Most crew joining or leaving vessels off Limbe fly through Douala International Airport. The road to Limbe is short on the map but timing matters, especially when a launch boat and a weather window are involved. Here is how we plan a crew change.
Arrival at Douala
A driver meets joining crew at Douala International Airport (DLA) with a name board. Immigration formalities and any letters of guarantee are handled through the vessel's appointed agent, so confirm visa requirements for each nationality well before travel.
Road transfer to Limbe
Limbe is about 70 km from Douala. Allow two to three hours by road depending on traffic around Douala and the time of day. Late-evening arrivals usually stay in Douala or travel straight to a hotel in Limbe and board the next morning.
Hotel: Seme Beach Hotel
When boarding is not the same day, crew stay at our partner hotel, Seme Beach Hotel, on the beach at Mile 11 on the Limbe–Idenau road and close to our launch-boat pick-up. Meals and a local SIM card can be included. Crew are collected from the hotel at an agreed time for the boat run.
Launch boat to the vessel
Crew board our launch boat at the shore with life jackets for every passenger. Morning runs are usually calmer; if the sea state is unsafe, we hold the transfer and update the master and agent with a new time. Luggage is kept dry and counted on and off.
Sign-off crew
The process runs in reverse: launch boat to shore, hotel if needed, and transfer to Douala timed to the flight with a safe margin. We share driver details and live updates with the agent.
What we need from the agent
- Crew list with names and nationalities
- Flight numbers and arrival or departure times
- Vessel name, position and boarding window
- Hotel nights required and billing entity
Tip: combine the crew change with a provisions or spares delivery on the same boat run to save time and cost.
Vessel arriving off Limbe?
Send your ETA and list. We reply with a firm price, usually within two hours.