Estimated time of arrival and estimated time of departure.
All ships calling at a port in a Paris MoU country must report their estimated time of arrival (ETA) and estimated time of departure (ETD) to the port no later than 24 hours prior to the port call.
If the ship calls at a Danish port, it is furthermore required to report special information, viz. the following:
- Identification of the ship (name, call sign, IMO identification number or MMSI number)
- Port of destination
- Estimated time of arrival in the port of destination
- Estimated time of departure from the port of destination
- Total number of persons on board
Actual time of departure and time of arrival
As something new, the ships are also required to report their actual time of arrival and time of departure, referred to as ATA (Actual Time of Arrival) and ATD (Actual Time of Departure). At the time of departure from the port, at the latest, the ship must have informed the port authority about the actual time of arrival at and time of departure from the port.
Special reports for ships to be subjected to an ”expanded inspection”
In addition to the ETA, ETD, ATA and ATD mentioned above, ships that are to be subjected to an "expanded inspection" are required to inform the port of its call at least 72 hours before arrival. It is stipulated in article 14, paragraph 1, of the port State control directive which ships are affected. In article 4, paragraphs 2 and 3, it is stipulated which information is required to be reported.
Remember to inform well in advance
It is important to inform about the ETA 72 hours prior to arrival as well as 24 hours prior to arrival since the authorities must have time to plan the inspection. Often the ETA will, naturally, be more exact 24 hours in advance than 72 hours in advance. But since the authorities would like to be informed well in advance, it is important to inform about both ETAs.
As regards ships engaged on regular voyages with several calls a day at the same port, the port State authority (the Danish Maritime Authority) can grant exemptions from the reporting requirement.
Report well in advance
It is important to report in due time. If a ship does not make the mandatory reports, it may be fined, and - solely on this basis - it is possible to make an extra port State control of the ship.
The Paris MoU and the EU have - in cooperation - produced information material about the reports to be made.