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Transit Guide

Southbound / Northbound limit lines

Required documents for transit

I.S.P.S

Escorting tugs / Impose tugs

Important Transit information:

Southbound Convoy

Arrival limit
1st Convoy


Fixed arrival limit : 2300hrs south of lat. 31 28.7 N limited by long. 32 37.43 E.
In favorable navigational conditions, the limit time for arrivals from North is to be extended as shown below.

  1. When arriving between 2300hrs and 2400hrs such ships can join the tanker group against the payment of a surcharge equal of 5% of the normal transit dues with a maximum of SDR 12500
  2. When arriving after 2400hrs and up to 0100hrs such ships can still join the tanker group against the payment of a surcharge equal to 10% of the normal transit dues with a maximum of SDR 25000.
  3. Vessels arriving after 0100hrs may join the northbound convoy, if traffic conditions permit, against the payment of a surcharge equal to 12% of the normal transit dues with a maximum of SDR
    30000.

Movement of Group : From 0330hrs to 0800hrs.

Northbound Convoy

Arrival limit


Fixed arrival limit : 2300hrs North of lat. 29 42. 8 N. limited by long. 32 23 .1 E & Long. 32 41 .5 E.. In favorable navigational conditions, the limit time for arrivals from South is to be extended as shown below.

  1. When arriving between 2300hrs and 2400hrs such ships can join the tanker group against the payment of a surcharge equal of 5% of the normal transit dues with a maximum of SDR 12500.
  2. When arriving after 2400hrs and up to 0100hrs such ships can still join the tanker group against the payment of a surcharge equal to 10% of the normal transit dues with a maximum of SDR 25000.
  3. Vessels arriving after 0100hrs may join the northbound convoy, if traffic conditions permit, against the
    payment of a surcharge equal to 12% of the normal transit dues with a maximum of SDR 30000.

Movement of Group: From 0400hrs to 0830hrs.

Required documents during transit :

•   For our boarding clerk :

  • Suez Canal transit forms
  • Crew lists
  • Ship's particulars
  • Ship's registry cert (signed and stamped)
  • ITC 69
  • Cargo manifest classification cert.

•   For SCA inspector:

  • Ship's registry cert.
  • Classification cert.
  • Crew list
  • Suez Canal tonnage certificate with calculation sheet
  • Cargo manifest
  • Container form (included in SC forms)
  • Double Bottom Tank (included in SC forms)

•   For the quarantine inspectors:

  • Crew lists
  • Vaccination lists
  • Port of call lists
  • Maritime declaration of health.

•   For Port Security:

  • Crew lists
  • Ship's particulars
  • Port of call lists
  • Cargo manifests,
  • Cargo (tank) plans
  • Nil list (weapons etc)
I.S.P.S

The SUEZ CANAL is operating at ISPS Level 1

  • Radio Telex:
    SELCALL ID. NO.4820 or MMSI 006221120
    TX 1612, RX 2147, Channel 211, Mode FIB, (24hrs/7days) VHF CH 68
    E-MAIL: ismradio@hotmail.com and ismradio@mail.suezcanal.gov.eg
    SCA’s Mobile Earth Station (MES) Inmarsat Mobile number (IMN)Inmarsat – (A) Tlx: +581-1622570 Fax: +871-1622574
    Tel: +871-1622570 Answerback: SuezInmarsat – (B) Tlx: +581-362213314 Fax: +871-362213312
    Tel: +871-362213310 Answerback: SuezInmarsat – (C) Tlx: +581-462299911 Answerback: SuezIntl.Tlx: +9163528 Intl. Fax: +20 643393517 and +20 643393230
  • SCA Head Office – Ismailia:
    Chief Marine Office Tel: +20 643393116 and +20 643393128
    Chief Team Movement Office Tel: +20 643393205
    Chief Movement Office Tel: +20 643392005, Fax: +20 643392514 / 18
  • Port Said:
    Port ID# 14867, UNLOCODE: EGPSD,
    Facility ID#0000, Security level ISPS 1.
    Port Said Office Main reception Tel: +20 663386558
    Chief of Port Said Transit: Tel: +20 663386061
    Harbour Master Assistant 1: Tel: +20 663386153
    Harbour Master Assistant 2: Tel: +20 663386154
    PFSO: Tel: +20 663386572
    Police / Fire / Emergency Services: VHF CH 12.
    Port office: VHF DSC on CH 70, Port Management (calling) CH 16
    Port Said 1: CH 12 (outside harbour) Port Said 2: (inside harbour).
    Measurement Div: CH 73NB: ISPS contact persons may vary due to daily command / shift changes.All masters are required to have knowledge / understanding of Suez Canal Navigational features relating to Approaches, Anchorage areas, Navigational rules, Canal Channel and Lake characteristic, Buoy systems, Communication requirements, Flag and visual Signals.
Cases of Escorting tugs :
  1. Loaded vessels less than 70000 N.T. will be escorted by one tug when the vessels draught is more than 47 feet.
  2. Loaded vessels from 70000 N.T. to 90000 SC.N.T. will be escorted by one tug.
  3. Loaded vessels over 90000 N.T. will be escorted by two tugs.
  4. Vessels in ballast over 130000 N.T. will be escorted by one tug.
  5. P.G., and L.N.G. over 40000 and up to 90000 SC.N.T. (Except G.F.), or loaded with Ammonia cargo will be escorted by one tug, and those over 90000 SC.N.T. will be escorted by two tugs.
  6. Vessels in ballast with beam over 218 feet up to 233 feet will be escorted by one
  7. Vessels in ballast with beam over 233 feet will be escorted by two
  8. Loaded Semi-submersible ships carrying drillers or floating units (300 SC.G.T. and over) will be escorted by one tug or more tugs as decided by SC port office after survey on
  9. Integrated Units to be escorted by one tug during first (See Special Cases para “F”, Appendix No.1-P. 71)
  10. Container ships of 170,000 N.T and more will be escorted by 2 tugs
  11. Loaded tankers, bulk cargo ships and chemicals less than 70,000 SC.N.T and not fitted with double bottom tanks are escorted by one tug.
Cases of Imposed tugs :
    1. The SCA may require any vessel to take one tug or more tugs during Canal transit, whenever, in SCA judgment, this action is necessary to ensure safety of the vessel or to the Canal.
    2. Vessels without mechanical power, or vessels whose machinery is/or becomes disabled, or having bad steering, or which is liable to become unmanageable for any reason, shall be towed through the Canal.
    3. Vessels having engine or steering gear trouble for the second time during the same passage.
    4. Vessel with bad view owing to deck cargo, containers, cranes or constructions that impeded the view from the wheelhouse and wings (SC port office officials may decide after survey for the safety of the ship and the Canal that the ship has to be towed.)
    5. a)Vessels of (1500 SC.G.T. and over) unable to use one of their bow anchors.
      b)Vessels of (1500 SC.G.T. and over) built with one anchor.
      c)Vessels of (1500 SC.G.T. and over) built with more than one anchor with only one of them on the bow.
      d)Special Cases to be studied.
    6. Drilling vessels. (see special cases item A, Appendix No.1, page 69)
    7. Vessels with two engines on one propeller of which one is out of order for any reason and can not maintain speed of at least 10 knots without current (after sea trial to make sure of the speed and valid sea worthiness certificate).
    8. Vessels with two engines on two propellers of which one is out of order.
    9. On Master’s request for one tug or more.
    10. Submarines to be escorted by one or two imposed tugs according to SCA survey. (Depending on submarine condition, anchors, mooring facilities, power drive, . . etc.).
    11. Air craft carriers to be escorted by two imposed tugs.
    12. Scrapped vessel transiting under tow is escorted by SC tug.
    13. General Cargo, multi-purpose or heavy lift vessels carrying explosive of type class 1, (Explosive div. 1.1, div. 1.2, and div. 1.3 according to IMDG code) more than 3 tons (gross weight of explosives in addition to the weight of the containers or boxes the explosives are stowed in), an imposed tug is to be levied during transit for security.