Durres
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| Durres Port of Entry
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 The Harbour |
Durrës (Greek: Dyrrhachion - Δυρράχιον; Italian: Durazzo) is the ancient Greek colony Epidamnos which was later renamed by the Romans to Dyrr(h)achium. Today it is one of the largest and most important cities in Albania. It located in the Adriatic Sea, about 33 km west of Tirana and has a population of about 202,000 inhabitants (as of 2009 estimate). The city was founded with the name of Epidamnos in 627 BC by colonists mostly from Corcyra (ancient name for Corfu) and a few from Corinth.
The harbour of Durres, unlike the harbours of Sarandë and Vlorë, is a large, modern and safe commercial harbour, constructed to serve large passenger, cargo, and cruise ships. Also, in a section of the harbour there are large fishing boats, a kind of fish loading zone. The area surrounding the quay is fenced and is strictly guarded. Entrance to this area is restricted. Within this area are all the official buildings: Harbour Master, Customs, Police, Security, Fire Station, etc.
Although large, Durres harbour makes no special provision for yachts, which must find space to moor alongside the high quays, between widely spaced bollards and large black fenders intended for big ships. It is essential to use an agent here, who will direct you where to moor after instruction from the Harbour Master. Yachts usually tie up on the long SW quay, and most frequently near the western-most corner of the harbour, next to the pilot boats (from the harbour entrance follow the quay on your port side about 700m to where it meets the quay running SW-NE).
Charts
See Albania.
Weather
See Albania.
Passages
- Most yachts coming from S arrive here from Orikum, a distance of around 64 miles. From N, yachts often sail direct from Bar in Montenegro, a distance of 54 miles, or from the fishing port of Shengjin, 35 miles NNE of Durres.
Communication
See Albania.
Warning: There are shallow waters in the approach from both N and S, but there is a mile-long safe channel designated by buoys. In the approach from N, there are extensive shoals for a mile S of Kepi Durresit and a large shallow patch, the Talbot Shoal, to be avoided. The Talbot Shoal is marked with a S cardinal mark. In the approach from S, note that shallows extend for nearly two miles out into the bay once past Kepi I Lagjit, with isolated shoal patches of as little as 2.0 metres. These shallows are supposedly marked with two W and one N cardinal marks (though not in evidence on a visit in May 2014).
The safe channel begins at a 
fairway buoy [[Durres#fairway buoy|fairway buoy]] 41°15.829′N, 19°26.786′E , from which a yacht should steer a course of 020 degrees between three sets of port and starboard buoys before turning to port at a final starboard buoy to enter the harbour.
Entrance
Durres is a port of entry for Albania. For details see Entrance: Albania.
You must normally use an agent to undertake the paperwork for entry and exit from ports in Albania, and Durres is no exception. It is best if, before entering the harbor, especially if this is your first port into Albania, you have arranged an agent and communicated your ETA. One list of possible agents is shown on Noonsite. The Italian Ministry of Finance patrols the Albanian coast looking for smugglers from a base in Durres Harbour and you may find yourself under surveillance by one of their boats.
As you approach the harbour call Durres Port Control on VHF channel 15. If you get no response then call on channel 16. You will then be directed to a working channel (usually 14). You should be met by your agent at the quay to complete the formalities. If you have selected the wrong agent then you may be asked to fill in endless forms by the officials.
Prior to departing from the harbour your agent will communicate with the authorities and provide the departure permission. Expect to give your agent a day's notice of departure. If you select the wrong agent, you may be presented with a substantial bill. A standard charge is likely to be of the order of EUR50 for formalities and EUR10 per night for your stay in the harbour.
Berthing
Go where directed by your agent. Yachts usually tie up alongside on the long SW quay, and most frequently near the western-most corner of the harbour, next to the pilot boats (from the harbour entrance follow the quay on your port side about 700m to where it meets the quay running SW-NE). Berthing is alongside high commercial quays with widely-spaced bollards designed for big ships and the odd rusty mooring staple. It can be difficult to find suitable mooring points if you don't select your position carefully. Because of the high quays, chafe protection is usually essential and it can be useful to have a couple of lengths of chain with which to terminate your mooring lines. There are no facilities whatsoever on the quays. Shelter in the harbour is good, although there is an uncomfortable slop in fresh to strong S winds.
Marinas & Yacht Clubs
None. The only marina in Albania is Orikum.
Amenities
| Facilities | |
|---|---|
| Water | N/A (Not Available). |
| Electricity | N/A |
| Toilets | N/A |
| Showers | N/A |
| Laundry | There is one laundry a few hundred metres from the harbour entrance along the main street. There may be others |
| Garbage | Small green or blue skip bins are provided by the port authority within easy reach of the yacht mooring quay |
| Supplies | |
| Fuel | ? |
| Bottled gas | ? |
| Chandlers | None |
| Services | |
| Repairs | None |
| Internet | There is no WiFi in the area of the harbour where yachts are usually tied up. There are cafes with WiFi available close to the harbour |
| Mobile connectivity | ? |
| Vehicle rentals | Several outlets in the town. Your agent can advise |
Provisioning
- Supermarket (Extra Market) 200 metres E from port exit along the main road (opposite the quaintly named Kastrati petrol station). Has frozen meats rather than just a deli counter.
- A large shopping centre is about 600m along the main street (look for the large building with a bright red curved roof).
- Kastrati fuel station is located about 200m E from the port exit along the main road.
- Numerous other shops along the main street leading from the port.
Eating out
- Numerous cafes, fast food outlets and banks along Commercial Street (the wide street going N from the Venetian Tower).
- Piazza Restaurant (200 metres W from port exit) is a good, high class but inexpensive option.
- Ali Pasha grill house (on E side of road leading N from the Venetian Tower) is a good value eatery with an English-speaking chef.
Transportation
International transportation:
- Durres harbour is a major port for ferries to/from Italy.
- Tirana International Airport is 30km from Durres
Local:
- From Durres there are regular coaches and a train to Tirana (and other destinations). The Durres bus station [[Durres#Durres bus station|Durres bus station]] 41°19.0705′N, 19°27.221′E and train station are co-located about 1.2km from the port entrances near the yacht mooring area.
Tourism
Places to Visit
Durres' Roman Amphitheater which is the largest in the Balkans is located in the city 500 metres N from the harbour (at the end of the section of surviving walls) and is well worth a visit, although there is very little of the original stonework left, most of it being used by the Byzantines and Venetians to construct the defensive walls. A Venetian tower at the SW corner of the walls remains intact and houses a pleasant cafe with a rooftop terrace (see photo of promenade for the view). On a sunny day, it is a pleasant walk along the promenade to the futuristic, modern pier for a coffee in the cafe at the end. Tirana, the capital city of Albania is about 40km from Durres and can be reached by bus, train or taxi. The bus and train stations are adjacent to one another about 20 minutes walk along the waterfront going E.
Friends
Contact details of "Cruiser's Friends" that can be contacted for local information or assistance.
Forums
List links to discussion threads on partnering forums. (see link for requirements)
Links
- Durres at the Wikipedia
- Durres at the Wikivoyage
- Roman Amphitheater at the Wikipedia
See also Albania.
References
See Albania.
Comments
We welcome users' contributions to the Wiki. Please click on Comments to view other users' comments, add your own personal experiences or recommend any changes to this page following your visit.
Verified by
Date of member's last visit to Durres and this page's details validated:
- July 2007 – FANEROMENI
- May 2013 – Yachtbillabong
- May 2014 – Athene of Lymington
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 Contributors to this page |
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Names: Lighthouse, FANEROMENI, Yachtbillabong, Athene of Lymington |
