Estuary right of way rules
Estuary right of way rules
Right of way rules for the approach to the port of Delfzijl
The Inland Waterways Police Regulations (Binnenvaart Politie Reglement, BPR) contain rules governing the entry and exit of ports with or against the current. For the approach to the port of Delfzijl, the Eemsmonding Shipping Regulations (in addition to International Provisions) apply and, unlike the BPR, other right of way rules apply. These right of way rules apply to the approach to the port entrance, which area is shaded in the map below.
Chart of the approach to the port of Delfzijl
This area of the approach to the port of Delfzijl is bounded by an imaginary line drawn over the following buoys and beacons:
51/PS1, PS3/BW26, the western breakwater, the eastern breakwater, PS O/Rede, 53 PS2/Oterdum-Reede and back to 51 PS1
The following right of way rules apply in this area:
- Vessels entering the port have right of way over those about to leave the port
- Vessels that sail through ‘Gaatje Bocht’ have right of way over vessels that enter Gaatje Bocht from the area referred to above
- Vessels in the above mentioned area have right of way over vessels about to enter the above mentioned area from the Bocht van Watum or the Dollard.
Ems Traffic
The shaded area falls under the authority of Ems Traffic and shipping must report on VHF channel 20 or 21 in good time before entering this area. The instructions of the competent authority Ems Traffic must be followed immediately. Delfzijl radar works on VHF 03.
Cooperating authorities
The right of way rules for the approach to the port of Delfzijl were drawn up in cooperation with the following authorities: Rijkswaterstaat, Police, Wasser- und Schifffahrtsverwaltung (WSV) and Groningen Seaports.