Port Police - what are they and which countries have them?

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dunedin

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A lot of threads (particularly in the Med) talk about dealings with “Port Police”.

However, in all my sailing to date as skipper I have never knowingly been to a port that has such a role dealing with pleasure craft (though clearly major ports with international ferries etc have Customs and Police for large commercial vessels).

  • So what do these beasts actually do?
  • What countries have them as a formal / visible role for pleasure craft?
  • Is there any equivalent in the U.K.?
 
The local sheriff here seems to have several boats. Then some ports have their own police - from what I’ve seen for the most part it’s a paid jolly.

Thees are so many agencies on the water here. Pretty much all can give you a citation including Baywatch.

Last year 2 departments were arguing over who had the right to do the rescue!

The UK is so much simpler!

W.
 
Belgium has what is called ‘scheepvaartpolitie’, which translates as marine police. They are part of the federal police, so they are separate from local police, but of course cooperate with them. They deal with all shipping, be it inland waterways or in the harbours or at sea. They are also responsible for the land side of the harbours. They deal with professional shipping as we as with yachting and dinghy sailing or kiting. They have a number of patrol vessels.
 
After a weather influenced dive into Mohammadia, Morocco while heading towards the Canaries, we were visited in turn by the HM, Customs, and finally the Port Police, who each enquired after the drugs, firearms, and alcohol we might have aboard, then the PP confiscated our passports and issued us with cards enabling us to pass through port security gates 8am to 10pm. When the weather calmed down we set off to reclaim our passports and obtain exit clearance from the Port Police. We strode into the station, not noticing that the international diplomat in our party was wiping his feet on the officers prayer mat. The officer was upset. He clutched his mat, we were worried. I think I'll leave this on a moment of jeopardy.
 
Port Police is a shorthand description for that part of the law enforcement organisation who look to policing maritime law in whichever country you happen to be in. In Greece it‘s actually the Coastguard who sweep up border security, port security, maritime safety and permit issuing and control as well as SAR. In Italy, I’ve never been quite sure which bit of the myriad of Italian law enforcement agencies I’m dealing with at any time.
In the Med, the common coin is to ask for the Port Police and someone will point you in the right direction: never quite sure exactly which label to put on which nations maritime police.
 
In Italy it's the coast guard ,Marina Militare, part of the Italian navy last season we had Some dealing with them as we did spend time entering Italian port looking for a free berth and every time they where polite friendly and easy to deal with .
 
Ah yes, the great myth of the 'freedom of cruising'!! :)

Everywhere you go by sea, you are an international visitor. This will be the EU now too. Some of the EU may, I suppose, relax some regs for Brits? Dunno.

But everywhere else you go, you have to find a Port of Entry. In popular yachting places (say, Antigua) the authorities may have offices at a marina. So you either arrange a marina berth or anchor just off. One person (skipper, often very strictly enforced) goes to the offices of generally Customs, Immigration and Port Police. Often not in that order and often not conveniently adjacent.

So the port police are responsible for law and order in their jurisdiction. They can be hard work.

If the offices are spread out, it can take many hours to get the paperwork done. It may involve taxis. It may involve a procedure thats such a pain, its better to put hand in pocket and use an agent. It will involve fines and a lot of hard yakka if you mess them about. Personally, Ive always got the job done by being clean, tidy, polite and smile a lot. Ive seen it go well wonky fot the arrogant and those with impatience and low flash points.

I would say that if you accept it as all part of a cruising lifestyle, its not too onerous. Even visiting Morocco 20 to 30 times a year on my school boat wasnt so bad. It gets more difficult for cruise ships where they have lists of up to 3000 people. But they are paid to sort it!

Oh and dont forget visas. If you havent got an approprite one for the country you wish to visit, they will not let you in. The US is notorious for this and are strict. I discovered this in the Virgin Islands.

Willy nilly wandering just does not happen!
 
I think that port police is more of a concept than a single entity. Harbourmasters have much of the authority, shared with Immigration, Customs, and the Civil police presumably, except places like the Port of London that have their own system.
 
johnalison said:
I think that port police is more of a concept than a single entity. Harbourmasters have much of the authority, shared with Immigration, Customs, and the Civil police presumably, except places like the Port of London that have their own system.
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You clearly havent waited for many hours in ports around a lot of the planet in offices that have the sign 'Port Police' outside them.
Or dealt with people all dressed the same with 'Port Police' badges.

If it helps, think of British Transport Police but without the trains......
 
Portsmouth Harbour - Mod Plod and Hampshire Constabulary.

My only dealings with them were when I was in my dinghy returning from Haslar to Hardway one night. A few rather suspicious questions answered satisfactorily and I was on my way.
 
dunedin said:
Which covers about 1% of U.K. harbours -a ratio I am quite happy to maintain. But one does wonder why some places seem to deem these roles as essential and others as unnecessary.
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Have you not met what used to be Strathclyde's finest footling around in their rib and mobo? Then there were the two nice young men with guns in Norway that made you visibly paranoid. Never mind the Faslane and Coulport's modplod. Would you like a visit?
 
capnsensible said:
You clearly havent waited for many hours in ports around a lot of the planet in offices that have the sign 'Port Police' outside them.
Or dealt with people all dressed the same with 'Port Police' badges.

If it helps, think of British Transport Police but without the trains......
Click to expand...

For a second I thought you'd said "If it helps, think of British Transport Police but without the brains". :D
 
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