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General Information for Spain
Geo-political:
Capital City: Madrid.
Nationality: (noun) Spaniard, (adjective) Spanish.
Population: 40,525,002.
Communications:
International Direct Dial Code: 34.
Number of Internal Airports: 95.
Major Languages Spoken: Castilian Spanish (official) 74%, Catalan 17%, Galician 7%, Basque 2%, are official regionally.
Economy:
Currency: 1 Euro (EUR) of 100 Cents.
Main Industries: Textiles and apparel (), food and beverages, metals and metal manufactures, chemicals, shipbuilding, automobiles, machine tools, tourism, clay and refractory products, footwear, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment.
Environment:
Territorial Sea: 12 n.m.
Other Maritime Claims: Contiguous Zone: 24 n.m. Exclusive Economic Zone: 200 n.m. (applies only to the Atlantic Ocean).
Coastline Extent: 4,964 km.
Climate: Temperate; clear, hot summers in interior, more moderate and cloudy along coast; cloudy, cold winters in interior, partly cloudy and cool along coast.
Natural Resources: Coal, lignite, iron ore, copper, lead, zinc, uranium, tungsten, mercury, pyrites, magnesite, fluorspar, gypsum, sepiolite, kaolin, potash, hydropower and arable land.
Natural Hazards: Periodic droughts.
Terrain: Large, flat to dissected plateau surrounded by rugged hills; Pyrenees in north.
Average Temperatures: 
Month High Low
January 8° C 2° C
June 29° C 15° C
September 25° C 12° C
CHARTS:  Nautical charts and publications, Notices to Mariners and navigational warnings published/issued by the Spanish navy, Armada Espanola. Full details of products and services available at
APPROACHES:  North-Western Mediterranean Sea PSSA:  The IMO has designated the North-Western Mediterranean Sea as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (NW Med PSSA) to reduce collisions between ships and endangered whales.
The NW Mediterranean PSSA encompasses critical whale habitats, including the Mediterranean Cetacean Migration Corridor, the Pelagos Cetacean Sanctuary, and the Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMAs) known as the ``Gulf of Lions Shelf'' and the ``Slopes and Canyons System of the North-West Mediterranean Sea''. In addition to sperm whales and fin whales, the region is home to several other cetacean species including Cuvier’s beaked dolphins, pilot whales, Risso’s dolphins, bottlenose dolphins, striped dolphins, and common dolphins.
The NW Med PSSA is located between the coastline of France, Italy, Monaco and Spain and is defined by a line encompassing the following coordinates:
  1. 38° 39' 59.379" N, 000° 06' 00.000" E
  2. 38° 39' 59.379" N, 000° 47' 59.476" E
  3. 38° 50' 03.331" N, 001° 00' 00.398" E
  4. 39° 19' 01.812" N, 001° 00' 25.212" E
  5. 39° 28' 42.075" N, 001° 40' 02.495" E
  6. 39° 51' 21.986" N, 002° 16' 09.853" E
  7. 40° 34' 13.067" N, 004° 04' 31.926" E
  8. 40° 58' 00.000" N, 008° 12' 00.000" E
  9. 41° 09' 10.800" N, 009° 31' 10.800" E
  10. 42° 21' 14.400" N, 011° 31' 00.000" E.
From point h) (Falcoe Cape) to point i) (Ferro Cape) the south boundary follows the coastline of Sardinia. Coordinates are provided by the WGS84 datum.
Mariners should follow the following protective measures: 
  1. Mariners of any commercial vessels and pleasure yachts of 300 g.t. or more should navigate with particular caution within the NW Mediterranean PSSA, in areas where large and medium cetaceans are detected or reported and reduce their speed to between 10 and 13 knots as voluntary speed reduction (VSR); however, a safe speed should be kept, so that proper and effective action could be taken to avoid collision and any possible negative impacts on ship’s manoeuvrability.
  2. Mariners should broadcast on VHF or other available means on scene, the position of medium and large cetaceans observed or detected within the designated PSSA and transmit the information and the position to a designated coastal authority.
  3. Mariners should report any collision with cetaceans to a designated coastal authority, which should forward this information to the International Whaling Commission (IWC) global cetacean ship strikes database.
Contact:  International Whaling Commission. iwc.int/management-and-conservation/ship-strikes
PRATIQUE:  Direccion General de Salud Publica. Paseo del Prado, 18, 28014 Madrid. T: +34 9159 61089. Fax: +34 9159 64480. www.msc.es/ Controls import and export of medicaments and drugs and issues Drug Import Inspection Certificate; develops health policy; enforces health regulation, consumer protection and food policy.
Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentacion. Paseo de la Infanta Isabel, 1, 28014 Madrid. Tel: +34 9134 53931. www.magrama.gob.es/ Controls the inspection of imported and exported seeds, pesticides, vet medicines, and fertilisers; drafts rules and regulations concerning the inspection and quarantine of imported and exported seeds, pesticides, vet medicines and fertilisers.
PRE-ARRIVAL INFORMATION:  Pre-arrival documentation and notifications should be submitted through DUEPORT. DUEPORT is the National Maritime Single Window operated and managed by the Spanish Government agency Puertos del Estado in accordance with the provisions of the Directive 2010/65/UE.
Access is available to registered users at dueport.puertos.es/login
VTS/RADAR: 
Port State Notifications: 
  1. Under European Union (EU) Directive 2009/16/EC, the EU has introduced a reporting system to be complied with for all vessels arriving or leaving a port or anchorage within the EU Region. This new legislation came into effect on the 1 January 2011.
  2. The Operator, Agent or Master shall notify, 72 hours in advance of arrival in port, if vessels are eligible for an expanded inspection (3 days pre-arrival notification).
  3. Vessels subject to expanded inspections are:
    a) all vessels with a high risk profile
    b) any passenger vessel, oil tanker, gas or chemical tanker or bulk
    carrier, older than 12 years of age.
  4. Directive 2009/16/EC also recalls the obligation to notify, 24 hours in advance, for vessels bound for a Member States port (24-hour pre-arrival notifications) or at the latest, at the time the vessel leaves the previous port, if the voyage time is less than 24 hours or if the port of call is not known or it is changed during the voyage, as soon as this information is available. This obligation falls under Directive 2002/59/EC establishing a common vessel traffic monitoring and information system throughout European Community (EC) waters.
  5. The reports shall be sent to the Port authorities.
  6. Failure to report the requested information is an offence and may also cause a vessel to be targeted for inspection.
EMERGENCY RESPONSE CENTRE:  The Spanish Maritime Safety Agency (Salvamento Maritimo) has roles in search and rescue and marine environmental protection, and provides maritime SAR services, maritime pollution preparedness and response, maritime traffic control as well as provides services involving towing and auxiliary vessels.
    Regional Centres: 
  • Centro de Coordinacion de Salvamento Palamos. Tel: +34 9726 00711. Fax: +34 9726 00517. VHF Channels 16/74. [email protected]
  • Centro de Coordinacion de Salvamento Barcelona. T: +34 9322 34759. Fax: +34 9322 34613. VHF Channels 16/10. [email protected]
  • Centro de Coordinacion de Salvamento Tarragona. Tel: +34 9772 16203. Fax: +34 9772 16209. VHF Channels 16/74. [email protected]
  • Centro de Coordinacion de Salvamento Castellon. Tel: +34 9647 37202. Fax: +34 9647 37105. VHF Channels 16/74. [email protected]
  • Centro de Coordinacion de Salvamento Valencia. Tel: +34 9636 79302. Fax: +34 9636 7 9403. VHF Channels 16/11/10. [email protected]
  • Centro de Coordinacion de Salvamento Palma. Tel: +34 9717 24562. Fax: +34 9717 28352. VHF Channels 16/10. [email protected]
  • Centro de Coordinacion de Salvamento Cartagena. Tel: +34 9685 29594. Fax: +34 9685 29748. VHF Channels 16/10. [email protected]
  • Centro de Coordinacion de Salvamento Almeria. Tel: +34 9502 70715. Fax: +34 9502 70402. VHF Channels 16/74. [email protected]
  • Centro de Coordinacion de Salvamento Algeciras. Tel: +34 9565 80035. Fax: +34 9565 85402. VHF Channels 16/74. [email protected]
  • Centro de Coordinacion de Salvamento Tarifa. Tel: +34 9566 84740. Fax: +34 9566 80606. VHF Channels 16/10/67. [email protected]
  • Centro de Coordinacion de Salvamento Cadiz. Tel: +34 9562 14253. Fax: +34 9562 26091. VHF Channels 16/74. [email protected]
  • Centro de Coordinacion de Salvamento Huelva. Tel: +34 9592 43000. Fax: +34 9592 42103. VHF Channels 16/10. [email protected]
  • Centro de Coordinacion de Salvamento Vigo. Tel: +34 9862 22230. Fax: +34 9862 28957. VHF Channels 16/10. [email protected]
  • Centro de Coordinacion de Salvamento La Coruna. Tel: +34 9812 09541. Fax: +34 9812 09518. VHF Channels 16/10. [email protected]
  • Centro de Coordinacion de Salvamento Gijon. Tel: +34 9853 26050. Fax: +34 9853 20908. VHF Channels 16/10. [email protected]
  • Centro de Coordinacion de Salvamento Santander. Tel: +34 9422 13060. Fax: +34 9422 13638. VHF Channels 16/74. [email protected]
  • Centro de Coordinacion de Salvamento Bilbao. Tel: +34 9448 39411. Fax: +34 9448 39161. VHF Channels 16/10/74. [email protected]
  • Centro de Coordinacion de Salvamento Las Palmas. Tel: +34 9284 67757. Fax: +34 9284 67760. VHF Channels 16/10. [email protected]
  • Centro de Coordinacion de Salvamento Tenerife. Tel: +34 9225 97551. Fax: +34 9225 97331. VHF Channels 16/74. [email protected]
REGULATIONS:  National maritime regulations (Ley 14/2014, de 24 de Julio, de Navegacion Maritima) available in Spanish, at www.boe/es/eli/es/l/2014/07/24/14/con
EU MRV:  The EU MRV (Monitoring, Reporting, Verification) regulation entered into force on 1 July 2015, and it requires ship owners and operators to annually monitor, report and verify CO 2 emissions for vessels larger than 5,000 g.t. calling at any EU and EFTA (Norway and Iceland) port. Data collection takes place on a per voyage basis and started 1 January 2018.
The reported CO 2 emissions, together with additional data, are to be verified by independent certified bodies and sent to a central database managed by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA). The aggregated ship emission and efficiency data will be published by the EC by 30 June 2019 and then every consecutive year.
Ship owners and operators shall monitor the CO 2 emissions of their vessels per voyage conducted into, between and out of EU (and EFTA) ports. A voyage is defined as any movement of a ship that originates from, or terminates in, a port of call (EU port) and that serves the purpose of transporting passengers or cargo for commercial purposes.
TIME:  GMT plus 1 hour in winter, GMT plus 2 hours in summer on mainland. Canary Islands use GMT in winter and GMT plus 1 hour in summer.
HOLIDAYS:  1 January (New Year's Day); 6 January (Epiphany); 19 March (Saint Joseph); Maundy Thursday; Good Friday; Easter (two days); 1 May (Labour Day); Corpus Christi Day; 16 July; 25 July (Patron Saint of Spain); 15 August (Assumption Day); 9 October (Community Day); 12 October (Columbus Day); 1 November (All Saints Day); 6 December (Constitution Day); 8 December (Holiday of the Virgin Mary); 25 December (Christmas Day).
WEATHER/TIDES:  Coastal and marine weather forecasts available from Agencia Estatal de Meteorologia. www.aemet.es/
TELEPHONES:  Spain operates a closed telephone numbering plan, nine digits long, starting with 9 or 8 for fixed lines (excluding 90x and 80x which are number for special rate services and internet access services) and 6 or 7 for mobile telephones. All digits should be dialled irrespective of location.
CUSTOMS:  Agencia Estatal de Administracion Tributaria. Avda. Llano Castellano, 17, 28034 Madrid. Tel: +34 9172 89450. Fax: +34 9172 92065. www.aeat.es/
Issues import and export licenses and permits for restricted commodities; import and export clearance; levies duty and taxes; inspects shipments; issues regulations about clearance; controls import and export enterprises; evaluates shipments.
AUTHORITY:  Ministerio de Fomento, Direccion General de la Marina Mercante, c/Ruiz de Alarcan 1, 28071 Madrid, Spain. T: +34 9159 79020. F: +34 9159 79120. www.fomento.gob.es