TOGO - NEW PROCEDURES

BIMCO reports that the Togolese Government has adopted measures to enhance the safety and security of vessels navigating in or through the country’s territorial waters.

A vessel identification station called “TOGO NAVY” is established at Lome military naval base. This station is responsible for identifying all vessels navigating in or through Togolese territorial waters to ensure optimal control over these waters. The details of the vessel identification station are as follows:

VHF: Channel 16, Channel 10 “TOGO NAVY” 
Tel: 00 228 22 23 70 83 
Fax: 00 228 22 71 01 10 
INMARSAT-C: 584 422 801 833 
Mail: base.marine@yahoo.com

The Togo Navy has four patrol boats and an Air Force helicopter to patrol maritime areas specifically in the safe anchorage. Two new Offshore Patrol Boats are expected at the end of the first semester of 2014.

A berthing zone and waiting zone where 24-hour patrols by vessels belonging to the National Navy have been established. The coordinates of the berthing zone and waiting zone are as follows:

BERTHING ZONE:

A) 06°05.000N / 001°13.000 E 
B) 05°56.000N / 001°13.000 E 
C) 06°01.000N / 001°12.000 E 
D) 06°07.000N / 001°18.000 E

WAITING ZONE:

E) 06°08.000N / 001°25.000 E 
F) 06°03.000N / 001°27.000 E 
G) 06°04.000N / 001°30.000 E 
H) 06°09.000N / 001°29.000 E

All vessels are must contact the “TOGO NAVY” identification station on VHF channel 10 prior to entering the territorial waters. In cases where the vessel has armed protection, this should be notified 48 hours in advance and all arms and weaponry should be disarmed prior to entry into territorial waters.

All vessels within Togolese territorial waters are bound to:

• ensure permanent radiotelephonic monitoring (VHF) on the international call frequency (channel 16) and channel 10;
• inform the “TOGO NAVY” identification station, by all means at its disposal, of any incident or accident which may compromise the safety of persons, the vessel or its navigation, and more generally of any situation likely to lead to pollution of the waters and coastline;
• ensure compliance with injunctions issued by the shipping and maritime authorities and to respond to any request for information issued by the Togolese authorities;
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Vessels in Togolese territorial waters are obliged to comply with the following provisions:

• ensure the AIS emitter is continuously activated;
• indicate the presence of any vessel navigating within a distance of less than 222 metres;
• have a Shipping Agency;
• issue prior information to the Shipping Agency and the “TOGO NAVY” identification station prior to any operations being undertaken (transhipment or resupply) with other vessels;
• inform the “TOGO NAVY” identification station of departure from the mooring point two hours prior to unberthing.

All vessels shall be under the obligation to preferably anchor in the berthing zone or waiting zone where supervision and patrols are undertaken permanently.

All vessels, shipping companies, and shipping agents shall be entitled to request special protection by the State Armed Services through its Shipping Agency.

All movements and manoeuvres of supply vessels towards moored vessels are prohibited at night. Each supply vessel shall be under the obligation to indicate its manoeuvres to the “TOGO NAVY” identification station.

Source: BIMCO