Albania - Profile

Hi Greg, it's a well traversed passage between Corfu and Albania and authorities are very tolerant if you stray inside the 12 mile limit.
You may be approached by an Italian coastguard vessel when nearing the coast, as they patrol this area of the sea. If close to Albanian territorial waters, Channel 11 should be monitored as it is the working channel used by the Albanian Coast Guard.
We have had reports from cruisers who have had to anchor overnight (for various reasons) in bays in Albania on that passage, and other than having their papers checked by the authorities, were left alone as long as they didn't go ashore (of course experiences vary and others have been made to check in at the closest port of entry).
Get familiar with the entry procedures for Albania here on noonsite before doing the passage should you need to stop for any reason. Most ports require you use an agent so do your homework in advance and you shouldn't have any problems.

we are sailing past Albania from Montenegro to Corfu. Are there any issues sailing inside the 12nm limit when approaching the south of Albania with no intention of stopping? Cheers

We spent few days in Saranda, well sheltered...as long as the Wind is not South. We rented a car and visited the country, beautifull !
Saranda Tour (Jelja and husband Gasmend wre very helpfull and nice, they even brought cake to the boat !)
As you need an agent when getting in a port in Albania, I recomend them !

We just left Saranda, and have only the highest praise for Jelja of Saranda Summer Tours. Formalities were handled quickly and flawlessly. We rented a car from them, and valued Jelja's and her husband's advice on travel and restaurants. People in Saranda were friendly, the town is clean, pleasant and seemed very safe.
The only negative thing was the surge in the harbour, mainly a problem because we were alongside a sharp-cornered concrete dock. I would advise checking in while docked and then anchoring in the harbour. The surge wouldn't be an issue at anchor, but it was unpleasant next to a rough concrete dock.
All in all though, a very pleasant and economical experience.

I am a sailor from Italy. I have heard about Albania very often from my friends who had been there and I was really curious to visit it.
So, we left Bari on 10 April 2016 and sailed to Corfu where we stayed for 2 nights. We had been there a couple of times before that's why our visit was short.
After that we decided to stop in Saranda, which is the closest port to Corfu. We got contact with an agent there. Her name is Jelja Serani and she promised she would arrange everything for us. Jelja and her staff were waiting for us on the dock. They helped us to moor and prepared paperwork. They also gave us a map of the town marked with all the interesting sites and good traditional restaurants of the town. We were surprised when they offered us a delicious local dish on the boat.
The next day we visited the Roman ruins and the Blue Eye.
In the evening Jelja took us to a very nice restaurant outside the town named "Karahaxh" where we ate paidaqe. After two days we left Saranda with the best impressions and a promise to come back again.

Sarande to Vlore: Port of Refuge
Posted on behalf of Tony Olin

Port of Palermo: We came in here in a thunder storm on passage to Vlore. It's an old military disused port. We dropped anchor off the old submarine penn to the north of the port, but were chased off by armed soldiers to the other side of the port where we took up a mooring bouy in 5 meters that held us overnight in up to 35 kts of wind. This is an ideal port of refuge along this coast, no need of an agent if you don't go ashore, although I did the next morning and was invited for Albanian coffee by a couple of local fishermen who were glad of the visit.

Albania has custom rule regarding foreign flagged boats. Stay less than 6 months inside the country or you will have to pay custom duty, abt 22% of value of boat.

Himare is for time of writing no port of entry.

We visited Vlore June, 2015. I contacted Sail Albania (www.sail-albania.com) and rec dived an immediate response from Orion, one of the two sailors listed on the website. He met me the next day at the dock in Vlore and handled all paperwork for our US flagged yacht. He was very kind and courteous. We then spent the night at Marina Orikum. Again, we were met with kind service. The facilities are very nice. We had a fine dinner at a nearby seaside restaurant. We will return on any trips North in the Adriatic. Note that we were also contacted by Captain Irene Cop, from the same website to make sure we had been contacted and were being taken care of. Orion's mobile is 355 69 7710739, and Captain Cop's mobile is 355 69 7324138, and, again, the website is sail-albania.com.

A very professional and helpful port agent in Saranda is Jelja Serani, from Saranda Summer Tours. She will give you all the necessary information and advice on sailing to Albania. She can also organize sightseeing tours. Find important nautical information on her website
www.sarandasummertours.com

Visited Vlores Sept 2013 direct from Greece and wasn't allowed to go direct to Orikum. Agent Nino cost Euro55. Only stayed couple of hours at Vlores moored alongside tug boat-boat continually beset by youths begging so didn't feel secure to leave boat for any length of time.
Anchored north of Cape Porto Nuovo. Very sheltered from Southerly winds for shallow draught- 1 metre ish.
Durres much better. Agent Beni. 00355 672082061 very helpful- cost Euro50 plus Euro 10 per night. Quay very secure but can be covered in coal dust/ grain.Harbourmaster and dock staff very helpful. Needed new rudder made EXCELLENT SERVICE from Henkel +355 665680386. (was difficult to track down any repair facility in Durres) Made new rudder wood and GRP within 48 hours for less than Euro 200. Was very professional from small repairs to whole boat moulding- workshop 10 minute drive from Durres on Tirana dual carriageway- difficult to find.