Dakar
UN/LOCODE SNDKR · Senegal · Africa
Dakar (UN/LOCODE SNDKR) is a designated seaport with an adjacent airport in Senegal in the tropical northern European / African Atlantic region. The port operates on Africa/Dakar, uses the CFA Franc BCEAO (XOF), runs shore power at 230V/50Hz (Type C/D/E/K). Nearest major airport for crew changes is Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport (DKR), 6 km from the port.
Reference
- Coordinates
- 14.693425, -17.447938
- Time zone
- Africa/DakarUTC +00:00no DST
- Local currency
- XOF— CFA Franc BCEAO
- Languages
- fr
- Nearest airport
- DKRLéopold Sédar Senghor International Airport~6 km
- Electricity
- 230 V50 Hzplugs C, D, E, K(country default — verify at berth)
- Climate
- BShHot semi-arid
Country-coastal Köppen zone (most ports cluster on the coast). For port-coordinate resolution use Kottek 2006 0.5° grid.
- Function codes
- 1--45---
seaport · airport · postal exchange
- Port authority
- Port Autonome de Dakar
Operational details
Compiled from public port-authority and P&I-club directories. Always verify current contacts via your agent before arrival.
Pilotage / VTS
VTS Dakar (Port Autonome de Dakar)
- VHF: Ch 16 / 12
- Phone: +221 33 849 4500
- Web: www.portdakar.sn
P&I correspondents
- · Geni & Kebe Dakar (multi-club West Africa)
- · Clyde & Co Paris (Gard, UK Club Senegal)
- · CMS Bureau Francis Lefebvre Paris
Port agents
- · GAC Senegal Dakar
- · Inchcape Dakar
- · SAGA Dakar (Bolloré)
ISPS security level (normal): 1
West Africa's westernmost deep-water port; major fish-meal, phosphate and container gateway; Dakar Diamniadio new port under construction; seasonal harmattan dust reduces visibility Dec-Feb.
Helplines for seafarers in Senegal
Welfare, abandonment, wages, medical, mental health, harassment — 24/7 lines where available. See full helplines directory.
- ISWAN SeafarerHelpGlobal · 24/7 · en, ar, es, fr
- ISWAN Mental Health & Wellbeing helplineGlobal · 24/7 · en, es, ru, tl
- ITF SeafarersGlobal · 24/7 for emergencies · en
- ISWAN — Family helpline (for relatives of seafarers)Global · 24/7 · en, hi, tl
- ISWAN Yacht Crew HelplineGlobal · 24/7 · en
- ITF Inspectorate — Find your nearest inspectorGlobal · Varies by port · en
Other ports in Senegal
Port-state-control region: abuja MoU · how to file a PSC complaint.
Dakar: seafarer FAQ
- Is shore leave allowed at Dakar?
- Shore leave at Dakar is governed by Senegal immigration rules, the flag administration's policy, and the port authority's local rules. Seafarers normally need their seaman's book + a shore-leave permit issued by the agent. Confirm with your agent before going ashore — local policy changes frequently.
- What visa or shore-pass do I need for Dakar?
- Seafarers calling at Dakar on a vessel are generally exempt from regular tourist visas under Convention 108 / 185 (Seafarers' Identity Documents) if their flag administration has ratified the convention and they hold an SID. The standard document is the seaman's book + ship's crew list. Senegal may also require a shore pass issued by the agent. Confirm before you board the vessel — visa rules vary by nationality and by recent immigration-policy changes.
- Is there a seafarer welfare centre at Dakar?
- Yes — 1 seafarer welfare centre is listed for Dakar in our directory. The centres are typically run by the Mission to Seafarers, Stella Maris (Apostleship of the Sea), or a regional ministry, and offer wifi, transport, shop, chaplaincy, and advocacy. Walk-in is normal; no appointment needed.
- Is there a crisis or welfare helpline I can call from Dakar?
- Yes — 6 helplines are listed for Senegal in our directory, plus ISWAN's 24-hour multilingual SeafarerHelp (+44 20 7323 2737) and the ITF Helpline. Helplines handle crisis support, abandonment, wage theft, mental health, and bereavement.
- What's the nearest hospital to Dakar?
- Most major ports have a port-area hospital with seafarer-accustomed admissions; the welfare centre and the ship's agent can both advise. For serious cases, the nearest international hospital is normally in the same city or the next major city. The nearest major airport is Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport (DKR), about 6 km away — useful for medevac planning.
For the arriving crew
- Pilot ladder (SOLAS V/23) — rigging + inspection + Master's duty of care.
- Pre-arrival checklist — the standard bridge + engine + agent workflow before entering port.
- Ships' agent — role + documentation + interface with pilotage + tug + immigration.
- Currency at port — cash-carrying limits + declaration + safe practices.
- Hours of rest — STCW VIII/1 + MLC A2.3 rest rules during port operations.
Sources & verification (13)
- country_iso3 · ISO 3166-1 (SN)retrieved 2026-05-05
- country_name · ISO 3166-1 (SN)retrieved 2026-05-05
- currency_code · ISO 4217:2015 (XOF)retrieved 2026-05-05
- currency_name · ISO 4217:2015 (XOF)retrieved 2026-05-05
- languages · CIA World Factbook (public domain), national-language listing (SN)retrieved 2026-05-05
- timezone_iana · IANA tz database (Africa/Dakar)retrieved 2026-05-05
- timezone_utc_offset · ECMA-402 Intl.DateTimeFormat (computed) (Africa/Dakar)retrieved 2026-05-05
- timezone_dst · ECMA-402 Intl.DateTimeFormat (computed) (Africa/Dakar)retrieved 2026-05-05
- electricity · IEC TR 60083 plug-and-socket standard list (SN)retrieved 2026-05-05
- function_codes_expanded · UNECE Rec. 16 — UN/LOCODE function-code mask (1--45---)retrieved 2026-05-05
- nearest_major_airport · OurAirports (CC0) — davidmegginson.github.io/ourairports-data (DKR)retrieved 2026-05-07
- wikidata_qid · Wikidata SPARQL (P1937 UN/LOCODE join) (Q3718)retrieved 2026-05-07
- climate_classification · Kottek et al. 2006 / Beck et al. 2018 — country-coastal Köppen zone (SN)retrieved 2026-05-07
Last verified
High confidenceEditorial confidence: how we grade. Data sources and methodology: /sources.