Pilotage

PILOTAGE

30 kilometre upstream from Pilotage Station
Average Pilotage time: 3 hours 

NAVIGATIONAL AIDS

To facilitate the pilotage appropriate navigational aids have been provided throughout the passage. At present the following aids are available:

VTMS  

An integrated surveillance system which can detect the plying vessels in the offshore approach channel, fix its position and superimpose the same on the estuary map of the approach channel in a video screen.

It helps in providing effective navigational aid to pilotage of plying vessels in the Hoogly estuary. It provides operational information like track details, track loss, targets range, bearing, time to approach, target point, destination etc. will be available.

LIGHT HOUSE 

• Sagar Lighthouse (Lat. 21°39'N, Long. 088°03'E). It is visible in clear weather from a distance of 28 Km.
• Dariapur Lighthouse (Lat. 21°47'N, Long. 087°52'E).  It is visible in clear weather from a distance of 35 Km.

LIGHT VESSELS

There are five unmanned light vessels.

• U.G.L.F. Lat. 21°29'51" N Long. 088°06'36.5" E
• L.G.L.F. Lat.  21°21'54" N Long. 088°09'34" E
• TALENT WK L.V. Lat. 21°17'00" N Long. 088°11'25" E
• Eastern Channel L.V Lat. 21°02'54.6" N Long. 088°11'30" E
• Western Channel L.V Lat. 21°05'002" N Long. 087°50'24.8" E

AUTOMATIC TIDE GAUGES

These are maintained at Garden Reach, Diamond Harbour and Haldia for round-the-clock recording of tidal data, which is used for the prediction of tides and preparation of tide tables by Survey of India.

MANUAL TIDE GAUGES

These are maintained at Akra, Moyapur, Hooghly Point, Balari, Gangra and Sagar for displaying rises of tide for the convenience of various vessels navigating, dredging and surveying in the River Hooghly.

RIVER MARKS AND BUOYS

There are 500 River marks some of which are lighted.  These are extremely useful in pilotage and dredging. There are also 90 lighted buoys and 42 unlit buoys marking the navigational channel from Sandheads to Kolkata.

WIRELESS/VHF NETWORK

Wireless stations have been provided at Kolkata, Haldia and on board all dredgers, pilot vessels, despatch and survey/research vessels, tidal stations within Kolkata Dock System & Haldia Dock Complex.

DIFFERENT GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (DGPS)

The satellite based DGP System functions with the help of orbiting satellite and reference stations installed by KoPT. It gives exact locations of any mobile craft having the DGPS receivers in terms of latitude, longitude or in other co-ordinate system along with related navigational parameters for safe navigation, dredging and survey purpose.

OTHER FACILITIES FOR VESSELS

• Garbage Disposal from vessels at Dock regularly done by Haldia Municipality.
• Bunkering on prior arrangements with oil companies
• Provisions on prior arrangements with suppliers.
• Port Health Officer& medical aid Port’s Health officer issues the necessary certificates of pratique to vessels as per the regulations. The Medical Aid are available from Port Hospital as well as of private Nursing Homes and Government Hospitals.
• Immigration in accordance with the immigration rules of the country, as applicable.
• Signing on /off of crew Haldia port is well connected to enable easy and quick repatriation of the crew.
• Agency facility services of shipping agents, stevedores, handling agents and registered surveyors are available for both Marine and Cargo related services