PASSAGE PLANNING
See the following Mariners' Routeing Guides for routeing regulations,
reporting requirements, pilotage arrangements and other navigational advice.
BA Chart 5500, for Doverstrait up to 52-08N, and Neth. Chart 1970 for
Southern North Sea/German Bight. 
IMO recommends that all vessels navigating the Channel and Dover Strait should
have on board the latest edition of Chart 5500 or an equivalent guide.

OIL and GAS FIELDS
Production platforms and associated structures, including tanker 
moorings, storage tankers and platforms on pipelines, generally exhibit 
Mo(U) lights, aircraft obstruction lights and audible fog signals.
Unauthorized navigation is prohibited within 500m of all such 
structures, including storage tankers which can swing about their 
moorings. Tankers manoeuvring in the vicinity of platforms and 
moorings should be given a wide berth. For further information see 
The Netherlands Coast Pilot (HP1) or The Mariners' Handbook.

SUBMARINE CABLES AND PIPELINES
Mariners are advised not to anchor or trawl in the vicinity of submarine 
cables and pipelines. Pipelines are not always buried and their presence
may significantly reduce the charted depth. They may also span seabed
undulations and cause fishing gear to become irrecoverably snagged,
putting a vessel in severe danger.

TRAFFIC SEPARATION SCHEMES AND ROUTEING
For the latest information on individual schemes and IMO mandatory routes
for certain tankers and other vessels, see the Netherlands Coast Pilot (HP1)
or ADMIRALTY Sailing Directions.

WETREP
Tankers of more than 600 dwt carrying heavy
crude oil, heavy fuel oil or bitumen and tar and
their emulsions are required to participate in the
Western European Tanker Reporting System
(WETREP). See ADMIRALTY List of Radio Signals
for further details.

BOUNDARIES
The international boundaries shown on the chart are approximate.

FORMER MINED AREA
Part of this chart (east of 4°30’) falls within a former mined area; 
mines could still present a hazard for vessels anchoring, fishing or 
engaged in submarine or seabed operations. They are not considered 
hazardous to surface navigation.

VESSEL REPORTING
For details of the Terschelling, Delfzijl/Eemshaven and Ems Vessel Traffic Services, 
see the Netherlands Coast Pilot (HP1) or ADMIRALTY List of Radio Signals.

ROUTEING
For information about recommended routes and the IMO-adopted 
Mandatory Ships’ Routeing System under SOLAS regulation V/8, see the 
Netherlands Coast Pilot (HP1) or ADMIRALTY Sailing Directions. Also see 
Netherlands Chart 1970 Mariners’ Routeing Guide Southern North Sea.
A least depth of 26m (2000) was found in the DW routes near the south 
end (around 52°N). The least depth in the (western) routeing system via 
TSS off Botney Ground was 27m (1998) and in the (eastern) routeing 
system via TSS West Friesland 23m (1995).