Port of East London

The controlling depth at East London is 10 meters. Draft restrictions should be confirmed with the port authority before arrival, as silting, dredging operations, and tidal conditions can affect available depths. Pilotage is typically required for larger vessels.

The approach to East London is supported by 5 navigation aids within 50 nautical miles. The nearest is Castle Point Range Rear Lighthouse at 0 NM to the NW. Other aids include Castle Point Range Front (0.5 NM ESE), East London South Breakwater (1 NM E), Hood Point (1 NM SSW), Nahoon Point (2.6 NM NE). Mariners should consult the relevant chart and List of Lights for full approach details.

The Port of East London is situated on the Indian Ocean in ZA. The area falls within the subtropical climate zone with mild winters and warm summers, which can influence port operations and seasonal shipping patterns.

You can track vessels near East London (ZAELS) in real time using MarineRadar. The platform displays live AIS positions of nearby ships, including vessel name, type, flag, speed, and course. Use the "Track Vessels Nearby" button on this page or search for ZAELS on the live map.

The Port of East London is a port in ZA. Its UN/LOCODE is ZAELS — the five-character code the UNECE assigns to trade and transport locations, and the identifier used on shipping documents and in port calls.

The first two characters, ZA, are the ISO country code for ZA. The remaining three identify the location within that country. The code is issued by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and is the international standard for naming ports in trade and transport systems.

The Port of East London operates in the UTC+2 time zone. Operating hours, VTS schedules, and pilot availability vary — vessel agents should confirm with the port authority in advance, especially for night arrivals or weekend operations.

EAST LONDON (UN/Locode: ZAELS), South Africa is a seaport located at approximately -33.02600° N, 27.90610° E.

Coordinates: -33.02600° N, 27.90610° E.

Harbor type/size: River Natural and Small. Cranes: mobile cranes and fixed cranes. Lifting: 0–24 MT lifts and 25–49 MT lifts. Support: wharf loading/offloading, anchorage loading/offloading and good holding ground. Depths: channel depth 11m - 12.2m; anchorage depth 23.2m - OVER; cargo pier depth 9.4m - 10m; oil terminal depth 9.4m - 10m and maximum draft approx. 10 m.

Entrance/operational restrictions — tide: no specific restriction; swell: no specific restriction; ice: none; overhead limits: apply and other: may apply.

Communication & port formalities — telephone: available; radio (VHF): available; air services: available; rail: available; ETA message: required; quarantine pratique: available; deratting certificate: not available; first port of entry: available and additional quarantine services available. Pilotage & towage — pilotage: compulsory; tug assistance: available and tug salvage: available.

Vessel types historically calling: Bulk Carrier, Container, Fishing, General Cargo, Offshore, Passenger, Pleasure Craft, Ro Ro and Tanker.