PROFESSIONAL MARINER MAGAZINE ARTICLE:
VTS ALLOWS SoCAL PORTS TO HANDLE GROWTH SAFELY
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The neighboring ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach compete fiercely for business, but when it comes to moving ships in and out of San Pedro Bay safely, the two are eager collaborators.
Either one by itself would be the largest container port in the United States. Considered as a single transportation complex, which the two really are, they form the third-largest container port in the world, exceeded only by Hong Kong and Singapore.
Big as these ports are, they are getting bigger fast, thanks largely to the rapid expansion of the Chinese economy. Los Angeles and Long Beach are far and away the biggest beneficiaries of that boom, handling two-thirds of the Pacific Rim cargo containers moving through U.S. ports.
In 1990 the container traffic through the twin Southern California ports amounted to about 1 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units). In 2003 the volume exceeded 11.8 million TEUs (4.6 million in Long Beach and 7.2 million in Los Angeles). Over the next decade that figure is expected to double again.
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| Vessel traffic in Los Angeles and Long Beach is monitored both by active duty Coast Guard personnel, such as Petty Officer First Class Sean Smith (above) and by employees of the Marine Exchange, including watch supervisor Ray Law (below). |
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How have the two ports been able to handle such tremendous growth, while safely managing the vessel traf-fic? A good part of the answer is to be found at Point Fermin in the San Pedro section of Los Angeles. Here, at the crest of the hill offering breathtaking views of the harbor, Santa Catalina Island and the Pacific beyond, sits a bunker-like structure that once commanded a Nike missile base. This building is home to the Marine Exchange of Southern California, operator of the Vessel Traffic System for the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. The Marine Exchange, in cooperation with the U.S. Coast Guard and the two pilot groups in the ports, has created an unusual and highly successful model for safely controlling the movement of ships in and out of the harbor.
“Everybody’s a competitor here in getting the customers and contracts,” said Capt. Richard B. McKenna, the Marine Exchange’s deputy executive director. But the VTS, he explained, is “the product of the harbor community” and an expression of “how we cooperate in terms of the big picture.”
The VTS is in a literal sense the creator of the big picture. Its computer hardware and software process radar data and other information sources to create a comprehensive picture of ship movements from 25 miles out on the Pacific right up to the docks.
Technology plays a big role in fulfilling this task. At the heart of the VTS is an advanced PC-based system — a VOC 5060 operator workstation by Norcontrol IT that was installed in January 2002.
The system allows the Marine Exchange to distribute this big picture in real time to the groups in the port that need it — notably the pilots, to help them do their job of bringing ships in and out of the port safely, and the Coast Guard, to help it fulfill its safety, regulatory, rescue and security roles.
The system also allows the Marine Exchange to record all the information processed by the system. In effect, the Marine Exchange is creating a history of what every ship is doing at any given moment. Clearly this kind of record can be a powerful tool for enforcement of regulations and investigations of accidents. It can also be invaluable as a training tool.
In December 2003, the VTS capability was enhanced by the introduction of AIS (automatic identification system) technology. A new AIS shore station supplied by Tideland Maritime Systems allows the VTS computers to collect automatically a variety of data on ship movements that previously was obtained through radio calls and radar contacts. Because the AIS data has been integrated into the VTS, all this information is immediately displayed on the Marine Exchange website and can be viewed in real time by users throughout the port on their PCs. For security
reasons, only those who have gained clearance from the Marine Exchange can view this part of the website.
While the technology is a defining element of the system, it is not what sets it apart. What makes it perhaps unique in the nation is the cooperative arrangement with the Coast Guard. In other ports with VTS, the Coast Guard operates the system. In Los Angeles/Long Beach, the Marine Exchange, a private nonprofit organization has primary responsibility for the system, under authority delegated by the Coast Guard. While the system is housed in the Marine Exchange’s building, the job of actually monitoring and assisting vessels is shared by employees of the Marine Exchange and active duty Coast Guard personnel.
Under most circumstances, the VTS personnel simply provide information to the crews of ships to help them navigate safely. They alert them to the whereabouts and movements of nearby vessels or of traffic conditions or weather, such as patches of fog. Or they might warn them if they seem to be headed into a hazardous situation. They also notify vessels that are exceeding the speed limit of 12 knots or failing to maintain the minimum separation distance of a quarter mile.
While the personnel operating the VTS don’t ordinarily give direct commands to vessels, they have the authority to do so. Because of the cooperative arrangement with the Coast Guard, the VTS acts as the “direct representative of the captain of the port,” McKenna said. “I think we have used that authority maybe five times in a quarter-million ship movements.”
The VTS’s Coast Guard connection has other serious implications for the officers in charge of ships calling in Long Beach or Los Angeles: Rule violations or operational problems observed by VTS are reported to the Coast Guard for possible enforcement action.
“We have a high degree of compliance with the 12 knot speed limit,” McKenna said. “We make sure that everybody observes the rules.”
McKenna tells the story of one irate captain who showed up at the Marine Exchange with his lawyer after he was accused of a speeding violation. He arrived with charts under his arm, prepared to contest the allegations.
McKenna took the two men to show them what the new Norcontrol equipment could do, including the replay of the ship movements under discussion. That record left no question about what had happened. According to McKenna, the lawyer turned to his client and said, “I think we ought to thank both these gentlemen and leave.”
Not every observed violation results in a fine or formal charge. Sometimes the Coast Guard sends out a “letter of concern” based on what the VTS observed. This is a warning that does not go on the deck officer’s official record but still has consequences since a copy is sent to the employer. “That was invented here,” said Capt. M.H.K. “Manny” Aschemeyer, the Marine Exchange’s executive director, of the letter of concern. “When a company gets it, that’s heavy duty.”
Perhaps the best measure of the success of the cooperative approach to VTS is the fact that the L.A./Long Beach model has survived. When the system was launched as a hybrid operation, many thought the arrangement would be temporary and that the Coast Guard would eventually run the whole show.
The system was created following the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska. In the aftermath, the state of California pushed hard for a system to prevent a similar disaster from occurring in one of its ports. But several years went by without the Coast Guard setting anything up in Southern California. Under mounting pressure from the state, the Coast Guard agreed to let the Marine Exchange lead the way.
“It was intended to be an interim setup,” McKenna said. “Washington looked on it as a threat for a while.”
There is a saying that few things are more permanent than the provisional. The Southern California VTS would seem to fall into that category. “We’re still a bit of an odd duck,” McKenna observed.
Odd duck or not, it seems to have a very loyal following in the two ports.
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| Traffic inside the breakwater is monitored by the two pilots' groups. Above, Capt. Michael R. Rubino, chief port pilot in Los Angeles, uses radar at his pilot station to assist a vessel through patchy fog. |
The two pilot groups in particular have embraced it and have become integral parts of the overall system. The Marine Exchange VTS tracks vessels within 25 miles of the port but outside the breakwater at the entrance to the harbor. Once vessels pass inside the breakwater, they become the responsibility of the pilot groups.
“This is a partnership. We’re joined at the hip,” Aschemeyer said.
Jacobsen Pilot Services Inc. provides pilots in the Port of Long Beach. Capt. Thomas A. Jacobsen, president of the group, agreed that cooperation within the two port communities has been the recipe for success. “Everyone works together quite well,” he said.
Each of the pilot groups is linked to the VTS system and uses that information to help the pilots operate safely. The Long Beach pilots have taken a leadership role in developing even further the technology available to move ships safely in and out of the port.
With financial help from the Port of Long Beach, the Jacobsen pilots have been working on a DGPS-based system called PilotMate. The system integrates GPS data, electronic charts and the dimensions of specific ships. The pilot brings a GPS aboard, and then positions it at a location that is programmed into the computer. Since the computer has also been programmed with the dimensions of the ship, it can display a chart featuring an icon that locates the precise position of the vessel relative to other charted features.
In practice this means that the pilot can look at the screen and see, for example, exactly where the ship is in relation to the dock or the edge of the channel.
“You can tell how far off the bow is, how far off the stern is with an accuracy of less than 10 feet,” said Capt. Grant Livingstone, one of the Jacobsen pilots who helped to develop the system and demonstrate its capabilities.
Clearly this has enormous implications for handling large ships in a port as busy as Long Beach. And the implications become greater as each generation of containership increases in size.
The very fate of ports will depend on their ability to accommodate ships well in excess of 1,000 feet in length. Sometimes ships have to be turned in basins that are barely bigger than the ship is long.
PilotMate gives the pilots a way of determining with great confidence the exact position of the ship, allowing them to operate safely and efficiently within much closer tolerances. It also allows them to operate more confidently in conditions of lower visibility.
“It is a phenomenal system,” Livingstone said. “It really changed our capability of safe movement.”
While Livingstone is proud of the role his group has played in demonstrating the capabilities of PilotMate, he is acutely aware of the dangers of reliance on technology at the expense of good judgment and ship handling.
“We do not want technology to displace seamanship skills,” he said. “PilotMate is not the way we make our navigation decisions. PilotMate just confirms the decision.”
Technology, seamanship, cooperation. Those are the elements that have allowed Los Angeles and Long Beach to handle the great surge in traffic that the two ports are enjoying.
Aschemeyer thinks there are lessons other ports could learn from the example set by the Marine Exchange and its partners in Los Angeles and Long Beach. “We can be considered a national model for what can be done with a private/public model,” he said. “We have a navigational flow that is seamless from 25 miles out all the way to the dock.”
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Marine Exchange & VTS for LA/LB Harbor
The LA/LB Harbor Safety Plan (HSP) contains operating procedures for vessels. All of the procedures are considered Good Marine Practice, but some are Regulations (either Local, State or Federal) while others are non-regulatory "Standards of Care". (Regulations are shown in bold.) These Vessel Operating Procedures have been extracted from the main text of the HSP in order to create a helpful "Quick Reference Guide" containing the most important information necessary for safe, reliable and environmentally sound vessel movements in and around the port area.
These Vessel Operating Procedures list only the basics; additional and more detailed information can be found in HSP Chapters addressing each topic. Port Tariffs also contain requirements for vessels operating in and around the port. Familiarization and compliance with the Harbor Safety Plan and the Port Tariff(s) are a must! An electronic copy of the HSP can be seen on the Coast Guard Marine Safety Office/Group LA/LB home page at http://www.uscg.mil/d11/MSOGRULALB. Nothing in these procedures precludes a master and/or pilot from taking necessary and prudent actions to avoid or mitigate unsafe conditions.
Topics Covered in this Quick Reference Guide: Page
Important General Information VOP 1
Vessel Traffic Service VOP 2-4
Vessel Speed Limits VOP 4
Tug Escort/Assist for Tank Vessels VOP 5-9
Underkeel Clearance VOP 10-11
Anchoring Procedures VOP 11
Communications VOP 12
Small (Recreational) Vessel Safety VOP 12
Reduced Visibility: Vessel Movement VOP 12-14
IMPORTANT GENERAL INFORMATION
Pilot Requirements:
Local Port Tariffs require vessels of greater than 300 gross tons to use a federally-licensed pilot whenever navigating inside the breakwater. In most circumstances, vessels employ the services of a federally-licensed local pilot from Jacobsen Pilot Service (for Port of Long Beach) or the Los Angeles Harbor Pilots (for the Port of Los Angeles). In instances where a local pilot is not used, masters must have a local federal pilot license and receive approval by the Coast Guard Captain of the Port (COTP) prior to entering or departing port.
Equipment Failures:
Vessels are required by law to report navigational equipment, propulsion, steering or other vital system failures as soon as possible to the Coast Guard via the COTP office or the Captain of the Port representative at VTS on channel 14. The COTP will require appropriate "equivalent levels of safety" provided by such things as:
1. Directing vessels to outside anchorage pending verification of repairs;
2. Proceed into port at safest slow speed with suitable tug escort/assist;
3. Second licensed navigation officer on the bridge for radar plotting, etc.
4. Sea Trials performed to the satisfaction of the Master, Pilot and the COTP.
VESSEL TRAFFIC SERVICE (Chapter XI)
Vessel traffic in the ports of and approaches to Los Angeles and Long Beach is managed by three entities:
1. Vessel Traffic Service - for the port approaches (25 nm from Pt Fermin to the Federal Breakwater)
2. Jacobsen Pilot Service - for the Port of Long Beach
3. Los Angeles Harbor Pilots - for the Port of Los Angeles
Vessel Traffic Service (VTS):
A VTS is in operation on the approaches to Los Angeles and Long Beach Harbors. Operated jointly by the U.S. Coast Guard and the Marine Exchange, the VTS provides information about commercial, other vessel traffic and navigation safety. Covered vessels are required to participate in the VTS. The following are considered "Covered Mandatory Full Participant" vessels:
1. Every power driven vessel of 40 meters (131 ft) or more in length, while navigating.
2. Commercial vessels 8 meters (26 ft) or more in length that are towing alongside, astern or by pushing ahead.
3. Every vessel certificated to carry 50 or more passengers for hire, while engaged in trade, under sail or power.
Following are considered "Mandatory Passive Participants":
Every power driven vessel 20 meters (65 ft) or more in length, every vessel 100 gross tons or more carrying one or more passengers for hire and every dredge or floating plant are required to monitor channel 14 VHF/FM when operating in the VTS area.
Notes of Interest:
1. The outer limit of the VTS AOR is defined by a 25 nm arc from Point Fermin (LAT 33 42.3'N, 118 17.6'W).
2. There is no speed restriction between the 25 mile arc and the Precautionary Area. However, ships are required to be at 12 kts or less upon entering the Precautionary Area.
3. A minimum vessel separation of 1/4 nm is required in the Precautionary Area.
4. Code of Federal Regulations, CFR 33, Part 165, Subsection 165.1152, identifies portions of the Precautionary Area as a Regulated Navigation Area.
Arriving Vessels Upon Entering the 25 Mile Outer Limit:
Call "San Pedro Traffic" on VHF/FM channel 14 and provide the following information:
1. Vessel Name/Call Sign.
2. Position, course and speed.
3. Vessel destination.
4. State whether or not taking a pilot.
5. Estimated time of arrival to the breakwater/anchorage.
6. Tank vessels report their displacement.
Contact Los Angeles Pilots on Channel 73 or Long Beach Pilots on Channel 12 to arrange pilot service.
Limit their speed to 12 kts or less upon entry to the Precautionary Area.
Upon Entering the Precautionary Area:
Call " San Pedro Traffic" and provide the following information:
1. Confirm vessel speed is 12 kts or less.
2. Confirm master is on the bridge.
3. Confirm vessel is in hand steering.
4. Maintain a minimum vessel separation of 1/4 nm.
Departing Vessels from Inside the Breakwater:
15 minutes prior to getting underway, contact Los Angeles pilots on Channel 73 or Long Beach Pilots on Channel 74 (depending on which harbor the vessel is in) to check into the traffic system. Provide vessel name, type, departure point, destination and intended route.
15 minutes prior to the breakwater entrance, call "San Pedro Traffic" on VHF/FM channel 14. Breakwater entrances include Los Angeles Gate (LA), Long Beach Gate (LB) and Anaheim Bay, (Naval Weapons Support Facility, Seal Beach). Provide the following:
1. Vessel Name/Call Sign.
2. Destination.
3. Acknowledge VTS traffic report.
4. Report departure from Precautionary Area to VTS.
5. If outbound, ETA to 25 nm from Point Fermin.
6. Report departure from VTS at 25 nm limit.
Maintain speed at 12 kts or less through Precautionary Area.
Sea Approaches - CAUTION
The Master's attention is directed to NOAA Chart nos. 18746 & 18749 or BA
1063 & 1082 regarding regulations for:
1. Passage of Los Angeles and Long Beach sea buoys.
2. Transit of Los Angeles and Long Beach Pilot Boarding areas.
3. Anchorage G, outside the breakwater.
VESSEL SPEED LIMITS
These speeds restrictions do not preclude the Master or Pilot from adjusting speeds to avoid or mitigate unsafe conditions. Weather, vessel maneuvering characteristics, traffic density, construction/dredging and other possible items should also be taken into account.
Tank Vessels:
Precautionary area (approach to port): …………………………………….. | 12.0 kts |
Within pilot operating areas and anywhere inside the breakwater (except where lower speed limits apply): |
| | 60,000 displacement tons or less:…………………….….……………. | 8.0 kts |
| | Greater than 60,000 displacement tons: …………………….………… | 6. kts |
| | |
Other than Tank Vessels: | |
Precautionary area (approach to port): …………………………………...… | 12.0 kts |
| | |
Long Beach (LB port tariff): | |
Within the Main Channel between the breakwater entrance and | |
| | light 6 ………………………………………………………………… | 10.0 kts |
Everywhere else in the harbor: ………………………………………………. | 6.0 kts |
| | |
Los Angeles (LA port tariff): | |
| | Outer Harbor (between breakwater and Reservation Point) if draft greater than 1.5 meters: ………………………………..…….. | 10.0 kts |
| | | |
West Channel, Fish Harbor, marinas, yacht anchorage ………………….... | 4.4 kts |
| | Everywhere else in the harbor…………………………………….… | 6.0 kts |
| |
|
TUG ESCORT/ASSIST FOR TANK VESSELS (Chapter XII)
Overview: "Tug Escort" refers to the stationing of tugs in proximity of a vessel as it transits into port to provide immediate assistance should a steering or propulsion failure develop. "Tug Assist" refers to the positioning of tugs alongside a vessel and applying force to assist in making turns, reducing speed, providing propulsion and docking. Additional assist tugs may be required inside the breakwater. Arrangements should be made via the vessel agent, tug company and appropriate pilot service. Outbound laden tank vessels are not required to use tugs once they have safely cleared the breakwater. All tank vessels shifting within the harbor(s) (including dock to anchor, anchor to anchor and dock to dock) shall comply with the escort requirements. Arrangements should be made via the vessel agent, tug company or appropriate pilot service to ensure compliance.
Tug Escort Applicability: All laden tank vessels (tankers or barges carrying as cargo a total volume of oil greater than or equal to 5,000 long tons of oil) entering the port should ensure proper implementation of the Displacement Ton/Tug Braking Force Table listed below. In addition, to meet the requirements of the Force Selection Matrix, tractor tugs shall be tethered, inbound and outbound. Conventional tugs may be tethered or untethered inbound, but shall be tethered outbound. Inbound, laden Oil and Chemical Tank Vessels shall not proceed closer than two nm from the Federal Breakwater entrance unless the prescribed escort tug(s) are in position at the southern boundary of the pilot operating areas. Masters shall also ensure that anchors are ready for letting go prior to entering the pilot operating areas. The tank vessel master/pilot shall hold a "pre-escort conference" that should at a minimum include:
1. contacting the escort tug operator to confirm the number and position of the escort tug(s); and
2. establishing the radio frequency to be used; and
3. establishing the destination of the tank vessel; and
4. discussing any other pertinent information that the master/pilot and escort tug operator deem necessary.
These standards reflect favorable circumstances and conditions. Adverse weather, unusual port/traffic congestion or other conditions/circumstances may require additional tugboat assistance.
Small Tank Barge Matrix
Total displacement tonnage of the tank barge and primary towing tug | Minimum required escort tug(s) static bollard pull in short tons |
| | |
A. =20,000 displacement tons | Tethered escort tug(s) | Untethered escort tugs |
| | 10 short tons | 15 short tons |
| | | |
B. >20,000 displacement tons | Tethered Escort Tug(s) |
| | A total astern static bollard pull (in pounds) equal to or greater than the sum of both the primary towing tugs and barges total displacement tonnage. (E.g., where the total towing tug and tank barge displacement is 25,000 displacement tons, the escort tug’s astern static bollard pull shall be at least 25,000 pounds or 12.5 short tons.) |
SECTION 851.27. FORCE SELECTION MATRIX
| | Tractor | Tugs | Conventional Tugs |
Tanker Displacement | Ahead Forces For Tugs Using Stern Line (VSP) Astern Forces For Tugs Using Headline (ASD) | 2ND Tug Ratio | Ahead Forces | 2ND Tug Ratio | Astern Forces |
Long Tons | Kips | Short Tons | Rt2 | Kips | Short Tons | Rc2 | Kips | Short Tons |
0 < 60,000 | 20 | 10 | 2.7 | 50 | 25 | 1.2 | 30 | 15 |
60,000 < 100,000 | 40 | 20 | 2.7 | 60 | 30 | 1.3 | 50 | 25 |
100,000 < 140,000 | 50 | 25 | 2.7 | 80 | 40 | 1.4 | 80 | 40 |
140,000 < 180,000 | 60 | 30 | 2.8 | 120 | 60 | 1.4 | 100 | 50 |
180,000 < 212,000 | 90 | 45 | 3.8 | 220 | 110 | 1.6 | 120 | 60 |
212,000 < 220,000 | 100 | 50 | 3.8 | 250 | 125 | 1.6 | 120 | 60 |
220,000 < 260,000 | 120 | 60 | 5.3 | 410 | 205 | 1.6 | 140 | 70 |
260,000 < 300,000 | 140 | 70 | 5.4 | 480 | 240 | 1.6 | 160 | 80 |
300,000 < 340,000 | 170 | 85 | 5.6 | 590 | 295 | 1.6 | 190 | 95 |
Tugs Employed in LA/LB
NOTE: For current Bollard Pull Test Results and Tugs Employed in LA/LB Harbor, go the this link:
Appendix C, Harbor Safety Plan
UNDERKEEL CLEARANCE (Chapter XIV)
Minimum clearances (between the deepest point on the vessel and the bottom in still water conditions) are established for these ports and depend upon transit/anchor location. On November 27, 1996 new Coast Guard underkeel clearance regulations for tank vessels without double hulls became effective (33 CFR 157.455). Though some provisions were delayed pending further comment, most of the regulations are in effect. The new regulations require in part, that the Master calculate the tankship's deepest navigational draft and the controlling depth of the intended transit and to discuss these issues with the pilot prior to any transit. Consideration of the following is required:
1. The tankship's mean draft
2. The tankship's trim and list characteristics
3. The intended transit speed and the corresponding squat characteristics
4. The tide and current conditions
5. Present sea state conditions
6. Past weather impact on water depth
7. The depth at the facility or anchorage and
8. The depth of the transit area
Port of Los Angeles
1. Between Los Angeles sea buoy and Los Angeles Main Channel Buoy #11, minimum underkeel clearance is 10 percent of vessel's draft.
2. In the channel between Los Angeles Main Channel Buoy #11and position off of designated berth, minimum underkeel clearance is 1.5 feet (.46 meters).
3. Final approach to berth, and while at berth, vessel to remain always afloat.
4. Anchorages inside breakwater minimum underkeel clearance is 1.5 feet (.46 meters).
Port of Long Beach
1. Between Long Beach sea buoy and Long Beach Channel Buoy #3, minimum underkeel clearance is 10 percent of vessel's draft (before roll and pitch correction)
2. In the channel between Long Beach Channel Buoy #3 and position off of designated berth, minimum underkeel clearance is:
a. Vessels 120,000 DWT and under: 1.5 feet (.46 meters).
b. Vessels over 120,000 DWT: 3 feet (.91 meters).
3. Final approach to berth, and while at berth, vessel to remain always afloat.
4. Anchorages inside breakwater, minimum underkeel clearance is:
a. All anchorages, except as noted below: 1.5 feet (.46 meters).
b. Anchorages B7 and B11 when vessel's draft is 50 feet (15.24 meters) or more: 4 feet (1.22 meters).
Shifts via outer harbor between Los Angeles and Long Beach, minimum keel clearance is 3 feet (.91 meters).
All tank vessels without double hulls will not enter the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles with less than 10% of the vessel’s deepest draft for underkeel clearance.
ANCHORING PROCEDURES (Chapter IV)
In addition to observing all port tariffs and U.S. Coast Guard regulations, the Master of any commercial vessel at anchor shall implement the following Standard of Care:
1. Maintain a 24-hour bridge watch by an English speaking licensed deck officer monitoring VHF-FM Channel 16.
2. Make frequent checks to assure vessel is not dragging anchor.
3. When winds exceed 40 knots, put the propulsion plant on standby ready to bring on line on short notice and make another anchor ready to let go. Accurate wind speed can be determined by contacting either VTS or the appropriate pilot station.
4. Provide 15-minute advance notice to the respective pilot station (inside anchorages) or to VTS (outside anchorages) before heaving anchor to get underway.
General Anchoring Guidelines OUTSIDE the federal breakwater:
1. All anchorages outside the federal breakwater will be managed and monitored by the Vessel Traffic Service (VTS).
2. Any vessel desiring to use one of these anchorages must advise their intentions to VTS on VHF-FM Channel 14 and receive clearance to do so from VTS.
3. VTS will not assign an anchorage to tankers or vessels exceeding 200 meters length overall (LOA) in the first row of anchorage sites closest to the breakwater (G-1 to G-4 and F-1 to F-4).
4. VTS will not provide shoreside radar direction during anchoring; however, ranges and bearings from either the Angel's Gate or Queen's Gate Light to the center of a particular anchorage site will be offered, if requested.
5. Tug assistance outside the federal breakwater is not required for anchoring.
General Anchoring Guidelines INSIDE the federal breakwater:
1. All anchorages inside the federal breakwater will be managed and monitored by the Long Beach and/or Los Angeles Pilot Station.
2. All vessels with a draft of 15.2 meters or greater must use a minimum of 1 tug to ensure proper placement of the anchor and chain, as well as to assist in turning the vessel at the anchorage site. Tank vessel masters shall refer to the tug escort/assist standards.
COMMUNICATIONS (Chapter VIII)
Operational communications in the LA/LB harbor area are conducted by marine VHF radio and commercial telephone from five principle nodes: VTS, LA Pilots, Long Beach Pilots, Port of Long Beach Security and the US Coast Guard Long Beach. All users are encouraged to minimize voice traffic on all channels, maintain circuit discipline and broadcast on "low power" whenever possible.
SMALL (RECREATIONAL) VESSEL SAFETY (Chapter X)
Recreational vessels should follow the below Standards of Care to ensure the safe operation of their craft while in and around the port. Recreational vessel operators should be sensitive to the fact that large commercial vessels are severely limited in their ability to stop or alter course and many times are limited in their ability to sight small vessels due to "blind spots" that extend more than 1/2 mile ahead, and therefore cannot easily avoid a collision with a smaller, more maneuverable recreational vessel.
1. Ensure Vessel is Safe Before Getting Underway
2. Ensure Vessel is Seaworthy
3. Keep Flares and Distress Calling Equipment Readily Accessible
4. Be Extra Careful in Fog – do not loiter near the breakwater entrances
5. Comply with Rules of the Road Rule 9 - small vessels remain clear of large vessels that must navigate within a narrow channel
6. Avoid Passing Larger Vessels Close Aboard
7. Pass Tugs with Caution
8. Know Where the Traffic Lanes and the Regulated Navigational Area are
9. Know How and When to Monitor VHF Channels 16, 14 and 13
10. Know Vessel's Position
11. Be an Informed Mariner:
- Know the Rules of the Road
- Read Coast Guard Notice to Mariners
- Monitor the Weather
- Listen to Channel 16 for Coast Guard Information Broadcasts
REDUCED VISIBILITY: STANDARDS OF CARE FOR VESSEL MOVEMENTS
1. Introduction:
Reduced visibility requires that all mariners apply extra vigilant attention. This section is intended to provide clear guidance to mariners as to what is expected of them when navigating in reduced visibility in the area covered by the HSP. Nothing in this section shall be construed to require the Master of a vessel to commence a transit in reduced visibility, nor does this section replace compliance with COLREGS. It is recognized however, that under certain circumstances, vessels may safely transit in reduced visibility provided that equivalent safety levels are employed. This section defines reduced visibility, provides guidance for use in determining whether or not to commence a vessel transit and outlines minimum equivalent levels of safety to be used when transiting in reduced visibility.
2. Definitions of Reduced Visibility
a. Tankers greater than 150,000 DWT: 1 nautical mile
b. Tankers greater than 60,000 DWT: .75 nautical mile
c. All other vessels 45’ draft or more: .75 nautical mile
d. All other tankers and petroleum barges: .5 nautical mile
e. All other vessels: 3 times vessel’s LOA
3. General Guidelines
a. A vessel should not initiate an inbound transit if the area in the vicinity of the destined berth is experiencing reduced visibility.
b. A vessel should not initiate an outbound transit if the area in the vicinity of the berth is experiencing reduced visibility.
c. An intra / inter – harbor shift is considered to combine two parts, as in 3a and 3b above.
d. Whenever visibility inside the federal breakwater is less than .5 mile, the respective Vessel Traffic Center (VTC) will impose one-way traffic where appropriate.
e. When reduced visibility is encountered after commencing a transit, all precautions should be taken to minimize the risk of collision. These precautions include but are not limited to anchoring, reducing speed, enlisting shore-based radar support and securing a tug escort.
4. Application of Equivalent Safety Levels:
Whenever a vessel’s master intends to commence a vessel transit in reduced visibility, at a minimum, the following equivalent safety levels should be adhered with:
a. Vessels 1600 GT or greater, operating inside the federal breakwater are under the control of a USCG licensed pilot with the appropriate endorsement for the vessel and area of operation.
b. Vessels 1600 GT or greater has a shore based radar immediately available to assist the vessel.
c. A positive evaluation shall be made by the master and pilot (if employed) of the maneuvering characteristics of the vessel, the quality of the vessel’s radar and navigation systems, the availability of carry-on enhanced navigational tools such as the ARINC “Pilot Mate” and Marimetech “E-Sea Fix System”, the vessel’s size and draft in relation to the area to be transited, quality of the vessel’s bridge team and special circumstances to be encountered (e.g. dredging projects, obstructions).
5. COTP Notification of intention to move in restricted visibility:
Vessels 1600 GT or greater, that intend to commence a vessel transit in reduced visibility without complying with item 4 in this section, shall make the following broadcast to the VTS on VHF Channel 14 at least 15 minutes prior to getting underway:
“Vessel name/call sign, making our reduced visibility COTP notification that we intend to transit from vessel location to intended destination as per guidance within the Harbor Safety Plan. A safety broadcast will be made on Channel 13 and we will coordinate our movement with the appropriate Vessel Traffic Center.”
6. Applicability:
The standards of care contained in this section apply to all vessels covered under the Los Angeles – Long Beach Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) User Manual.