onshore winds in the afternoon. In the wet season line squalls, locally known as "Tornadoes" are common. The direction of these squalls is generally from the E. Line squalls can be severe, producing very strong winds (up to 50kts), causing major shifts in the predominant wind direction as they pass through (approx 4 hours). The squalls develop rapidly, often with less than 1 hour notice.

TCHATAMBA MARINE TERMINAL 2°05'S 9°09'E Pilots and Terminal LOCATION: FSO Madiela: 2°04'.56S 9°09'.82E CONTACT DETAILS: Terminal VHF Frequency: Ch 11 16 68 Telephone: +871 1306444 (Inmarsat) Fax: +871 1306445 (Inmarsat) Telex: +871 1306444 (Inmarsat) HOURS: Ch 11 & 16: H24 PROCEDURE: (1) Pilotage is compulsory and is available H24. Berthing is available HJ only and unberthing is available H24. Pilotage and berthing are provided by Mooring Master. (2) Vessels should send ETA 5 days, 3 days, 48h and 24h in advance. (3) If the vessel departs from a port within 12h of expected arrival at the Tchatamba Marine Terminal, the ETA must be transmitted immediately on departure from the last port, and confirmed 6h before arrival at the terminal. (4) Pilot boards in approximate position 2°02'S 9°08'E (3 n miles NW of FSO) NOTE: Terminal is operated by Marathon Petroleum Gabon LDC.

FSO "Madiela" is fitted with the following communications equipment: INMARSAT A Telephone +871 130 6444, Fax +871 130 6445, Telex +871 130 6444 VHF: The terminal maintains a listening watch on Ch 16 and 11

Vessels should communicate their ETA to the Terminal 5 days, 72 hours, 48 hours and 24 hours prior to arrival. If sailing from a port within 12 hours of expected arrival then ETA should be sent immediately on departure from last port and confirmed 6 hours before arrival.

All vessels at the terminal are required to display the Gabonese national flag. If this is not onboard, the pilot will supply the flag upon request. Flag "Q" should be flown until the vessel is cleared by the Gabonese health authorities.

Notice of Readiness is usually accepted by the Terminal at the time the hoses are connected. The Mooring Master will act on behalf of the Company in accepting and signing the NOR as tendered by the Master of the loading vessel. NOR will not be accepted during periods when the port is closed. The port is closed when the weather is such that it is not possible to moor or remain safely moored to the FSO. Any decision regarding the opening of the port will be made solely at the discretion of the Terminal Operations Superintendent.

A standard message requesting the following information will be sent to the vessel prior to arrival: ..... Vessel's Name (including any previous names) & IMO No Vessel's flag Call Sign Inmarsat numbers (Tel, Fax, Tlx) Year built Class Last Docking/Special Survey Expiration of following Certificates 1. Certificate of Class 2. Load Line 3. Safety Equipment 4. Safety Construction 5. Safety Radio 6. IOPP 7. Civil Liability Certificate Date of last Port State Inspection Confirm valid SOPEP onboard Master's name Owners Managers Arrival Draught Arrival Freeboard (waterline to midships rail) Summer deadweight LOA Distance from Bow to centre of manifold Last port Confirm with OCIMF standard hose handling and mooring systems Flange sizes at manifold Grade of previous cargo Quantity of cargo required and Destination Maximum cargo loading rate Quantity of slops onboard, if any, and whether vessel is to load on top Quantity of clean ballast (CBT) Quantity of segregated ballast (SBT) Confirm vessel able to discharge ballast concurrently with cargo loading and maintain a deadweight equal to 30% of summer deadweight Time to discharge ballast Confirm IGS operational and all tank inerted with 02 content less than 8% by volume Confirm closed loading system Confirm derrick/crane capacity, location and reach Loading Plan Stern towing arrangement Confirm ISM compliance (after 01/07/98) P&I Club and local correspondent Local Agent Pilot Ladder requirements Requirement that vessel should arrive with a draught commensurate with 30% of vessels DWT, either ballasted or part loaded and during loading is able to maintain a draught giving full propeller immersion and optimum manoeuvrability