Cai Mep (VNTOT)

The port handles containers, general cargo, dry bulk, cruise, passengers, LNG, LPG and liquid cargo.

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

Cai Mep is situated on the east bank of the Thi Vai River estuary, close S of Phu My.

Harbour: LOA 400m, beam 61.056m, draught 14m, 281,456DWT. Off Shore: LOA 289m, BCM 87.13m, draught 15.8m, 171,681DWT.

Approx 17,000,000t of cargo and 6,500,000TEU handled annually.

The Vung Tau anchorage extends from 10°19'N to Buoy No 2. For Port Authorities to board, vessel should anchor in the N part of the anchorage. Anchorage is mostly prohibited in the river.

The port is approached from seaward via the main channel from Mui Vang Tau. The channel has a length of 85km and depth of 14.0m.

BA 1059, 1100, 1261, 3488, 3986. Admiralty Pilot NP30, NP286(6).

1025.

Compulsory. Pilotage is available between 0500-1900hrs. Upon arrival at the pilot boarding position the pilot service should be informed of the exact position of vessel in the anchorage, draught of vessel and the maximum speed of vessel in the river. Failure to do this will result in the pilot service not providing a pilot. Pilot boards in position 10°20.45'N 107°03.20'E (off Baie des Cocotiers).

Range 2.7m.

Available.

Prevailing winds: SW'ly and NE'ly monsoons.

Communication is possible via Inmarsat. VHF: Pilot: Ch 16, 02.

Customs: Officers and crew have to declare their personal effects to Customs as required. This includes foreign exchange, accompanied baggage and goods. The Customs allowance for officers and crew are a max of 1.5 litres of alcohol, a max of 400 cigarettes, 50-100 cigars, a max of 100gm of tobacco. Penalties for non compliance are based upon individual circumstances. The bonded store will be sealed while a vessel stays in the port. A release of bonded goods may be permitted at any time subject to Customs approval and presence onboard. Crew/passenger are not allowed to sell or change their personal effects, which are already declared to Customs, with local people. It is strictly prohibited to supply any bonded goods to shore personnel. The following are prohibited from import/export: Weapons, explosives, drugs, antiques, documents relating to national security, cultural articles which may cause harm to Vietnam morality.

..... Port entry: 1. Original papers which shall be produced: a. Certificate of registry of ship b. Certificate of technical condition safety c. Dictionary book of crew members (for Vietnamese vessels) d. Passports of crew members and passengers, if any e. International certificates of vaccination of crew members and passengers, if any f. Documents in relation to export/import goods, transit goods, temporary import for re-export goods g. Certificate of health quarantine h. Certificate of plant quarantine i. Certificate of livestock quarantine or Certificate of livestock production of export country (if goods are livestock production). 2. Papers and documents which shall be submitted: a. Declaration of arrival/departure (standard Form 1); b. Crew List (standard Form 2) c. Passenger List (standard Form 3) d. Ship stores Declaration (standard Form 4) e. Declaration of cargo and of luggage of crew members f. Declaration of international health quarantine g. Declaration of plant quarantine h. Declaration of livestock quarantine i. Declaration of equipment and instruments forbidden in use during the period at port. Port departure: 1. Papers which shall be produced upon request: a. Certificate of registry of ship (in case of any change as compared with the time when the ship entered the port) b. Certificates of qualifications of the captain, the officers and other crew members (in case of any change as compared with the time when the ship entered the port) c. Passports or list of crew members, and passports of passengers if any d. International certificates of vaccination of crew members and passengers in case of passenger ship ( in case of any change as compared with the time when the ship entered the port) e. Certificate of health quarantine f. Certificate of livestock quarantine or Certificate of livestock production (if goods are a livestock production) g. Documents in relation to export-import goods, transit goods, temporary import for re-export goods h. Receipts or other lawful documents evidencing the payment of all related debts. 2. Papers and documents which shall be submitted: Document Copy a. Declaration of arrival/departure (standard Form 1) 1 b. Crew list (standard Form 2) 1 c. Passenger List (standard Form 3) 1 d. Ship stores Declaration (standard Form 4) 1 e. Declaration of luggage of crew members 1 f. All permits issued by the Port Authority or other State administrative organizations or agencies at the port to the ship, its crew members or its passengers during the ship's stay at the port (for the purpose of withdrawal of these permits).

Initial ETA should be sent to the vessel's appointed agent on departure from last port. This message will be passed to the Harbour Master by the agent. Additional ETA's should be sent each 48 hours after departure from the last port and then 72, 36, 24, 12, 6 and 4 hours prior to arrival. The ETA message should contain: ..... 1. Vessel's name, port of registry, nationality, callsign, vessel type, ship owner's name 2. Ship's particulars (DWT, GT, NT etc) 3. Crew/passengers onboard and stowaways onboard, if any (this is very important) 4. Last Port of Call 5. Next Port of Call 6. ETA at Vung Tau Buoy Zero 7. ETD 8. LOA, breadth, draughts fore and aft, air restriction 9. The purpose of port entry 10. Quantity/quality of cargo, condition and property of goods 11. Agent name, representative of the ship owner in Vietnam. Exemption of ETA procedures for foreign vessels to enter ports: Registered vessels carrying the national flags of the countries which have signed maritime agreements with Vietnam containing provisions on exemption of permission application procedures for one signatory party's ships' entry in the other signatory party's ports. Vessels transporting cargoes or passengers of foreign countries, which have arrived at ports within no more than 12 months as from the date of their last departure from ports. Notification on vessels' arrival at ports: Within 8 hours before ships are expected to arrive in the water area of Vung Tau Buoy Zero, the ship owners must send "The ships' port entry/departure declaration" to Saigon Port Authority Confirmation report on ships' port arrival: Within no more than 2 hours before ships are expected to arrive in the water area of Vung Tau Buoy Zero, the ship owners must report thereon with confirmation to Saigon Port Authority. Confirmation report on ships' departure from port: Within 2 hours before their ship leave ports, the ship owner shall have to confirm with Saigon Port Authority the ships' name and the estimated time of their departure.

Vietnam regulations require vessels entering a Vietnamese port to display the Vietnam flag. If the vessel does not possess a Vietnamese flag, the Master can request the local agent to supply it on arrival at the pilot station. There is a penalty for non compliance.

The main/emergency radio transmitter and direction finder will be sealed when the vessel is in port. No direct communications are therefore possible, except via satellite, all other messages must be routed through the vessel's agent.

Pratique cannot be applied for by radio. It is normally applied for after the Quarantine delegation have viewed all the vessel's documents related to health (such as Health Declaration, Vaccination books, Ship Sanitation Control Certificate) and granted.

The NOR should be tendered when the vessel arrives at the pilot station.