Harbour Regulations for the Port of Helsinki

Approved by the City Council on the 28th of January, 2004

The new section 21 a § has been accepted 6 June 2007 and it’s effective from 1 August 2007
Change in section 7 §, has been accepted 24 September 2008 and it’s effective from 1 November 2008

CHAPTER I

General provisions

Section 1
These regulations and the orders issued by the Port Authority on the basis thereof are applicable within the jurisdiction of the Port of Helsinki in addition to all relevant Acts, Decrees and subordinate provisions.

Section 2
These regulations are applicable within the territories and water areas indicated in the attached map. A more detailed map of the territories is available at the Registry of the Port of Helsinki.

Section 3
The Managing Director is the port official in charge of compliance with these regulations. The Managing Director is entitled to delegate powers to subordinate officials.

CHAPTER II

Notices to the Port Authority

Section 4
Shipping notices

The operator, shipping agent or master of a vessel shall provide an advance notice to the Port of Helsinki no later than 24 hours before arrival. If the voyage is to last for less than 24 hours, the notice shall be provided upon departure from the previous port of call. If a vessel’s next port of call is unknown or it has been changed en route, the notice shall be provided as soon as the information is available. The notice shall indicate the name of the vessel, the estimated time of arrival, the port of departure, the type and quantity of cargo, and the requested berth. No advance notice is needed for vessels in scheduled traffic, unless the Port Authority specifically requires notice. An arrival notice and a departure notice shall be provided to the Port of Helsinki at once after the vessel arrives or departs, unless it has been otherwise agreed. The notice shall contain information on unloaded and loaded cargo, and the numbers of disembarked and embarked passengers, as required by the Finnish Maritime Administration, the Port Authority and the Customs Service. The master or the shipping agent of the vessel shall likewise provide all other information needed for the collection of the Port of Helsinki harbor fees.

A notice of the schedule of a passenger vessel and any changes thereto shall be provided well before the schedule or change takes effect. Traffic shall not be commenced before the Port Authority has approved the schedule.

A notice shall be provided of tugs, water buses and other comparable commercial vessels operating or based in the Port of Helsinki before the operations are commenced.

No notice is needed for Finnish state vessels nor for leisure boats. Berthing, however, subject to agreement with the Port of Helsinki.

Notices of dangerous goods

An advance notice of dangerous goods shall be provided to the Port of Helsinki no later than 24 hours before the goods are brought into the harbour area, unless it has been otherwise agreed. Dangerous goods are defined as goods referred to in the International Maritime
Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code, the European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR), or the European Regulations concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail (RID).

If very dangerous goods or a large quantity of dangerous goods are to be transported, it shall be ensured in advance that the goods will be allowed into the harbour area (advance inquiry).

Format of notices

Notices shall be provided electronically via the PortNet system in one of the formats approved by the Port Authority, or in some other format subject to a separate agreement.

Section 5
If the vessel is arriving from an area afflicted by a dangerous communicable disease or if someone on board has during the voyage fallen ill with a disease that is dangerous or unidentified, or suspected to be communicable, the Port of Helsinki shall be notified of the same well in advance of arrival; entry into harbour is prohibited before instructions have been received from the Port Authority.

If an animal on board has died or fallen seriously ill during the voyage, the Port of Helsinki shall be notified of the same. Such animals shall not be unloaded from the vessel, unless the City Veterinarian or another competent veterinary official permits the same.

CHAPTER III

Arrival of a vessel and berth allocation

Section 6
In the harbour area, vessel speed shall be adjusted so as not to cause damage, inconvenience or danger. The Finnish Maritime Administration sets the speed limits on fairways; the Uusimaa Environment Centre sets the speed limits in other waters. Speed limits are indicated with waterway traffic signs.

Section 7
A vessel in need of pilotage shall request a pilot from the Finnish State Pilotage Enterprise

Section 8
A vessel shall be moored or anchored at the space indicated by the Port Authority; she shall not be moved without permission. Berths are normally allocated to vessels in their order of arrival to the harbor area. Exceptions may be made by decision of the Port Authority or by agreement.

The master of the vessel must know the current depth at the site.

Section 9
A vessel shall be moored avoiding any damage to the quay or equipment on the quay. Tug assistance shall be obtained when mooring and unmooring, if necessary. The Port Authority may also order a vessel to obtain tug assistance.

Personnel of the Port of Helsinki shall be used for mooring and unmooring, unless otherwise agreed with the Port Authority. The personnel needed for unmooring shall be requested no later than two hours before departure, unless otherwise agreed with the Port Authority.

The Port Authority may prohibit the use of propellers alongside quays whose foundations would be damaged by propeller currents, and order the vessel to obtain tug assistance. Anchoring should be avoided alongside quays. A sufficient number of fenders shall be used alongside quays.

Gangways and ship’s ladders shall be equipped with handrails and safety netting, as well as lighted during hours of darkness. Gangways and ship’s ladders shall be attached avoiding any harm or damage. Ship’s equipment projecting beyond the gunwale shall not impede operations on the quay or on the seaward side of the vessel.

If a vessel is to engage in operations that may cause danger or damage while alongside, a permission shall be obtained from the Port Authority.

Section 10
If necessary, a vessel shall be moved upon the order of the Port Authority. A vessel that has not been laid up shall have aboard a sufficient crew for moving her. The Port Authority may grant exceptions to this provision.

Section 11
After having moored, a tanker with a cargo of dangerous goods and, on the orders of the Port Authority, also another vessel shall put out two tuglines to allow for an emergency towage; one line shall hang from the bow and another from the stern on the seaward side of the vessel, so that their loops are close to the sea surface.

Section 12
A laid-up vessel may be berthed in harbour only by permission of the Port Authority and on the conditions imposed by it.

The owner or operator of a vessel without a berthing permission shall remove her from the harbour on the orders of the Port Authority.

CHAPTER IV

Unloading, loading and warehousing of cargo

Section 13
When unloading or loading cargo, it shall be ensured that quay structures or other harbour equipment are not damaged. A mobile crane may be brought on a quay only after it has been ensured that the quay can hold the weight and after permission has been obtained from the Port Authority.

Section 14
Cargo-handling machinery shall be equipped with warning lights, the name of the owner and an identification number. The sign of the owner shall be attached also to other stevedoring equipment. Stevedoring equipment and cargo-handling machinery shall not be
stored in the quay area.

Section 15
Dangerous goods, other than bulk goods, shall not be unloaded or loaded unless they have been packed, marked, labelled and documented in accordance with the IMDG Code or the ADR/RID regulations and the Port Authority has been provided with a written advance notice of dangerous goods. The Port Authority may require also other information relevant to harbour safety.

If the hazardous goods have not been packed, marked or labeled as referred to above or if no advance notice has been provided, the Port Authority may prohibit unloading or the overland transport of the materials into the harbour area, or undertake other safety measures.

Section 16
When dangerous goods are to be unloaded or loaded, the master of the vessel or the consignor shall on the request of the Port Authority arrange for sufficient guarding at their own expense, as well as undertake other safety measures. In the unloading or loading of liquid fuels from or into tankers, also the other specific orders of the Port Authority shall be observed. If necessary, access to the unloading/ loading zone shall be restricted with signs, barriers or other comparable measures.

Section 17
Dangerous goods and dangerous waste may only be warehoused in designated warehouses and outdoor storage sites. Explosives and radioactive substances shall not be warehoused without the permission of the Port Authority.

Section 18
If vermin are detected in the cargo, unloading shall be interrupted. The master of the vessel shall notify the Port Authority at once and await further instructions before recommencing unloading.

Section 19
Cargo, hauling equipment, packing materials and other materials shall not be sited so that they impede traffic or the operation of rescue or fire-fighting equipment.

Cargo that causes inconvenience or damage owing to leaking, smell or some other reason shall without delay be removed from the harbor area by the consignor. Unless the cargo handler removes the harmful cargo, the Port Authority shall be entitled to remove it at the expense of the consignor.

CHAPTER V

Miscellaneous environmental provisions

Section 20
The master of the vessel shall ensure that no pollutants or waste are discharged into the water. The master shall also ensure that the operations of the vessel do not cause undue inconvenience to other harbour users.

The master or the cargo handler shall notify the Port Authority at once of pollutants or waste discharged into the water, and undertake measures for their removal.

It is prohibited to shoal the water area without the permission of the Port Authority and the other competent authorities.

Section 21
The cargo handler shall ensure that the harbour is not unnecessarily dirtied and that no unnecessary noise is caused. The Port Authority may interrupt the handling of cargo, if this results in dirt or noise causing a nuisance.

The cargo handler and the customer shall ensure that litter, waste, pallets and tarpaulins are taken to the designated sites and that dirtied areas are cleaned.

Sections 21 a
Undertakings operating in the harbour area shall take due note of the terms of the environmental permits applicable to the Port of Helsinki, as well as comply with the special instructions issued by the Port Authority on the basis of the said terms.

Undertakings shall grant the Port Authority access to their premises, machinery and equipment in the harbour area for the purpose of inspections as required in the environmental permits.

Undertakings shall provide the Port of Helsinki with all information necessary for compliance with the terms of the environmental permits, free of charge, as well as participate in investigations as required in the said terms, in so far as these pertain to the operations of the undertaking in question.

CHAPTER VI

Precautions against fire

Section 22
If the cargo of a vessel is inflammable, clear signs of the same shall be used. Naked flames, repairs causing sparks to fly, and smoking are prohibited on deck, on the quays near the vessel, and in the adjacent water area.

Ventilating vessel tanks where inflammable materials have been stored is prohibited without the permission of the Port Authority. Separate provisions apply to the electrical grounding of tankers.

Naked flames and smoking shall be prohibited in the harbour and warehouse areas designated for inflammable liquids. The prohibition applies also in the water area to a distance of 50 meters from the warehouse area, quays and vessels.

In other respects, separate provisions apply to naked flames within the harbour area.

Section 23
Fire rescue routes in the warehouse and outdoor storage areas, as well as routes to fire hydrants, fire wells and firehoses shall be kept clear at all times. The fire-fighting and rescue equipment and the automatic fire detection and extinguishing equipment shall be maintained in constant working order; fire extinguishers shall be kept easily accessible.

Section 24
The crews of vessels in the harbour shall participate in rescue operations to the best of their ability, as well as move vessels away from danger zones, as instructed by the authorities.

CHAPTER VII

Land and rail traffic

Section 25
All vehicles shall yield to trains to passenger gangways, quay cranes and other equipment moving on rail tracks. Parking over a rail track is prohibited. When a vehicle is being unloaded or loaded over a rail track, the driver shall not leave the vehicle.

Section 26
Speed limits, parking sites and other traffic arrangements have been indicated with traffic signs.

Section 27
Separate provisions apply to the operation of motor vehicles on icecovered water areas.

CHAPTER VIII

Procedure in the event of accident or violation

Section 28
If a vessel or a boat has run aground or sunk, the owner or the operator shall notify the Port Authority at once and remove the vessel or boat as soon as possible.

If a sunken vessel or other object in the water causes danger or impedes traffic, the owner or operator shall attach caution markers to it. If they fail to do so, the Port Authority shall see to the marking at the expense of the owner or operator.

Section 29
If quay or other harbour equipment is damaged through the operations of a harbour user, the Port of Helsinki shall be notified at once. The Port Authority shall arrange for a damage assessment; the party causing the damage or the agent shall be summoned to the assessment.

Section 30
If vessel, boat, cargo or cargo-handling machinery has been sited without permission or otherwise in violation of these regulations, or so that they impede traffic, and the master, driver, owner or operator does not remove the same, the Port Authority may remove it at the expense of the violator.

CHAPTER IX

Miscellaneous provisions

Section 31
Sculling, rowing, sailing or motor boat races or other contests may be arranged only with permission of the Port Authority.

Section 32
There shall be no objects impeding traffic installed in the water area without the permission of the Port Authority.

It is prohibited to fish, in manner causing inconvenience, from the fairways, harbour basins, quays, bridges and other comparable sites.

Swimming in the harbour basins and fairways is prohibited. A channel may be opened outside of the public fairways only with the permission of the Port Authority.

Section 33
Loitering in the passenger terminals is prohibited. The Port Authority may order that loiterers be removed from the passenger terminals.

It is prohibited to loiter in the harbour area that has been marked with fencing or signs as restricted. A person seeking access to such harbour area shall produce, upon request, an identity card accepted by the Port Authority, a pass or some other identification. The Port Authority may order the removal, and the police, customs authorities, and frontier guard authorities may remove loiterers from the harbour area.

Section 34
Violations of these regulations, and the orders issued by the Port Authority on the basis thereof, shall be punishable by a fine, unless the violation is insignificant or unless a specific penalty has been laid down in an Act or Decree.

These regulations of the Port of Helsinki enter into force on 1 April 2004; they supersede the regulations adopted on 9 October 1996, as later amended.