SAILING PORT ELIZABETH

VISITING YACHT INFORMATION

APPROACH
The approach to the port of Port Elizabeth is straight forward from the East or West.

  • Are there any special procedures/issues we should be aware of when entering the harbour or coming into the marina?
    No. Ch12. Call PE Port Control when you are within 1 mile of the Port entrance.
    Please visit www.sailingpe.co.za click on YACHT CLUB, go to MARINA INFORMATION. Here you will also find a aerial photo of the Port with marina. (Lets us know if there is more information you require.)
  • Does the marina monitor a VHF channel that we can hail upon arrival?
    No. you will have to call me on my cell phone  +27 82 845 3961 (good luck if it is after my bedtime).
  • Coastal Passage Plan
    We would encourage all yachts sailing along the coat to use the Coastal Passage Plan on the top left of the web page to log there trip to and from South African Ports. It helps with safety issues, should they arise as well as passing on information the Marina you intend to dock at.

NB: it always helps if you give us a Heads Up. Try phoning me when you are a beam of Bird Is (6 hours away) then I know to expect you.

I also monitor movements on the Marine Traffic site, so if you have AIS it helps us. Though it has been known not to pick-up or Track all the yachts.

HARBOUR ENTRANCE
The harbour entrance is 300m wide and 14m deep. The water is protected and flat once around the harbour wall. Once inside the harbour proceed to the marina which is situated at the South Western part of the port and find a mooring on the Southern part of the Marina.

The Marina is situated at S33.58.030 E025.38.156

COMMUNICATION
Call Port Elizabeth Port Control on Channel 12

DOCKING
Please make use of the chart extracts and marina layout in order to find the berth allocated to you in advance. If you have no advance allocation, please make use of the Mooring located at the South East end of the Marina until a mooring is allocated. Draft here is limited to 3m. Be aware that the inside moorings have a limit of 2m draft due to shallow waters. Please do not occupy any other open berth you come upon, as they are privately owned.

BOOKING IN
Make yourself comfortable and safe and then report to the marina office during business hours, (weekdays 8:30 to 16:00) to sort out the paperwork. The Container over on the corner of the Hard.

RESTAURANT AND BAR
There are two restaurants at the entrance to the Marina, PEDSAC and Nelson Mandela Bay Yacht Club.

CONTACT

NAME PHONE EMAIL
John Tudehope +27 82 854 3961 john@gatewaypm.co.za

CUSTOMS AND IMMIGRATION
International visitors must clear into and out of the country via a Port of Entry. From the East, they are:

    • Richards Bay
    • Durban
    • Port Elizabeth
    • East London
    • Cape Town

Once cleared in, you are free to roam as you please, and you do not have to clear out at the same port you came in.( Clearance at the same port is to be done if the you plan to sail directly to a foreign country from any of the above mentioned ports of entry) At this moment if a yacht is lighter than 100tons then it is seen as a pleasure vessel and is therefore exempted from  clearing customs after the first port of entry and that person will then only clear customs at the last port of exit and nowhere in between..(E.g. entry at Cape Town and exit clearance at Richards bay)

Foreign registered yachts may only stay in the country for a maximum of 6 months. There after they must leave South Africa. Keep in mind that the yacht is not allowed to be stored in South Africa. (E.g. the owner cannot fly home and leave his yacht behind.) If a yacht was built in South Africa and is sailing for the first time going for delivery or ownership was taken over, it may only return once a full year has elapsed. Failure to observe these requirements can lead to seizure of the said yacht and/or fines.

The following documents are needed for the arrival clearance of your yacht:

  1. DA1 form – Inward /outward clearance
  2. Yacht registration documents.

When leaving for an international clearance the following procedure applies (all to be presented to the customs officer upon clearance):

  1. Immigration clearance.
  2. Letter from the yacht club.
  3. Registration document of the yacht.
  4. A completed DA1 form for outward clearance of the yacht.
  5. DA3 –in order to be cleared  for sailing to an international destination