Passage Planning Guide Baltic Sea

Brand new title! Passing the Danish Straits, either by the Great Belt or the Sound, leads ships through shallow water, strong currents, harsh weather conditions and high density of traffic, making it a complex challenge for mariners. The Passage Planning Guide Baltic Sea: Skagen to Bornholm has been developed through cooperation between Witherbys, DanPilot and BIMCO to provide an overview for mariners and to assist in proper planning for a ship transiting in this area. The sea areas from Skagen to Bornholm act as the entrance to the Baltic Sea for ships coming from the North Sea. The entrance to the Western Baltic is characterized by narrow channels and shallow water. The entire Baltic Sea is shallow, with an average depth of around 50 m. The reduced room to maneuver and high concentrations of traffic in the region have historically presented ships with an elevated risk of collision and grounding. The purpose of this Guide is to provide navigators with the details of recommended routes, routeing measures and reporting systems when passing through this restricted sea area. The information has been supplemented by expert guidance on confronting the particular difficulties presented by traffic, water flow and weather patterns from pilots who operate in the region. Whether following the shallowest route through the Sound (Øresund), or the deeper routes through the GreatBelt (Storebælt), all ships are recommended to carry a Danish licensed pilot. All ships should be aware of the shallow water conditions on each of these routes and the effect the weather may have in reducing the available depth of water. This Guide aims to provide navigators with the information they need to support the pilot during their transit through this region