Permission requested to enter Harbour of Figueira da Foz

Following the normal procedures, today (27-08-04)Women on Waves officially requested authorization to enter the harbour of Figueira da Foz. Within the European Union the request for authorization is only a formality.

Usually, the captain of the ship calls the harbour to ask for permission to enter, when the ship arrives to national waters, and the answer is given immediately.
The Women on Waves ship is called Borndiep and is officialy registered as a commercial vessel under the Dutch Shipping Inspectorate. Before leaving the Netherlands, the ship has been inspected by the Dutch authorities and has been given permission to leave. The ship Borndiep is complying with all the international regulations and has all the paperwork in order.
Women on Waves has sailed before to Ireland and Poland and the ship has never been refused authorization to enter an harbour. According to national and international regulations and agreements all commercial vessels are intitled to free passage and entry of harbours.
The ship is now more or less two hundred miles from La Coruña. We expect an answer from the harbour authorities by tomorrow and we antecipate that they will respect the international and national regulations.