Authorization for Vessels of up to 500 passengers to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno (San Cristóbal Island)
Description
According to the Fifth Transitional Provision of the Special Regulation for Tourism in Protected Natural Areas (RETANP):
"The entry of national or international vessels of up to 500 passengers on board will be permitted to enter only to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno on San Cristobal Island prior to delivery of the environmental impact study and approved by the Ministry of Environment through the National Park Galapagos. For each cruise the Galapagos National Park and the operating company will conduct at least one survey to determine the level of visitor satisfaction in the province of Galapagos.
They must first meet the admission requirements and procedures established by the Galapagos National Park and present a valid insurance against all risks that meets specifications set by the Galapagos National Park. These ships may not in any way make tours to other islands, which must be made through local operators.
Cruises may not be organized to come to Galapagos without a stop at least at one port in mainland Ecuador. The number of cruise ships that may enter is limited to one per month. In any event, cruises may not exceed 12 per year. Upon arriving at the anchor site and before the crew, passengers or cargo disembarks, the ship must receive approval from the SESA after completing the SICGAL inspection procedures.
The Ministry of Environment, through the Galapagos National Park, will assess the environmental, economic and social impacts of this operation, to take appropriate action."
Application
The authorization will be considered prior to the following requirements
- Application addressed to:
Director/a
Galapagos National Park Service
Puerto Ayora, Isla Santa Cruz
Galapagos, ECUADOR
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signed by the legal representative, with at least 90 days before the proposed date for the arrival of the vessel but appending the environmental license granted by the Ministry of Environment.
- Insurance against all risks in favor of the Directorate of the Galapagos National Park, including among other risks, environmental contamination, liability, salvage, towage and debris removal.
- Certificates to ensure compliance with International Conventions for safe operation and pollution prevention for ships, especially the requirements of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships MARPOL 73/78 and SOLAS, which establishes the rules to prevent oil pollution, sewage (gray and black) and litter of vessels, respectively.
- Certificate of boat registration.
- Class Certificate of the vessel.
- Passenger Safety Certificate.
- International Tonnage Certificate.
- Certificate of safety equipment.
- Management certificate or security management.
- International certificate of air pollution.
- International Certificate of fuel contamination prevention.
- Certificate of safety radio and communication.
- Certificate of date of construction and equipment.
- Certificate of maintenance of hull (anti-fouling).
- Certification by the operator of the vessel or legal representative, non-use of chemical dispersants.
- Certificate of pest and rodent control.
- List of passengers and crew arrive aboard the cruiser, indicating names, passport numbers, nationalities and age.
- List of local tour operators with whom they will conduct their tours.
- Proposed itinerary, tour plans and roster of naturalist guides.
- Compliance with environmental standards set by the Galapagos National Institute (see 'inspection' below).
- Certificate issued by the maritime authority concerned, for compliance with all provisions of international conventions for safety precautions, environmental pollution and contamination for which these exist.
- Letter of intent by which it ensures compliance with rules and regulations in the protected areas of Galapagos, and the provisions of the Directorate of the Galapagos National Park.
- Appointment of a ship and local travel agent, duly qualified under applicable Ecuadorian law.
- An irrevocable guarantee of immediate payment, effective 30 days from admission to the Galapagos, in favor of the GNP to ensure compliance with the obligations set for operation in this statute. The guarantee shall be equivalent to 10% of total amount of entry tax of the cruise's passengers.
Without prejudice to the requirements listed above, the Directorate of the Galapagos National Park may require additional documents of the legal representative if deemed necessary.
Inspections prior to entering the Galapagos Marine Reserve
The staff of the Directorate of the Galapagos National Park will conduct a technical inspection of the boat at the last port of mainland Ecuador prior to its arrival to Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, which will undertake the following checks and inspections:
- Inspection of the number of passengers and crew on board.
- Official receiving list of passengers and crew from the ship's captain.
- Arrival of the vessel issued by the Captain in the Port of Manta.
- Determination of the number of cabins available on board and habitations availabile.
- Reception of copies of passports of crew and passengers.
- Inspection of the general characteristics of the boat.
- Inspection and verification of the certification of ship's captain about the use and transport of fuels, prohibition to use and transport bunker and carry sufficient supply of diesel for navigation to and from Galapagos, to which technical advice from an expert will be required, if necessary.
- Inspection and verification of the functioning of the waste management system, treated and untreated, organic and inorganic, before and during the trip to the Galapagos.
- Inspection and verification of the functioning of sewage treatment system: gray and black.
- Verification of safety management systems and technologies for safety and prevention of pollution.
- Verification of non-use of chemical dispersants.
- Monitor the level of the holding tanks and subsequent evacuation to 300 miles before entering the GMR.
- Hull inspection, and verification of the absence of organism aggressive to Galapagos biodiversity, for which samples are taken.
- Inspection and verification of compliance with the provisions of the Maritime Transport Regulations for Toxic or High Risk Products in the GMR.
- Inspection of gaseous, liquids or solids waste, dangerous or pollutant of any type and origin, considered or not as toxic, especially radioactive waste including those of hospital origin. With the exception of food waste, food and water sewage, accumulated in the facilities of the ship after leaving the port of Manta, which may be discharged outside the GMR, according to practices accepted by the DIGMER.
- Inspection and receipt of the declaration of compliance with environmental standards set by the INGALA.
- Verify and confirm the specific contingency plans to respond to possible cases of pollution caused by toxic or high risk products.
- Give talks and lectures on the rules established in protected areas of Galapagos, previously developed by the GNP and record the number of passengers and crew in attendance.
- Entry tax collection for valued species by the Galapagos National Park.
- Distribution and receipt of pre-entry cards.
Officials of the Directorate of the Galapagos National Park, responsible for each of the activities listed above, will issue a report of conformance and/or nonconformance to the Head of Tourist Administration.
If anomalies are detected or incompliance to the regulations noted above, the head of Public Use will issue a report to the Directorate of the Galapagos National Park, detailing the nonconformities found during the inspection and verification process. Based on this report, the Directorate of the Galapagos National Park shall request that the legal representative of the boat resolve the nonconformities or deny the entry of the vessel, whichever is appropriate.
Authorization
Having received the documents and previous reports, the Head of Public Use will issue a report to the Directorate of the Galapagos National Park indicating compliance with the requirements with which the Directorate of the Galapagos National Park shall issue the appropriate authorization prior to departure of the vessel from mainland Ecuador.
Activities prior to disembarkation of passengers in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno
Once the ship arrives at the docking site and before the diembarkation of the crew and cruise passengers, it must meet the following:
- Inspection of the ship by the Galapagos National Park personnel.
- Tourists charged an entry tax to protected areas of Galapagos.
- Approval of the Ecuadorian Agricultural Health Service (AGROCALIDAD) after completing the inspection proceedures of the Inspection and Quarantine System for the Galapagos Islands.
- Other conditions set out in the Fifth Transitional Provision of the Special Regulations for Tourism in Protected Natural Areas (RETANP) (see 'Description' above).
- For each cruise the Directorate of the Galapagos National Park and the operating company will conduct at least one survey to determine the level of visitor satisfaction.
Evaluation of the operation
The Ministry of the Environment through the Galapagos National Park will evaluate the environmental, economic and social impact of this operation, to take appropriate action, both the evaluation and the actions to be performed will be systematized in a report, which shall be made public in the period of 60 days after completion of the visit.
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