Guidelines for large ships transiting the Danish Straits through the Great Belt
Year: 2026 Language: English Author: OCIMF Publisher: OCIMF Edition: 1st 2026 Format: PDF Quality: eBook Pages count: 18 Description: The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has declared the Baltic Sea and its entrances a special area under MARPOL, due to its environmental and economic importance. This paper will refer to the area, which connects the Baltic Sea to the North Sea, as the Danish Straits. IMO’s Recommendation on Navigation Through the Entrances to the Baltic Sea includes recommendations for pilotage services, maximum depth of water and safe draft through the Danish Straits. Mariners passing through the Danish Straits via the Great Belt – the western, deeper strait – face challenging navigational conditions, including water depth, currents, climatic conditions and traffic density. These risks can be minimised through good organisational and navigational planning. See figure 2.1 for a chart extract of the straits. There has been an increased flow of large ships carrying hydrocarbon cargoes transiting the deep-water route of the Danish Straits (Route T) since 2022. The US Energy Information Agency details an increase of 60% in crude and petroleum products passing through the straits in 2023 compared to 2021. A preliminary study by OCIMF to identify gaps within current guidance revealed a lack of operational guidance. This paper provides additional operational and organisational guidance for ship operators in developing risk assessments for large ships transiting from Skagen to Bornholm (southbound) or Bornholm to Skagen (northbound) through Route T. Ships other than large ships may use other routes for the full transit, the details of which are out of scope of this paper. Operators of these ships should refer to the Passage Planning Guide, Baltic: Danish Straits (PPG) and guidance provided by the Danish Emergency Management Agency (DEMA). DEMA has recently taken over responsibility from the Danish Maritime Authorities (DMA) for regulation of pilotage, IMO Route Systems, Notice to Mariners (MSI) and general safety of navigation within national waters. The guidance given in this paper is consistent with IMO, DEMA and DMA recommendations.
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Guidelines for large ships transiting the Danish Straits through the Great Belt
Language: English
Author: OCIMF
Publisher: OCIMF
Edition: 1st 2026
Format: PDF
Quality: eBook
Pages count: 18
Description: The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has declared the Baltic Sea and its entrances
a special area under MARPOL, due to its environmental and economic importance. This
paper will refer to the area, which connects the Baltic Sea to the North Sea, as the Danish
Straits. IMO’s Recommendation on Navigation Through the Entrances to the Baltic Sea includes
recommendations for pilotage services, maximum depth of water and safe draft through
the Danish Straits. Mariners passing through the Danish Straits via the Great Belt – the
western, deeper strait – face challenging navigational conditions, including water depth,
currents, climatic conditions and traffic density. These risks can be minimised through good
organisational and navigational planning. See figure 2.1 for a chart extract of the straits.
There has been an increased flow of large ships carrying hydrocarbon cargoes transiting the
deep-water route of the Danish Straits (Route T) since 2022. The US Energy Information Agency
details an increase of 60% in crude and petroleum products passing through the straits in
2023 compared to 2021. A preliminary study by OCIMF to identify gaps within current guidance
revealed a lack of operational guidance.
This paper provides additional operational and organisational guidance for ship operators in
developing risk assessments for large ships transiting from Skagen to Bornholm (southbound)
or Bornholm to Skagen (northbound) through Route T. Ships other than large ships may use
other routes for the full transit, the details of which are out of scope of this paper. Operators of
these ships should refer to the Passage Planning Guide, Baltic: Danish Straits (PPG) and guidance
provided by the Danish Emergency Management Agency (DEMA). DEMA has recently taken over
responsibility from the Danish Maritime Authorities (DMA) for regulation of pilotage, IMO Route
Systems, Notice to Mariners (MSI) and general safety of navigation within national waters.
The guidance given in this paper is consistent with IMO, DEMA and DMA recommendations.
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