Piloting and Pilotage Precedure of ChangShu Port and Changjiang river

1. Port Overview and Navigation Characteristics

Changshu Port (31°38’N 121°10’E) is a Class I open port certified under GB/T 27901-2021, comprising three main operational areas:

• Changshu New Port Area (31°40’N 121°08’E)
  • 4 berths for vessels up to 50,000 DWT
  • Design depth: -12.5m CD
• Changshu Economic Zone Terminal (31°36’N 121°12’E)
  • Specialized for dangerous cargo (Class I-IV)
  • Fire-fighting capability: FI-FI Class 1
• Changshu Logistics Base (31°39’N 121°09’E)
  • Container throughput: 1.2 million TEU/year
  • Gantry crane capacity: 50t under spreader

Yangtze River Navigation Parameters:

2. Regulatory Framework

• Primary Regulations:
  • MSA Regulation No.3 (2021 Amendment)
  • Yangtze River Protection Law (Article 28-35)
  • CPA Port Ordinance (2023 Edition)
• Pilotage Mandates:
  • Foreign vessels: Compulsory per China Maritime Code Article 35
  • Domestic vessels: >3,000 GT or carrying hazardous materials
  • Exceptions require MSA pre-approval (72-hour notice)

3. Detailed Pilotage Procedures

3.1 Pre-arrival Protocol

• Documentation:
  • MSA Form 301 (Vessel Particulars)
  • CPA Declaration Form D-12
  • Valid P&I Certificate (minimum $1B coverage)
• Timeline:
  • 72h prior: Preliminary notice via CPA e-Portal
  • 24h prior: Final ETA with draft confirmation
  • 6h prior: Pilot boarding confirmation

3.2 Pilot Transfer Operations

• Boarding Locations:
  • Primary: Yangtze No.1 Anchorage (31°40’N 121°10’E)
  • Alternate: No.3 Anchorage (31°35’N 121°15’E)
• Safety Requirements:
  • Pilot ladder compliance with SOLAS Regulation V/23
  • Minimum freeboard: 1.5m at boarding position
  • Night operations: 100 lux illumination at ladder

3.3 Navigation Protocol

• Speed Limits:
  • Port area: 8 knots (CPA Regulation 12.3)
  • River channel: 12 knots max
• Critical Waypoints:
  • WP-01 (31°42’N 121°08’E): Start of TSS Zone
  • WP-02 (31°37’N 121°14’E): Changshu Bend
  • WP-03 (31°35’N 121°16’E): Liuhe Confluence

3.4 Berthing Specifications

4. Cost Structure & Optimization

4.1 Fee Schedule

4.2 Cost-Saving Measures

• Tidal Planning:
  • Optimal arrival: +2hrs before HW (CPA Tide Table 2023)
  • Draft adjustment: 0.3m reduction saves ~8% port dues
• Operational Efficiency:
  • Pre-cleared documentation: Saves 2-4hrs port time
  • Bundled services: 15% discount for CPA registered operators

5. Safety Management System

• Emergency Equipment Requirements:
  • Yangtze River-specific lifejackets (Type YR-1)
  • Bilingual (CN/EN) emergency procedures manual
• Crew Certification:
  • MSA Yangtze River Endorsement (Certificate YRE-01)
  • Annual bridge team training (CPA Standard TS-2022)

6. Contact Directory