Holly is the editor of Dockwalk. She grew up racing sailboats in England before switching to the world of superyachts and moving across the pond to Fort Lauderdale.
The French maritime authorities have released the latest regulation applicable to vessels exceeding 45 meters in length that wish to anchor or stop in the French Mediterranean. This regulation introduces a few modifications to existing anchoring zones but does not present any major changes.
The PYA has recommended that in addition to regular means of navigation, captains should use the mobile phone application “Nav & Co”. “This is the official application produced by the French maritime authorities and it is constantly updated with new regulations as they are adopted,” explains PYA CEO Christophe Bourillon.
“To make absolutely sure that you will be anchoring in the right area, we strongly encourage captains to speak to the relevant sémaphore (radio station) on Channel 16 or better still — on the phone — asking them to confirm that you are in the right area. All sémaphore’s conversations are recorded and, just in case, it could be relevant for the captain to record the conversation as well,” Bourillon adds.
Annex 1 of the regulation provides a comprehensive list of all sémaphores, including their area coverage, telephone numbers, and email addresses, which can be found on page nine. Additional important information included in the regulation are:
- Annex II and III (pages 10, 11): Details the information to provide to the sémaphore when seeking anchoring or Dynamic Positioning authorization.
- Annex IV (pages 12-13): Lists regulations (Arrêtés) relevant to anchoring for vessels of 24 meters and above.
- Annex V (pages 14-47): Contains a detailed list of mandatory anchoring areas, complete with charts.
You can find the regulations here.