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Ecuador Flag of Ecuador

Pre Arrival:  Documents
Arrival:  Approaches | Pilotage
Communications:  Pratique | Pre-Arrival | VTS/Radar
Cargo:  Stevedores
Pollution:  Ballast | Waste
Facilities:  Medical
Security:  Security | Piracy
Local Info:  Time | Holidays | Weather
Shore:  Customs
Crew:  Leave | Repatriation | ID Cards
Misc:  General | Authority
General Information for Ecuador
Geo-political:
Capital City: Quito. 00° 13.00′ S, 078° 30.00′ W
Nationality: (noun) Ecuadorian(s), (adjective) Ecuadorian.
Population: 16,904,867 (July 2020).
Communications:
International Direct Dial Code: 593.
Number of Internal Airports: 432 (2013).
Major Languages Spoken: Spanish 93% (Castilian; official), Quechua 4.1%, other indigenous 0.7% and foreign 2.2%.
Economy:
Currency: 1 US Dollar (USD) of 100 Cents.
Main Industries: Petroleum, food processing, textiles, wood products and chemicals.
Agricultural Products: Bananas, coffee, cocoa, rice, potatoes, cassava, manioc, tapioca, plantains, sugarcane, cattle, sheep, pigs, beef, pork, dairy products, fish, shrimp and balsa wood.
Imports: Industrial materials, fuels, lubricants and nondurable consumer goods.
Exports: Petroleum, bananas, cut flowers, shrimp, cacao, coffee, wood and fish.
Commodities: Crude: Production 517,000 bbl/d. Exports 383,500 bbl/d. Reserves 8,273,000,000 bbl. Products: Production 137,400 bbl/d. Exports 25,870 bbl/d. Imports 153,900 bbl/d. LNG: Production 477,800,000 cu.m.. Reserves 10,900,000,000 cu.m..
Environment:
Territorial Sea: 200 n.m.
Continental Shelf: Continental Shelf: 200 n.m. Ecuador has declared its right to extend its continental shelf to 350nm measured from the baselines of the Galapagos Archipelago. Exclusive Economic Zone: 200 n.m.
Coastline Extent: 2,237 km.
Climate: Tropical along coast, becoming cooler inland at higher elevations; tropical in Amazonian jungle lowlands.
Natural Resources: Petroleum, fish, timber and hydropower.
Natural Hazards: Frequent earthquakes, landslides, volcanic activity, floods, periodic droughts and volcanic activity concentrated along the Andes Mountains; Sangay (5,230 m), which erupted in 2010, is mainland Ecuador's most active volcano; other historically active volcanoes in the Andes include Antisana, Cayambe, Chacana, Cotopaxi, Guagua Pichincha, Reventador, Sumaco, and Tungurahua; Fernandina (1,476 m), a shield volcano that last erupted in 2009, is the most active of the many Galapagos volcanoes; other historically active Galapagos volcanoes include Wolf, Sierra Negra, Cerro Azul, Pinta, Marchena, and Santiago.
Terrain: Coastal plain (costa), inter-Andean central highlands (sierra), and flat to rolling eastern jungle (oriente).
Average Temperatures: 
Month High Low
January 22° C 8° C
June 22° C 7° C
September 22° C 7° C
DOCUMENTS:  See Pre-Arrival Information.
APPROACHES:  GALREP:  A mandatory ship reporting system (GALREP) in the Galapagos Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA) was introduced on 5 December 2006. The Galapagos PSSA is bound by the following coordinates:
Position
A 02° 30.00′ N, 092° 21.00′ W
B 02° 14.00′ N, 091° 40.00′ W
C 01° 14.00′ N, 090° 26.00′ W
D 00° 53.00′ N, 089° 30.00′ W
E 00° 35.00′ S, 088° 38.00′ W
F 00° 52.00′ S, 088° 34.00′ W
G 01° 59.00′ S, 089° 13.00′ W
H 02° 05.00′ S, 089° 34.00′ W
I 02° 01.00′ S, 090° 35.00′ W
J 01° 32.00′ S, 091° 52.00′ W
K 01° 13.00′ S, 092° 07.00′ W
L 01° 49.00′ S, 092° 40.00′ W
All ships are required to participate in the mandatory ship reporting system. This is in addition to SITRAME reporting system. The co-ordinates of the mandatory ship reporting system are as follows:
Position
A 02° 30.00′ N, 092° 21.00′ W
D1 01° 26.00′ N, 089° 03.00′ W
E1 00° 01.00′ N, 088° 06.00′ W
F1 00° 12.00′ N, 088° 01.00′ W
G1 00° 35.00′ S, 087° 54.00′ W
H1 01° 02.00′ S, 087° 53.00′ W
I1 02° 34.00′ S, 088° 48.00′ W
J1 02° 46.00′ S, 089° 30.00′ W
K1 02° 42.00′ S, 090° 42.00′ W
L1 02° 05.00′ S, 092° 18.00′ W
M1 01° 32.00′ S, 092° 44.00′ W
L 01° 49.00′ S, 092° 40.00′ W
Reporting:  On entering the GALREP mandatory reporting area, ships must send a message to notify the Santa Cruz Maritime Rescue Sub-Centre via Puerto Ayora Radio or Baquerizo Moreno Radio. If a ship is not able to send a message to Puerto Ayora Radio, it must send one to Baquerizo Moreno Radio.
The Puerto Ayora Maritime Rescue Sub-Centre will provide ships with the information necessary for safe navigation in the reporting area as required, using the radio transmission resources available in the area.
Reports may be sent by any modern means of communication, including Inmarsat C, telephone, fax and email, VHF, MF or DSC. The ship report shall be drafted in accordance with the format shown below. The information requested from ships is derived form the Standard Reporting Format shown in paragraph 2 of the appendix to IMO resolution A.851(20) (not reproduced).
A full report from a ship should contain the following information:
Designator Item
A Ship identification (name, call sign, IMO number, MMSI number or registration number)
B Date/time group
C Position
E True course
F Speed
G Name of last port of call
I Destination and expected time of arrival
P Type(s) of oil cargo, and quantity, quality and density. If these tankers are also carrying other hazardous material, the type, quantity and IMO classification should be stated, as appropriate
Q Used in the event of defects or deficiencies which affect normal navigation
T Address for communication of information concerning cargo
W Number of persons on board
X Miscellaneous information concerning ships: - estimated quantity and characteristics of liquid fuel - navigational status (e.g., moving under own propulsion, limited manoeuvrability, etc.)
Every reporting message must begin with the word GALREP and include a two-letter prefix to enable identification, i.e., sailing plan “SP”, final report “FR” or deviation report “DR”. Messages using these prefixes will be cost-free to ships.
Report Type Designators
Sailing plan A, B, C, E, F, G, I, P, T, W and X
Final reports A, B, C, E and F
Deviation reports A, B, C, E, F and I
Whenever a problem arises in the reporting area Q
A ship must give a full report at the following positions: 
  1. on entering the reporting area
  2. immediately after leaving a port or anchorage located in the Galapagos PSSA
  3. when deviating from the route leading to the port of destination or anchorage reported originally
  4. when it is necessary to deviate from the planned route owing to weather conditions, damaged equipment or a change in navigational status; and
  5. on finally leaving the reporting area.
Also see VTS/Radar.
PILOTAGE:  Compulsory for all vessels over 500 g.t. Vessels should await the Pilot off the Sea Buoy at all ports unless instructed otherwise. The Pilot must be requested by the Agent at least 12 hours in advance.
Pilots are available 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
PRATIQUE:  See Pre-Arrival Information.
PRE-ARRIVAL INFORMATION:  Arrival Notice:  72 hours before arrival at first Ecuador port, vessel shall submit email directly to Direccion Nacional de los Espacios Acuaticos (DIRNEA), or by any means through Agent.
    Information required: 
  • Additional Information of Arrival
  • Crew Effects Declaration
  • Crew List
  • Dangerous Goods Manifest
  • General Declaration
  • Maritime Declaration of Health
  • Passenger List
  • Stores List
  • Vaccination List
IMO forms available at www.dirnea.org
Direccion Nacional de los Espacios Acuaticos (DIRNEA). Elizalde 101 and Malecon, Guayaquil, Ecuador. Tel: +593 (4) 232 1602. Fax: +593 (4) 232 4714. Tlx: 308 43325, 308 42512. [email protected] www.dirnea.org/
Note:  The AIA format with the Additional Information of Arrival is available through maritime agencies and on the web www.dirnea.org/
Import Restrictions:  Ecuador's Foreign Trade Committee (COMEX) has issued a Resolution (February 2014) which establishes new quality control measures for the importation of particular products into the country. The resolution covers items, including cosmetics (shampoo, soap, make-up and deodorants), ceramics, perfumes, toothpaste, processed fries, meat, cereals, among others.
Compliance with these new requirements must be certified by accredited verification agencies at the country of origin. The importer has then to obtain a Certificate of Recognition from the National Institute of Standards (INEN) before the goods can be shipped. This procedure can become cumbersome or take very long to be completed which is expected to function as a barrier for a number of items to enter the country.
VTS/RADAR:  Mandatory Ship Reporting System (SITRAME) will be applied in the maritime area of Ecuadorian responsibility, including the area through the west 200 n.m. between the Lat. 01° 28′ 54″ N and Lat. 03° 23′ 33.96″ S; and 200 n.m. around the Galapagos Islands. This is in addition to GALREP reporting.
SITRAME administers information sent by ships in four types of messages of an established format: Sailing Plans (SP), Departure/Position (PR), Change of Route (DR) and Arrival/Final (FR). To enter into the system, a ship should send its Sailing Plan message for each crossing through the responsibility area covered by the system. The Sailing Plan is the introduction into the system; monitoring begins when the ship sends its Sailing Plan (SP) and ends when it sends its Arrival/Final Report (FR).
If a ship has to transit the Galapagos Islands area and enters into an Ecuadorian port in the continental area, for the transmission report it should be considered as a single area.
In all the messages there is a field to insert observations that, if necessary, should be fulfilled to clarify the information they are sending in the context of the message.
Sailing Plan Report (SP):  Basic information sent from a ship so it may enter into the system.
Information required in the following cases: 
  1. to advise the intended anchoring of a vessel near an Ecuadorian port: in this case the Sailing Plan will be sent at least 2 hours before anchoring (this message will be a requirement to obtain anchoring permission)
  2. when proceeding from a foreign port and entering the area of Ecuadorian jurisdiction and bound for Ecuadorian port(s): in this case the Sailing Plan will be sent 72 hours before arrival at first Ecuador port and attach the Additional Information of Arrival (AIA format)
  3. when proceeding to a foreign port (outbound from an Ecuador port), or transiting the area under Ecuadorian jurisdiction (without calling at a port in Ecuador): in this case the Sailing Plan will be sent 2 hours before departure from Ecuador port or entry into the reporting area.
    Information required: 
  • ID Msg / SITRAME / SP //
  • A/Vessel's name / call sign / flag / type //
  • B/Departure port / date and time group of departure / month //
  • C/Arrival port / ETA / month / port facility //
  • D/Position Lat-Long / date and time group / month //
  • E/Route points / Lat-Long / ETA / month //
  • F/Course / speed //
  • X/Observations //
Departure/Position Report (PR):  Information confirming the departure of the ship from an Ecuadorian port or if its position is in agreement with the Sailing Plan.
To be sent in the following cases: 
  1. to confirm departure from an Ecuadorian port at the beginning of the passage in the SP message, and is sent immediately the ship has departed from a port facility
  2. to confirm its position during transit within the reporting area. It is not necessary to send this message should the vessel need to enter an Ecuadorian port or leave the reporting area at short notice. The message can be sent at any time after arrival at or before departure from the reporting area.
Position messages can also be sent by a ship in an emergency situation.
  • ID Msg / SITRAME / PR //
  • A/Vessel's name / call sign / flag / type //
  • B/Departure port / date and time group of departure / month / port facility //
  • C/Arrival port / ETA / month //
  • D/Position Lat-Long / date and time group / month //
  • F/Course / speed //
  • X/Observations //
Deviation Report (DR):  Information to correct a route previously given in the Sailing Plan.
To be sent in the following cases: 
  1. when the position of the ship is offset 25 n.m. or more from the original route
  2. when the port of destination changes, in this case the message should be sent 12 hours before arrival.
The Deviation Report can also be sent for other reasons that change the original Sailing Plan.
  • ID Msg / SITRAME / DR //
  • A/Vessel's name / call sign / flag / type //
  • B/Departure port / date and time group of departure / month //
  • C/Arrival port / ETA / month / port facility //
  • D/Position Lat-Long / date and time group / month //
  • E/Route points / Lat-Long / ETA / month //
  • F/Course / speed //
  • X/Observations //
Arrival/Final Report (FR):  Final Report provides information which ends the vessel's participation in the system.
To be sent in the following cases: 
  1. when the ship enters its destination port in Ecuador
  2. when the ship departs the Ecuadorian jurisdictional area.
In these cases the message should be sent 1 hour before arrival at the destination port or departure point from the area.
  • ID Msg / SITRAME / FR //
  • A/Vessel's name / call sign / flag / type //
  • B/Departure port / date and time group of departure / month //
  • C/Arrival port / ETA / month / port facility //
  • D/Position Lat-Long / date and time group / month //
  • F/Course / speed //
  • X/Observations //
Communication:  The messages should be sent to Direccion Nacional de los Espacios Acuaticos (DIRNEA) in Guayaquil, as a National Maritime Authority, with addressee of information to the Captain of Port Office and Harbour Authority involved and may be sent through the Guayaquil and Puerto Ayora Station Radio.
Direccion Nacional de los Espacios Acuaticos (DIRNEA). Elizalde 101 and Malecon, Guayaquil, Ecuador. Tel: +593 (4) 232 1602. Fax: +593 (4) 232 4714. Tlx: 308 43325, 308 42512. [email protected] [email protected] www.dirnea.org/
Also see Approaches.
STEVEDORES:  Ecuadorian ports work 24 hours per day, 365 days per year, weather permitting. Meal breaks 0600-0700, 1130-1230, 1800-1900 and 2300-0000 hrs.
Work on holidays possible if requested and prior arrangement between shippier/stevedore/charterers.
BALLAST:  Report: March 2000.
BALLAST EXCHANGE:  A full ballast exchange is to be undertaken more than 50 n.m. from the coast as a requirement of the Ecuador authorities.
On arrival, a Pollution Officer boarded the ship and inspected/took copies of our records pertaining to the ballast exchange operation. No samples of the ballast were taken.
WASTE DISPOSAL:  Before berthing all vessels should cover all discharge points to prevent material or water being deposited on the quayside. The dumping of any waste is strictly forbidden except in an emergency. No oil may be dumped within 50 n.m. of the coast, and Ecuador strictly enforces the anti-pollution laws.
MEDICAL:  Good medical treatment can be expensive and is not always available outside the main cities.
Malaria and dengue fever are health risks in all coastal and jungle provinces, the interior and in the highlands below 2,000 m. Malaria has been found mainly in the coastal province of Esmeraldas. Dengue fever is endemic to Latin America and the Caribbean and can occur throughout the year.
In the 2010 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic the UNAIDS/WHO Working Group estimated that around 36,000 adults aged 15 or over in Ecuador were living with HIV; the prevalence percentage was estimated at around 0.4% of the adult population compared to the prevalence percentage in adults in the UK of around 0.2%. You should exercise normal precautions to avoid exposure to HIV/AIDS.
SECURITY/GANGWAY:  One or two Customs guards will remain on duty, nevertheless the use of watchmen is advised.
PIRACY:  Guayaquil anchorage, a container ship whilst underway, was boarded by pirates armed with guns and knives, breaking open containers and stealing goods and escaping by boat. Pirates were later detained.
IMB Piracy Reporting Centre:  IMB PRC Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. 24/7 Helpline T: +60 (3) 2031 0014. F: +60 (3) 2078 5769. [email protected] www.icc-ccs.org
IMB PRC Malaysia broadcasts SITREP reports to vessels at 0000 GMT and warnings via Inmarsat C (Satellite) EGC Safety Net. However, vessels within some parts of the world, that are not considered at risk from piracy, will not receive these messages.
HOLIDAYS:  1 January; Carnival; Good Thursday; Good Friday; 1 May (Labour Day); 24 May; 24 July; 12 August (National Independence Day); 9 October (Guayaquil's Independence Day); 12 October; 2 November (All Soul's Day); 3 November (Cuenca's Independence Day); 25 December.
WEATHER/TIDES:  Earth Tremors:  Earth tremors happen most of the time, although many are not felt. Generally there are between 100 and 200 noticeable tremors (4 and above on the Richter scale) per year throughout Ecuador and most happen in coastal regions. In 2009 and 2010 most of the seismic events were located in the coastal region (Guayas, Manabi, Esmeraldas Provinces and in the Pacific Ocean - Galapagos Islands) with 4 and above on the Richter scale. In 2011 there have been minor tremors in some areas of the coastal, Amazon and Andean regions of Ecuador.
CUSTOMS:  Servicio Nacional de Aduana del Ecuador. Direccion General, Av 25 de Julio km.4 via a Puerto Maritimo. Tel: +593 (4) 248 0640. Fax: +593 (4) 248 8894. [email protected] www.aduana.gob.ec/
T: +593 F: +593  
Esmeraldas (6) 272 1401 (6) 272 5660  
Guayaquil (4) 248 1166  
Manta (5) 262 0410 (5) 262 7952  
Puerto Bolivar (7)292 9712  
SHORE LEAVE:  Cases of armed robbery are on the increase, and muggings and pickpocketing are common. In Guayaquil, be particularly cautious in the Kennedy, Alborada, Urdesa and Malecon Simon Bolivar districts. Do not wear expensive jewellery when walking in the streets and travelling on public transport. If carrying a rucksack, it is advised to wear on the front of your body and avoid storing anything under your seat or in overhead luggage space. Keep a close watch on your bags and belongings when in restaurants or cafes as thieves are constantly on the lookout to make a `grab and run'.
Both Ecuadorians and foreigners are regularly robbed when leaving banks in Quito and other major cities. In Quito, the northern part of the city has been particularly targeted by criminals. The authorities suspect that gang members inside banks inform others outside when a potential target withdraws cash. Exercise caution when withdrawing money from a bank or cash point. Avoid isolated cash machines and/or ATMs in the street.
Criminals often use drugs to subdue victims. Home-made versions of the drug 'scopolamine' leave victims in a sedated, compliant state and cause amnesia. The drug is administered through food, drinks, cigarettes, aerosols, or powder. In at least one incident the drug was administered through a chemical soaked into a leaflet handed to the victim on the street. Be wary of unsolicited approaches from strangers offering you food, drinks, leaflets, telephone cards or cigarettes, no matter how friendly or well dressed they appear.
`Express kidnappings' are a common crime in Ecuador and are on the increase in Quito and Guayaquil. Both Ecuadorians and foreign visitors are targets. The kidnappings involve short-term opportunistic abductions aimed at extracting cash from victims who are selected at random. They are held while criminals empty their bank accounts using the victims’ bank cards. Once the money has been taken the victim is usually released in an isolated area.
The number of cases of attacks by drivers of unregistered taxis has also risen. For your own safety, only use authorised taxis (yellow cabs) that display their taxi registration sticker on the windscreen and doors, as well as the orange license plates. Avoid hailing taxis on the street; you should instead book one through your hotel or by calling a known radio taxi service. Larger supermarkets and airports also have taxi ranks.
Further travel advice available from UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office. www.gov.uk/fco/
REPATRIATION:  Nationals of the following countries require a visa to enter Ecuador: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia and Taiwan.
IDENTIFICATION CARDS:  Ecuadorean nationals and foreigners are required by law to carry identification at all times. A photocopy of passport pages that include the bearer’s photograph and Ecuadorean immigration entry stamp will suffice.
GENERAL:  Flag:  Government vessels show the National Arms in the centre of the national flag.
All foreign vessels will fly the national flag from the highest mast.
AUTHORITY:  Direccion Nacional de los Espacios Acuaticos, Elizalde 101 and Malecon, Guayaquil, Ecuador. T: +593 (4) 232 0400. www.dirnea.org Contact: Admiral Homero Arellano Lascano, General Director.