GHANA SHIPPING (PROTECTION OF OFFSHORE OPERATIONS AND ASSETS) REGULATIONS, 2012 (L.I. 2010)

(1) The Minister may, by notice published in the Gazette (a) establish safety zones around an offshore installation to protect the installation either installed, or being installed on the sea bed within Ghana's maritime jurisdiction; (b) prescribe measures as the Minister considers necessary in the established safety zone for the protection of the offshore installation or device with respect to which the safety zone is established; and (c) regulate or prohibit the entry of a ship or any specified class of ships, vessels or persons into the safety zone. (2) An establishment of a safety zone under subregulation (1) may be made in anticipation of the arrival of an installation on station, so as to commence at the time of its arrival on station. (3) The area of a safety zone established under subregulation (1) with respect to any offshore installation permanently fixed to the sea floor shall have the co-ordinates of latitude and longitude defined in the Gazette and shall comprise an area extending to a distance of five hundred metres measured from each point of the outer edge of the installation. (4) The area of a safety zone established under subregulation (1) with respect to any floating offshore installation shall have the co-ordinates of latitude and longitude defined in the Gazette and shall comprise (a) the floating installation rotation zone; and (b) the annular, ring-shaped area next to the floating installation rotation zone (i) bounded on its inner edge by the outer edge of the floating installation rotation zone; and (ii) bounded on its outer edge by a line five hundred metres from the outer edge of the floating installation rotation zone. (5) In accordance with section 235 (1) of the Act the Director-General shall take appropriate steps to advise the seafaring community and the public of the safety zones established under this regulation through publication in the official charts, Notices to Mariners, navigational warnings and at least two state-owned national daily newspapers.

A ship, vessel or person shall not enter a safety zone notified in the Gazette in accordance with regulation 1 without the consent in writing of the Director-General, unless (a) it is engaged in constructing, repairing or servicing (i) the floating or fixed installation; (ii) a submarine pipeline connected or to be connected to the floating installation; (iii) facilities associated with the floating installation or the pipeline; or (b) it is a tanker authorised by the operator of the installation to enter the zone to load crude oil or other petroleum products.