The Maritime Office of Szczecin issued the following regulations:

Standing Order No 4 of Director of Maritime Office in Szczecin, dated September 17^th, 2002.

Rules of vessel traffic

A vessel intending to enter the port of Świnoujście from the Pomeranian Bay shall, unless they can pass vessels leaving port of Świnoujście, give way to vessels leaving the port, except when the Harbour master's Office or VTS orders otherwise.

A vessel intending to cross the sea-way should give way to a vessel that can safely proceed along the seaway.

1. The following ships are obliged to be escorted by a fire-fighting vessel:
• tank vessels carrying flammable liquids with ignition temperature up to 60oC in quantity over 2,000 tonnes, as well as ones which have not been degassed after the transport of such liquids,
• tank vessels carrying flammable gases, as well as ones which have not been degassed after the transport of such gases;
2. Escort mentioned in section 1 is required while vessels are moving:
• on the water lane Świnoujście - Szczecin starting from a pair of buoys 7-8 on the Pomeranian Bay to the Fairway Gate 1 on the Zalew Szczeciński
• on the water lane Świnoujście - Szczecin from Iński Nurt (the beam of the beacon Ina S) to the harbour in Szczecin;
• during mooring and unmooring manoeuvres.
3. The commander of fire-fighting section being on duty on the fire-fighting vessel is responsible for the vessel's equipment, crew training and going into action during rescue and extinguishing operations.
4. If there is no possibility to provide the escort of a fire-fighting vessel, the harbour captain can agree to the tank vessel movement, defining passage conditions at the same time.
5. The tank vessel movement mentioned in section 1 can be performed with visibility not lower than 1 Nm.

Reporting system

• Compulsory reporting is required for the following vessels bound for Szczecin-Świnoujście, Stepnica, Trzebież, Police:
• every vessel with its own propulsion or tug-tow unit or tow push unit with on overall length of 20 m or more at the time of navigation,
• every vessel carrying dangerous goods,
• every vessel authorized to carry passengers on a commercial basis, at the time of carrage.

Reports should be made to the Świnoujście Traffic on 12 UKF, 70 UKF DSC kod 002610800 or by telephone 2 hours before pilot boarding or 15 min. before entrance VTS. 2 hours before unmooring for vessels with intention of unmooring and take the pilot or 1 hour before unmooring for vessels with intention of unmooring and do not take the pilot.

Each vessel approaching or navigating in the VTS shall send following reports in accordance with the reporting system that is mandatory in VTS Świnoujście and VTS Szczecin area, standing order:

• voyage plan,
• position report,
• special report

Reporting Points	Port Authority
Vessels Inward-Bound:
Head of the eastern breakwater (Świnoujście)	12 UKF, 70 UKF DSC kod 002610800
Fairway Gate 1 (53°48'-5N, 14°20'-6E)	Szczecin Traffic 69 UKF
Fairway Gate 4 (53°40'N, 14°32'E)	Szczecin Traffic 69 UKF
Vessels Outward-Bound:
15 min. before entrance VTS area	Szczecin Traffic 69 UKF
Fairway Gate 4 (53°40'N-014°32'E)	Szczecin Traffic 69 UKF
Fairway Gate 1 (53°38'N, 014°20,6'E)	Świnoujście Traffic 12 UKF, 70 UKF DSC kod 002610800
Head of the eastern breakwater (Świnoujście)	Świnoujście Traffic 12 UKF, 70 UKF DSC kod 002610800

VTS SZCZECIN AREA

The VTS Szczecin area is detremined by straight lines and the shore lines connecting positions in Zalew Szczeciński and Roztoka Odrzańska from Gate 1 to shore abutments of the Odolany gas pipeline in Roztoka Odrzańska and the areas.

Positions on the chart and areas	Latitude	Longitude
western abument of the Odolany gas pipeline	53°36,3'N	14°34,3'E
shore line to a point in way of the village of Podgrodzie	53°44,4'N	14°18,5'E
shallow water buoy "MO-S"	53°47,0'N	14°18,5'E
western tower of Gate 1	53°48,5'N	14°20,4'E
eastern tower of Gate 1	53°48,6'N	14°20,5'E
shallow water buoy "KW-S"	53°47,6'N	14°24,7'E
seaway buoy "MC"	53°47,6'N	14°24,7'E
shore line in way of the village of Kopice	53°42,1'N	14°32,4'E
eastern abutment of the Odolany gas pipline	53°36,3'N	14°35,8'E

VTS ŚWINOUJŚCIE AREA

The VTS Świnoujście area is detremined by straight lines and the shore lines connecting positions in Pomeranian Bay and areas.

Postions on the chart and areas	Latitude	Longitude
Polish-German border on the shore line	53°55,7'N	14°13,6'E
a point indicating the road boundary	53°59,3'N	14°15,5'E
position	54°07,6'N	14°12,1'E
a point indicating the road boundary	54°07,6'N	14°16,8'E
position on the shore line	53°54,6'N	14°20,2'E
strech of the Świnoujście-Szczecin fairway from the eastern head of the breakwater to the Seaway Gate	-	-
River Świna from buoy "SW-2" to the road brige over Stara Świna in Karsibórz	-	-

For traffic requirements, vessels shall comply with the following rules:

• VTS Świnoujście area:
• working channel: VHF12, 70VHF DSC code 002610800,
• calling: Świnoujście Traffic,
• area: the road from N-4 buoy, port in Świnoujście, and the Świnoujście-Szczecin fairway from the entrance heads to Gate 1,
• objective: VTS operator contacts with traffic vessels or those intending to join the traffic,
• channel 12VHF is used exclusively for VTS-vessel comunications,
• persons on land should make arrangements concerning fairway traffic and vessel berhing by telephone via a VTS operator,
• companies may determine other calling channels for their prupose on a frequency assigned to them,
• arrangements between VTS and vessels requiring more time should be made on VHF 18
• VTS Szczecin area:
• working channel: 69 VHF,
• calling Szczecin Traffic,
• area: part of Zalew Szczeciński, Roztoka Odrzańska, ports in Police and Szczecin and Świnoujście-Szczecin fairway Gate 1 to Dock no 5,
• objective: VTS operator contacts with traffic vessels or those intending to join the traffic,
• VHF channel 69 is used exclusively for VTS-vessel comunications,
• in matters concerning calling the rules of section1, points1 f and g apply,
• arrangements between VTS and vessels requiring more time should be made on VHF channel 20.

Navigation on the Szczecin-Świnoujście Fairway

• Vessels allowed to enter or leave Świnoujście port are those with length not exceeding 270 m and draught of up to 12.80 m.
• Vessels allowed to enter or leave Szczecin port are those:
• with length of up to 215 m in any case,
• with maximum allowable draught of 9.15m and length not exceeding 160 m.
• Vessels are not allowed to cross the boundary line of Basen Węglowy in Świnoujście (the straight line connecting the N point of the Kosa Peninsula and NE point of the Zielina Peninsula).
• Draught limits for vessels with length exceeding 160 m are given in the following table:
  

  Length vessel over all in meters	Maximum beam of vessels in meters
  	up to 25	up to 28	up to 31
  	Maximum fresh water draught in meters
  160-170	9.05	8.96	8.87
  170-180	8.91	8.76	8.61
  180-190	8.76	8.57	8.42
  190-200	8.57	8.42	8.27
  200-210	8.46	8.31	8.15

  
  
• Vessels with length exceeding 200 m or draught exceeding 9.00 m are allowed to navigate only in the day-time and with a visibility of at least 2 miles.
• Vessels between 180 m and 200 m in length may proceed at night time on the conditions determined by the Harbour Master after consultation with the Chief Pilot provided that visibility is not less than 2 Nm.
• Overtaking is allowed only on the following fairway sections:
• from Karsibór (10.0 km) to the N point of the Chełminek Island,
• from beacon Mańków Dolna to beacon Ina-S

for vessels, which have draught not greater then 5.50 and their difference in speed, is considerable.

• Maximum permissible speeds of vessels on particular fairway sections is as follows:
• V - forward speed in knots

Fairway section	Conditions
	V
Anchorage to Buoys No 7,8	12
Buoy No 7,8 to Fairway Gate 1	8
Fairway Gate 1 to N head of Chełminek island	12
N head of Chełminek Island to buoys no 13-14	8
Buoys No 13-14 to beacon Krępa Dolna	12
Beacon Krępa Dolna to beacon Raduń Górna	8
Beacon Raduń Górna to Iński Nurt	12
Iński Nurt to the port in Szczecin and in port areas	8

Information Service

• Information about Traffic movements on the Szczecin-Świnoujście Fairway can be obtained VHF Channel as follows: Świnoujście CH 12, Szczecin CH 69.
• Warnings and navigational information are broadcasted on VHF Channel 69 by Szczecin Traffic at 0533, 1133, 1733, 2333 LT.
• Warnings and navigational information of VTS- Świnoujście area are transmitted on working Channel 12 half an hour later then the navigational transmission of VTS Szczecin.
• Harbour Master's Office VHF Channel 69
• Pilot ordering VHF Channel 69
• Reporting environmental pollution VHF Channel 69
• Communicaton during towing VHF Channel 8 (in Police Port VHF Channel 78)

Signalling system

Lights and day marks

• On the routes:
• from anchorage to the Świnoujście port and within the port area (all vessels above 176 m in length or of draught in excess of 9.15 m),
• from the beam of the N point of the Kosa Peninsula in Świnoujście to the Szczecin port (all vessels above 160 m in length or of draught in excess of 7.40m), are to show lights and signals according to the COLREG 1972, prescribed to vessels limited in their draught.
• A hydrofoil craft in air-born sailing, passing the main fairway Świnoujście-Szczecin is to show, besides the signals according to COLREG 1972, a yellow flashing light, completely visible from all directions.

Pilotage

• Pilotage is compulsory:
1. In the port of Świnoujście for vessels and tow pushed units or towed units, with an overall length of 60 m or more and for all vessels mooring in Basins Bałtycki and Atlantycki and the Maritime Repair Shipyard, regardless of their overall length,
2. In the ports of Szczecin and Police for vessels and tow pushed units or towed units with an overall length of 50 m or more,
3. For vessels and tow pushed units or towed units in ports other than those referred to in paragraphs a) and b) with an overall length of 40 m or more,
4. For vessels regardless of their length that may endanger the safety of navigation or port order,
5. For passenger vessels regardless of their length.
• Pilot ordering by the vessel coming from open sea to ports: Świnoujście, Szczecin, Police and other ports within the area of Zalew Szczeciński, are to call to the Pilot Station at least 4 hours before reaching the anchorage. Pilots are to board vessels at the anchorages north of the entrance to Świnoujście:
• anchorage no 1B: vessels with a draught of 12.8 m (including vesels carrying dangerous cargoes),
• anchorage no 2A, B: vessels with a draught of 11.0 m and vessels carrying dangerous cargoes
• anchorage no 1A a draught of 7.0 m, 1B a draught of 6.0 m

The same obligations apply to vessels coming from the Polish-German border within Zalew Szczeciński and going to Polish ports. In this case pilots board vessels at the buoy TW-1 near Fairway Gate 2.

• Pilot ordering by vessels leaving the port are to call to the Pilot Station at least 2 hours before the vessel's departure.
• Passenger vessels are obliged to use a pilot service regardless of their length, unless the captain of the vessel has been guaranteed special permission, issued by the Maritime Office in Szczecin, for navigation without the pilot support.
• For vessels with a greater overall length than 140 m entering and leaving the port of Szczecin an additional charge is levied due to pilot exchange.
• For vessels with a greater overall length than 160 m entering an living the port of Police an additional charge is levied due to pilots exchange.
• Vessels with length exceeding 100 m, arriving at the port of Świnoujście from the port of Szczecin or Police, are obliged to use the harbour pilot service.
• Vessels arriving at the port of Świnoujście, which are to be accommodated in Basen Rybacki, are obliged to use the harbour pilot service regardless of their length.
• The location for changing pilots is the N point of the Mielin Island, between 5th and 6th km of the fairway Świnoujście-Szczecin.

Towage

Within the area of Szczecin

Vessels of length up to 120 m are to use tug assistance for entrance to Przekop Mieleński (at the beam of the Święta River) to the place of berth, or back.

Vessels with length above 120 m going to quays and basins located in the south of the Huk quay - from Kra quay to the place of berth, or back.

Vessels going to quays by the river Odra in the north of Huk quay - from a beam of northern head of Zurawia Island to the place pf berth, or back.

1. In the ports of Szczecin, Police and Świnoujście, except as provided in subsection 2, the following vessels are obliged to use towage services in the following manner.
• one tug:
1. vessels ranging in overall length from 90 m to 120 m,
2. vessels ranging in overall length from 75 m to 90 m when in the port of Szczecin and manoeuvring with a turn in Dębicki Kanał, on the Rivers Parnica and Regalica, in the basins: Wschodni, Zachodni, Warta, Notecki, and along the Starówka and Węgierskie Berths,
3. vessels without their own propulsion and with an overall length of less than 60 m.
• two tugs:
1. vessels ranging in overall length from 120 m to 160 m,
2. vessels outward, without turning, ranging in overall length from 160 m to 180 m,
3. vessels without their own propulsion ranging in overall length from 60 m up to 120 m.
• three tugs:
1. inward vessels and outward vessels making a turning manoeuvre, ranging in overall length from 160 m to 180 m,
2. outward vessels, without turning, ranging in overall length from 180 m to 220 m,
3. vessels without their own propulsion ranging in overall length from 120 m to 160 m.
• four tugs:
1. inward vessels and outward vessels making a turning manoeuvre, ranging in length from 180 m to 220 m,
2. vessels with an overall length of more than 220 m,
3. vessels without their own propulsion with an overall length of more than 160 m.
2. In the port of Świnoujście, in the basins of Bałtycki and Atlantycki and in the area of the Maritime Repair Shipyard the following vessels are obliged to use towage services:
• one tug - vessels ranging in overall length from 75 m to 95 m,
• two tugs - vessels ranging in overall length from 95 m to 140 m,
• three tugs - vessels ranging in overall length from 140 m to 160 m,
• four tugs - vessels with an overall length of more than 160 m.

Within the area of Police

• Vessels with an overall length of more than 120 m berthing in the sea port of Police-from abeam of beacon Krępa Górna up to the berthing place and vice versa,
• Vessels with an overall of up to 120 m - in area 1500 m away from the berthing place and vice versa.

Within the area of Świnoujście

• Vessels with length not exceeding 100 m are to use tug assistance for a distance of 1500 m from the place of accommodation, or vice versa.
• Vessels with length exceeding 100 m, but less than 150 m
• approaching the port from the open sea, are to use tug assistance on the route from the east head of port breakwaters to the place of accommodation, or vice versa,
• approaching the port from Zalew Szczeciński, are to use tug assistance from the 8^th km of the fairway Świnoujście-Szczecin.
• Vessels with length exceeding 150 m
• approaching the port from the open sea, are to use a tug assistance from the point 2 miles ahead of the east head of port breakwaters to the place of accommodation,
• approaching the port from Zalew Szczeciński, are to use tug assistance from the 8^th kilometer of the fair-way Świnoujście-Szczecin.

Within the area of the fairway Szczecin-Świnoujście

• By the Harbour Master's decision, vessels must use tug assistance on the entire length of the fairway of Świnoujście-Szczecin, if it is necessary for safe navigation.
• Towing of
• load vessels is allowed with a wind force of no more than 6°B,
• empty vessels is allowed with a wind force of no more than 5°B.
  Within the inner area of port Świnoujście, the towing of empty vessels is allowed at wind force of up to 7°B and 6°B respectively. Empty vessel means the vessel loaded up to 50% of its deadweight (DWAT) capacity.
• Large towing complexes (like a tug with a barge of over 2,000 DWT) going from anchorage to Szczecin port, or vice versa, must use the assistance of one additional tug, operating at the stern of the towed vessel, on the routes:
• from the anchorage to Gate 1 (Brama Torowa No 1),
• in port Szczecin, starting at the beam of Huta Szczecin.
  Those complexes, which are to enter Basen Notecki and Regalica, must use the assistance of an additional tug with at least 1,000 horsepower.
  Entering or leaving the port by those complexes is to be performed in the daytime only, with good visibility, and with a wind force of no more than 6°B.

Mooring

• All vessels with length exceeding 50 m are obliged to use the boatmen service.
• For mooring operations for vessels with try or for request of Master motorboats are to be supplied.
• In the case of mooring or unmooring with dolphins, mooring motor-boats are to be used regardless of the size of the vessel.
• The required number of linesmen, depending on vessel's size, is given in the following table:
  
  

  OPERATION	Length of vessels in meters
  	50 ÷ 140	140.1 ÷ 200	over 200
  mooring	2 ÷ 3	4 ÷ 5	6
  unmooring	1 ÷ 2	3 ÷ 4	5

  
  
• Mooring by the quays: Kra, Cementowe, Fosfatowe, Snop, Huk, Cal, Oko, Gnieźnieńskie, Mak, Krakowskie, Angielskie, Polskie, Węgierskie, is to be done with the use of at least 2 springs and at least 3 bow lines and 3 stern lines.