Maritime rescue co-ordination centre (MRCC): 9155.
On the website www.peljar.cvs.hr boat and yacht owners can take a look at the first croatian on-line pilot of the adriatic sea - here they can find digital maps of the adriatic with with drawn in sea routes, various markings and lighthouses, look at one of more than 3000 photographs of various places at the Adriatic sea, study the nautiva, manual and many more things interesting to boat and yacht owners.
Arrival and stay of foreign yachts and boats
Foreign yachts and boats may arrive and stay in the internal waters and the territorial sea of the Republic of Croatia for pleasure or tourist cruising or to participate in sports competitions and nautical fairs.
Vessel is a boat or yacht of foreign ensign. Master of a vessel is a person in command of the vessel responsible for its safety and lawful use.
Vignette is an identification mark proving the registration of arrival fulfilment of requirements for navigation in the Republic of Croatia, and payment of navigational safety fee, light dues fee and information chart fee.
In the Republic of Croatia vessels are not allowed to carry passengers for charge or engage in commercial activity.
To those who engage in cabotage(transport of goods and passengers between Croatian ports) without a licence from the Ministry responsible for maritime affairs, penalties shall be charged and the vessel shall be taken away.
Master of a vessel entering the internal waters and the territorial sea of the Republic of Croatia must take the shortest route to the nearest port of entry to pass the border control and obtain a vignette from the harbour masters office or its branch office.
Ports of entry in the Republic of Croatia are as follows: Umag, Porec, Rovinj, Pula, Rasa- Brsica, Rijeka, Mali Losinj, Senj, Zadar, Sibenik, Split, Korcula, Vela Luka, Ubli (Lastovo), Ploce, Metkovic and Dubrovnik.
Seasonal ports of entry open for international traffic from 1 April to 31 October are as follows: ACI Marina Umag, Novigrad (Istria), Sali, Bozava, Primosten-Kremik, Stari Grad (Hvar island), Hvar (harbour), Vis (harbour), Komiza and Cavtat.
Master of a vessel arriving in the Republic of Croatia overland or placed in custody in Croatia must obtain a vignette from the relevant harbour masters office or its branch office before putting to sea.
Harbour masters office or its branch office shall issue a vignette on the basis of the following documents to be presented by the master of a vessel:
- Crew List including the crew and passengers on board a vessel, certified by the harbour masters office or its branch office. If the master of a vessel has no intention to change the crew in the Republic of Croatia during the validity of the vignette, he is not obliged to report again at the harbour masters office or its branch office. Master of a vessel may disembark the crew in Croatia, provided that the change of the crew is reported at the harbour masrters office, and with that changed crew he shall depart from the Republic of Croatia.
- List of Persons - Master of a vessel may change the crew in the Republic of Croatia, provided that the List of Persons is certified at the harbour masters office or its branch office when obtaining the vignette. Total number of persons on the list shall not exceed a doubled capacity of the vessel. However if for valid reasons on obtaining a vignette it is not possible to state all the persons who will be on board during its validity, with the approval of the harbour masters office all other persons shall be entered on the first embarkation of new crew members. Exceptionally, with the approval of the harbour masters office the List of Persons may be enlarged by 30% of vessels capacity at the most, provided that the owner of the vessel remains on board. Master of a vessel whose List of Persons has been completed (up to the allowed number) is not obliged to report again at the harbour masters office for the change of persons on the List. List of Persons may be changed an unlimited number of times. If instead of a person on the List another person is to be embarked, this shall be reported to the harbour masters office or its branch office before leaving port, in order to amend the List of Persons. It is not necessary to report the persons staying on board a vessel it is in harbour.
- Certificate of seaworthiness for the vessel in accordance with national regulations of the flag state. In the absence of such certificate, the harbour masters office or its branch office shall peform a regular inspection of the vessel in conformity with Regulations on Boats and Yachts.
- Document certifying that the person in command of the vessel is qualified to operate the vessel in conformity with national regulations of the flag state on regulations of the Republic Croatia. Foreign citizens who under national regalations of the flag state of their vessel are not required to be qualified to operate the vessel, shall obtain appropriate certificate of competence in conformity with the regulations of the Republic of Croatia not later than 1 January 2006.
- Certificate of insurance (non-pecunlary damage liability) for vessel with an engine power of over 15 kW.
- Certificate of ownership for the vessel or owners authorisation for the use of vessel.
By obtaining a vignette, all necessary fees are settled, including the following fees:
- Safety of Navigation fee
- Lighthouses / lighting fee (use of navigational safety structures)
- Information Chart
- Government Administration fee
Discounts for our regular guests remains unchanged.
Vignette shall be displayed prominently on the hull or superstructure of the vessel, while its counterfoil shall be affixed on the List of Persons.
Vignette is valid for one year from the date of issue.
Vignette is not obligatory for vessel of less than 2,5 m in length or those with an engine power of less than 5 kW. Vignette is not obligatory for rowing vessels regardless of their length (e.g.kayaks, beach canoes, peddle boats, etc.). Vignette is not obligatory for vessels placed in custody in a harbour or other designated place in the Republic of Croatia.
Before departure from the Republic of Croatia, the master of a vessel must complete the following formalities:
- pass the border control in one of the ports of entry
- certify the Crew List at the harbour masters office or its branch office.
A vessel arriving to the Republic of Croatia to participate in a sports competition or nautical fair is not obliged to have a vignette, provided that the organiser of the competition or fair registers the vessel at the relevant harbour masters office not later than five days before the beginning of the competition or fair. This exemption applies to vessels exhibited at a nautical fair with no intention of sailling in the Republic o f Croatia. Organiser of a sports competition must enclose with the registration the List of Persons on board the vessel.
Rules relating to harbours and the maritime demesne
Boats and ships must keep at the following distances from the shore:
- ships and boats for sports and recreation - at least 200m
- motorboats and sailboats - at least 50m
- rowing boats are allowed to sail at a distance less than 50m from the shore.
In the sea area by the beach boats must sail at a distance greater than 50m from the impounded water of an arranged beach, or 150m from the coast of a natural beach.
Jet-propelled vessels (jet-ski, etc.) or air-cushion vessels may skim only in the area where skimming is allowed (determined by harbour masters offices), at a distance greater than 300m from the shore.
Jet-propelled vessels (jet-ski, etc.) may pass to the area where skimming is allowed only through properly marked passages at a minimum speed.
Speedboats may skim in the area where skimming is not forbidden at a distance greater than 300m from the shore.
It is forbidden for the owner or user of ship VHF radio station to transmit false and incorrect signals or notices, especially for distress, urgency, safety or identification.
Water skiing instructions are allowed only in designated areas which are properly marked.
Areas where water skiing is forbidden and areas where water skiing instructions are allowed are determined by harbour masters offices, as well as marking of such areas.
The following activities are forbidden without a permission of the harbour masters office: windsurfing, skimming and swimming in harbours.
Windsurfing is forbidden at harbour entrances and on waterways, in narrow passages and within an arranged beach.
Taking off and landing on the maritime demesne with a parachute or an aircraft is allowed only on the properly marked surfaces
Swimming is forbidden beyond the impounded water of an arranged beach.
Swimming is forbidden at a distance greater than 100m from the coast of a natural beach.
Swimming is forbidden on waterways and in narrow passages and channels.
Protection of marine environment
It is forbidden to discard into the sea and on the seashore olied water and faecal discharges, as well as plastic, metal, glass and other solid or liquid waste which pollutes the environment. It is forbidden to damage, destroy, remove or misappropriate any part of archaeological sites and historical wrecks. In the protected sea areas (national parks and nature parks) special regulations governing order and behaviour are in force.
Underwater activities
Underwater activities imply diving for pleasure and sports.
Croatian citizens and foreign nationals may perform diving only if they hold a valid divers card issued by the Croatian Diving Federation. Divers card is valid for a year following the date of issue, and is issued only to divers with a valid divers certification recognised by the Ministry in charge. Diving area must be clearly marked with an orange or red buoy (larger than 30cm in diameter) placed in the centre of the area, or with a diving flag highly displayed on the diving vessel. Diving is prohibited in the parts of internal waters encompassing harbours, harbour approaches, anchorages, and areas of heavy traffic. Maximum permitted depth of recreational scuba diving is 40m. Diving in the protected areas is allowed only with a special permit in conformity with Regulations on Underwater Activities. Following the above mentioned Regulations, diving can be either organised or individual. Diving is organised by a diving centre, a diving association, a diving club, and another natural person or legal entity registered to conduct underwater activities in the Republic of Croatia. Individual diving is allowed only with a permit for individual diving issued by harbour masters offices or branch offices.
For obtaining a permit for individual diving it is necessary:
- to have a valid divers card
- to pay the amount specified by Regulations on Underwater Activities.
Additional information is available from the nearest harbour masters office or its branch office.