Senegal
General Information for Senegal
Geo-political:
Capital City: Dakar.
Nationality: (noun) Senegalese, (adjective) Senegalese.
Population: 13,711,597.
Communications:
International Direct Dial Code: 221.
Number of Internal Airports: 10.
Major Languages Spoken: French (official), Wolof, Pulaar, Jola, Mandinka.
Economy:
Currency: 1 CFA Franc BCEAO (XOF) of 100 Centimes.
Main Industries: Agricultural and fish processing, phosphate mining, fertiliser production, petroleum
refining, iron ore, zircon, gold mining, construction materials and ship construction
and repair.
Environment:
Territorial Sea: 12 n.m.
Other Maritime Claims: Contiguous Zone: 24 n.m. Continental Shelf: 200 n.m. or to the edge of the continental
margin. Exclusive Economic Zone: 200 n.m.
Coastline Extent: 531 km.
Climate: Tropical; hot, humid; rainy season (May to November) has strong southeast winds; dry
season (December to April) dominated by hot, dry, harmattan wind.
Natural Resources: Fish, phosphates and iron ore.
Natural Hazards: Lowlands seasonally flooded; periodic droughts.
Terrain: Generally low, rolling, plains rising to foothills in southeast.
Average Temperatures:
| Month | High | Low |
|---|---|---|
| January | 27° C | 18° C |
| June | 30° C | 23° C |
| September | 32° C | 23° C |
DOCUMENTS:
Vessel should prepare and send the following documents prior to arrival and have updated
printed versions ready on arrival.
2 Bonded Stores Lists*
4 Cargo Manifests (48 hours before arrival)
2 Crew Cash List
2 Crew Effects Declarations
7 Crew Lists
2 Crew Vaccination Lists
2 Deck Stores/Spare Parts Lists
2 Expired Medicines/Narcotics Lists
2 Firefighting Equipment Inventory
2 Inventory Reports
2 ISSC Certificates
2 Lashings Inventories
2 Maritime Declaration of Health
2 Medical Chest Certificate
2 Medicines Lists
2 Narcotics Lists
6 Nil Lists
2 Passenger Cash List
2 Passenger Effects Declarations
7 Passenger Lists
2 Passenger Vaccination Lists
2 Provisions Lists*
2 Ship Sanitation Control (Exemption) Certificate
3 Ship’s Particulars
2 Stores Lists
(FAL 3)
2 Synopsis Records
2 Vessel Cash List
2 Waste Declarations
In addition, two copies of each ship’s certificates are required.
* if not included in Stores List
Also see ``
Customs''.
PRE-ARRIVAL INFORMATION:
Pre-Arrival Checks:
- No expired medicines, narcotics, or foods shall be kept on board.
- All ship’s certificates must be valid and duly endorsed.
- All seafarers’ discharge books must include the signing on date with the ship’s stamp.
- All passports must be in order.
- Yellow fever vaccination is compulsory and Yellow Fever Certificates should be checked and in order.
- It is prohibited to gift or sell or trade gas, oil, or paint to any person during the port stay. This includes the authorities.
- It is strictly forbidden to smoke at any petroleum site.
- All dangerous cargo must be accompanied by complete and appropriate documentation including manifest and packing list, and containers marked with the appropriate stickers according to the IMDG code regulations. This applies to all cargo for discharging and in transit.
- Vessel must ensure that it submits all the necessary permissions, addressed to the Harbour Master, to undertake any kind of activities in port, such as chipping, painting, welding, lifeboat testing, etc. This will be duly signed on board upon arrival by the Harbour Master.
MEDICAL:
You must have a certificate to prove you have had a yellow fever vaccination if you
are arriving from a country listed as a transmission risk. This includes if you have
transited through the airport of a country with risk of yellow fever transmission.
Health facilities in Dakar are reasonable but are limited in the rest of Senegal.
Make sure you have adequate health insurance and accessible funds to cover the cost
of any medical treatment abroad and repatriation.
There is risk of Zika virus transmission in Senegal. Malaria, Dengue fever and other
tropical diseases are common in Senegal, especially during the rainy season (June-September).
There are occasional outbreaks of cholera.
HOLIDAYS:
1 January (New Year's Day); Easter Monday; 4 April (Independence Day); 1 May (Labour
Day); Ascension Day; Whit Monday; Konte (End of Ramadan); 15 August (Assumption Day);
22 August (Tabaski, Feast of Sacrifice); 20 September (Tamkharit); 28 October (Grand
Magal of Touba); 1 November (All Saints' Day); 20 November (Prophet Mohammed's Birthday);
25 December (Christmas Day).
CONSULS:
Contact details of foreign embassies and consulates available at
www.diplomatie.gouv.sn
BANKS:
Only use reputable exchange bureaux to change your money. Dakar has ATMs that accept
foreign bank cards, but there are few ATMs or bank facilities in the rest of the country.
Withdrawal limits can be low, and ATMs regularly run out of money, including in Dakar.
Larger or more upmarket establishments that cater for tourists usually accept foreign
credit cards. Mobile payment applications, such as Orange Money and Wave, are also
widely used around the country.
CUSTOMS:
In recent years, Customs fines in Dakar have become both more frequent and more expensive.
Vessels are often detained and only released upon payment of the fine or posting of
security for payment. In addition to Customs authorities, Immigration authorities
also carefully scrutinize crew documentation and if any discrepancies are found, may
confiscate crew passports and summon the Master for questioning.
Two different subdivisions of Senegalese Customs are responsible for carrying out
controls on vessels: Customs Bulk and Bagged Cargo Subdivision (Service des Produits
Pondereux) and Customs Port Surveillance Subdivision (Service de Surveillance Portuaire).
Both can levy fines.
Customs Bulk and Bagged Cargo Subdivision:
Since 2019, vessels have been at an increased risk of Customs fines because Customs’
Bulk and Bagged Cargo Subdivision has been monitoring discharge operations and automatically
levying fines if there is any discrepancy between the quantities of cargo recorded
at the weighbridge (including overlanded cargo) and the quantities shown on the cargo
manifest. It is likely that the absence of a ship-appointed surveyor could result
in exaggerated claims. As a precautionary measure it is therefore important that owners
and/or charterers appoint a tally surveyor.
There have been instances that when a vessel carrier is expected to complete discharge
of bulk or bagged cargo over a weekend, Customs will detain the vessel with a view
to securing payment of any applicable fine. In such cases, the vessel should immediately
contact their local P&I correspondent with a view to negotiating with Customs and
ensuring that the vessel is able to sail on time.
Customs Port Surveillance Subdivision:
This service has the authority to levy fines for any perceived discrepancies in declarations
regarding bunkers, ship’s stores, personal effects or goods in transit or for transshipment.
Refer to “Inventory Report” below.
Mis-declaration including a discrepancy in quantity may also be considered an attempt
to avoid paying Customs duties. The resulting Customs fines are imposed in accordance
with Article 62 of the Senegalese Customs Code which provides that:
| a) | cargo arriving by sea must be shown on the manifest or loading list | |
| b) | the manifest must be signed and dated by the Master of the vessel or his representative. It must provide sufficient information to indicate the type and quality of the cargo as well as any possible prohibitions, in particular: | |
| i. | the number of packages | |
| ii. | the brands and numbering of the said packages | |
| ii. | the nature of the cargo | |
| iv. | the loading and delivery destinations. | |
The Managing Director of Customs may, whenever it is deemed necessary, modify the
list of mandatory indications.
It is forbidden to list as one single unit in the same manifest several sealed packages
assembled together in any way or form.
It is advised that before arrival Master checks with the local agent for any additional
or new requirements.
For bagged cargoes, appoint a tally surveyor to attend during discharge.
The Master should personally carry out the formalities on board with the Customs officers
in the presence of the agent
In the event that a discrepancy is found by Customs, immediately contact vessel’s
local P&I agent for assistance.
Inventory Reports:
For inward clearance procedures, inventory reports must be updated with the exact
quantity upon berthing. This relates to all inventory reports including:
- bunkers, which should include emergency diesel tank and quantity of gasoline in lifeboat(s), incinerator, rescue boat and overflow tank for HFO
- oils
- chemicals
- paint
- thinners
- grease
- gases
- foam
- spare parts.
All bunkers/oils on board (in tanks, in use, in drums and cans) must be declared even
if the name of tank is not specified and quantities must be checked carefully and
recorded accurately on the reporting form (as provide by your agent). The quantities
must be precise as any discrepancy between the declared quantity and the inventory
will lead to heavy fines.
Customs authorities will ask for information regarding the vessel’s last bunkering,
including date, quantities, and daily consumption. Details will be used to check accuracy
of vessel’s ROB (fuel, diesel, and lube oil) declarations according to the engine
logbook. The Chief Engineer should be prepared to accompany Customs officials for
the FO, DO and LO tank inspections and soundings in order to confirm the quantities
declared, as required.
SHORE LEAVE:
Terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Senegal. Attacks could be indiscriminate,
including in places visited by foreigners. Avoid any demonstrations or large gatherings
of people.
Casamance, the spur of land south of The Gambia, has suffered from decades of low-intensity
separatist violence, largely directed at Senegalese security forces. Be on the alert
for clashes if you are travelling in the region. The risk of attacks is lower in the
main tourist areas of the Casamance.
There is a threat of kidnapping in the wider Sahel region, which incorporates Mali,
Mauritania, Niger, Chad and Burkina Faso, so take precautions to reduce the risk of
kidnap in remote regions and border areas.
Foreign nationals are seen as legitimate targets, including tourists, humanitarian
aid workers, journalists and business travellers. If you are kidnapped, the reason
for your presence is unlikely to protect you or secure your safe release.
Pickpocketing and bag-snatching, especially from scooters or motorbikes, are common
in Dakar. This type of crime is more common in the run-up to religious festivals.
It can also increase early in the month after salaries are paid. To reduce your personal
risk:
- avoid walking alone in the evening and after dark, especially if you are a woman
- avoid wearing conspicuous jewellery and keep any handbags or satchels on the side of your body that is furthest from the street
- step inside a shop or restaurant if you need to use your mobile phone.
There is a risk of bogus taxi drivers pretending to know you and then overcharging
you for the journey from the airport. Pre-arrange transport with your accommodation
or an authorised operator. If you are expecting someone to collect you at the airport,
make sure they show you their ID.
Be cautious when changing cash, as there is a risk you will be scammed with fake money.
Use ATMs or reputable exchange bureaux.
Local laws reflect the fact that Senegal is a predominantly Muslim country. You should
respect local traditions, customs, laws and religions at all times and be aware of
your actions so that they don’t offend others, especially during the holy month of
Ramadan or if you intend to visit religious areas.
You should dress and behave modestly in public outside the main tourist areas. Bars
and restaurants usually serve alcoholic drinks but drunkenness is considered offensive.
Kissing as a greeting is acceptable but kissing romantically in public is not.
There is no gay scene in Senegal and article 319 of the penal code states that ``an
indecent or unnatural act with an individual of the same sex is punishable by 1-5
years imprisonment''.
Most main roads are of good quality, but minor roads can be in very poor repair. During
the rainy season from June to September, torrential rains can cause floods and landslides
which damage roads.
Drivers can make sudden movements without signalling and speeding is common. Many
taxis and public mini-buses (‘cars rapides’) are not roadworthy. Driving after dark
is more dangerous because of poorly lit roads and vehicles without lights.
Traffic congestion gets worse in the run-up to and during religious festivals.
REPATRIATION:
To enter Senegal, your passport must have an expiry date at least 6 months after the
date you arrive.
Immigration Controls:
Vessel's Masters are advised of increased border controls on inward bound vessels
by the Senegalese Immigration Services.
Dakar’s Immigration Services demand that all passports and seamen’s books are accurate,
up to date, and signed where appropriate.
Seamen’s books should be:
- correctly stamped in the right place with the shipowner’s stamp
- completed in full
- indicate the crew member’s correct rank
- show full and accurate joining and leaving ports and dates.
When an anomaly is found in the crew’s travel documents during inward clearance visits
on board, Dakar’s Immigration Services will not hesitate to confiscate crew passports
and summon the Master to their offices for questioning. Under law, any irregularity
in travel documents can result in criminal charges and, in principle, the Master of
the vessel can be arrested and sent to prison.
Immigration officers do not always speak fluent English and communications problems
with the crew can create a hostile environment. To avoid any escalation, it is vital
to show due respect to Immigration officers in their capacities as representatives
of state authority.
It is advised that before arrival Master checks with the local agent for any additional
or new requirements.
The Master should personally carry out the formalities on board with Immigration officers
in the presence of the agent and, in the event that a discrepancy is found by Immigration
authorities, immediately contact vessel’s P&I local agent for assistance.
