Here is an interesting excerpt from the LA/LB Harbor Safety Plan update. It is applicable to tankers, but it raises a good question about whether the Baltimore cargo ship had "fully redundant steering and propulsion systems":
"The provision will exempt from tug escort requirements tankers with both fully redundant steering and propulsion systems, in additions to double hulls (as defined in 33 CFR 157.03)."
Copy that. I was going to add the following text to the above post, but I'll put it below instead.
Quick excerpt: The Tug Escort Subcommittee (TES) comprehensively assessed the risk associated with inbound laden tankers approaching and moving through LA/LB breakwater openings. The subcommittee found that the risk of steering failure or power loss justified implementing a tug escort scheme outside the breakwater. In order to develop an appropriate, practical and technically sound scheme, tug capabilities must match tank vessel size, speed and type of casualty.
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BTW, I am not a marine or bridge expert of any kind, just an EE with a lot of RF plus embedded uP experience plus an active ham across a full spectrum of frequencies.
Well, there is this example where tugs are required: (I hope you don't mind a longish post, and this info refers specifically to the LA/LB area)
TUG ESCORT/ASSIST FOR TANK VESSELS (Chapter XII)
Overview: "Tug Escort" refers to stationing tugs in proximity to a vessel during port transits to provide immediate assistance should a steering or propulsion failure occur. "Tug Assist" refers to positioning tugs alongside a vessel and applying force to assist making turns, reducing speed, providing propulsion and docking.
Tug Escort Applicability: State regulations require escort tug(s) to meet inbound, laden tank vessels (carrying 5,000 or more metric tons of oil in bulk as cargo) at the seaward limit of the applicable Tank Vessel Escort Zone. Also, all tank vessels shifting within the harbor(s) (including dock to anchor, anchor to anchor and dock to dock) must comply with the escort requirements. Assist tugs, in addition to the prescribed escort tugs, may be required during port transits. Outbound laden tank vessels are not required to use escort tugs once they have safely cleared the breakwater. Arrangements should be made via the vessel agent, tug company,or appropriate pilot service to ensure compliance with these regulations.
These docs specifically apply to the LA (Los Angeles) and LB (Long Beach) port areas, and reference various state and perhaps local and federal regulations, said regs don't blanket apply to every port in the US however.
Incredible irony: the US Coast Guard on march 13, 2024 proposed a Baltimore Inner Harbor Safet rule for just one day - the objective of the rule was:
"The Coast Guard is proposing to establish a safety zone from 8 a.m. on June 12, 2024, through 6 p.m. on June 18, 2024. The zone would be intended to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment in these navigable waters before, during, and after the air and rescue swimmer demonstrations. No vessel or person would be permitted to enter the safety zone without obtaining permission from the COTP or a designated representative. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking."
Like an FAA issued "TFR" (Temporary Flight Restriction) - our TeeVee chopper pilots get on a scene here in our Metroplex, then the FAA shoos them out with a TFR limiting how close they can get ...
This subchapter sets forth tank vessel escort requirements for the San Francisco, San Pablo and Suisun Bays. These requirements specify that tank vessels carrying 5,000 or more long tons of oil in bulk as cargo shall be escorted by a suitable escort tug or tugs. The escort tugs will be available, and shall respond as needed to influence the speed and direction of travel of the tank vessel in the event of a casualty, or steering or propulsion failure, thereby reducing the possibility of groundings or collisions and the risk of oil spills from these tank vessels.
"851.2 Purpose and Scope" This subchapter sets forth tank vessel escort requirements for the San Francisco, San Pablo and Suisun Bays. These requirements specify that tank vessels carrying 5,000 or more long tons of oil in bulk as cargo shall be escorted by a suitable escort tug or tugs. The escort tugs will be available, and shall respond as needed to influence the speed and direction of travel of the tank vessel in the event of a casualty, or steering or propulsion failure, thereby reducing the possibility of groundings or collisions and the risk of oil spills from these tank vessels.
Backgrounder: "Tugboats, Mega-Ships and the Container Port"
Excerpt: Escort Tugs, which provide immediate assistance to giant container vessels are an essential part of port operations and will typically be placed behind a vessel and be attached to a towing line. Pilots guide the tug and monitor when to pull a ship at a certain angle. When a ship is not being ‘tugged’, the towing line will remain slack.
Assist Tugs may also be required during port transits and are essential for positioning tugs alongside a vessel, applying force to assist the making of turns, reducing speed, providing propulsion and docking.
The operations department at the Port of Montreal outlined for PTI how tugs are utilised: “Tug boats are necessary for assisting mega-ships in ports while docking and undocking. Depending on many factors, the required tug boat bollard pull and the number of tug boats used will vary.
“The main objectives for [a] tug assist is to induce gyration movement, control speed and counter a vessel’s inertial mass without a vessel’s main propeller whilst at the berth to protect hull and berth integrity
Also maybe of interest: History of HSC Tug Escort Guideline And Regulation Development (Appendix C.3)
https://mxsocal.org/assets/pdf/hsp/32-lalb-hsp-appendix-c-3-2021.pdf
Here is an interesting excerpt from the LA/LB Harbor Safety Plan update. It is applicable to tankers, but it raises a good question about whether the Baltimore cargo ship had "fully redundant steering and propulsion systems":
"The provision will exempt from tug escort requirements tankers with both fully redundant steering and propulsion systems, in additions to double hulls (as defined in 33 CFR 157.03)."
Thank you very much for that link - exactly what I was looking for
Copy that. I was going to add the following text to the above post, but I'll put it below instead.
Quick excerpt: The Tug Escort Subcommittee (TES) comprehensively assessed the risk associated with inbound laden tankers approaching and moving through LA/LB breakwater openings. The subcommittee found that the risk of steering failure or power loss justified implementing a tug escort scheme outside the breakwater. In order to develop an appropriate, practical and technically sound scheme, tug capabilities must match tank vessel size, speed and type of casualty.
---------------
BTW, I am not a marine or bridge expert of any kind, just an EE with a lot of RF plus embedded uP experience plus an active ham across a full spectrum of frequencies.
I read that paragraph and just sent it to reporter friends I know. Huger story here.
Ya - I see it developing.
Well, there is this example where tugs are required: (I hope you don't mind a longish post, and this info refers specifically to the LA/LB area)
TUG ESCORT/ASSIST FOR TANK VESSELS (Chapter XII)
Overview: "Tug Escort" refers to stationing tugs in proximity to a vessel during port transits to provide immediate assistance should a steering or propulsion failure occur. "Tug Assist" refers to positioning tugs alongside a vessel and applying force to assist making turns, reducing speed, providing propulsion and docking.
Tug Escort Applicability: State regulations require escort tug(s) to meet inbound, laden tank vessels (carrying 5,000 or more metric tons of oil in bulk as cargo) at the seaward limit of the applicable Tank Vessel Escort Zone. Also, all tank vessels shifting within the harbor(s) (including dock to anchor, anchor to anchor and dock to dock) must comply with the escort requirements. Assist tugs, in addition to the prescribed escort tugs, may be required during port transits. Outbound laden tank vessels are not required to use escort tugs once they have safely cleared the breakwater. Arrangements should be made via the vessel agent, tug company,or appropriate pilot service to ensure compliance with these regulations.
Excerpted from: https://mxsocal.org/assets/pdf/hsp/09-lalb-hsp-vop_2017.pdf
See also: https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/publications/coast-pilot/files/cp7/CPB7_WEB.pdf
N I don't mind at all. Great comment and helpful Questions:
1) Who adopted and where are these regulations applicable?
2) Were they applicable in Baltimore and other US ports?
3) I noted this:
" Outbound laden tank vessels are not required to use escort tugs once they have safely cleared the breakwater."
Where is the "breakwater" in a port? Where was it in Baltimore? Why is that the limit? Was this cargo ship a "tank vessel"?
h
These docs specifically apply to the LA (Los Angeles) and LB (Long Beach) port areas, and reference various state and perhaps local and federal regulations, said regs don't blanket apply to every port in the US however.
Using this page, the various port authorities regs (applicable to boat pilots/piloting I assume) around the US can be found: https://nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/publications/coast-pilot/index.html
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Again, not a marine specialist, just a EE who likes to research diverse subjects.
Here are the applicable Harbor Safety requirements for Baltimore: reading them now:
Channel Safety: POB Harbor Safety and Coordination Committee
https://mpa.maryland.gov/greenport/Pages/channelSafety.aspx
Thank you - extremely helpful.
Incredible irony: the US Coast Guard on march 13, 2024 proposed a Baltimore Inner Harbor Safet rule for just one day - the objective of the rule was:
"The Coast Guard is proposing to establish a safety zone from 8 a.m. on June 12, 2024, through 6 p.m. on June 18, 2024. The zone would be intended to protect personnel, vessels, and the marine environment in these navigable waters before, during, and after the air and rescue swimmer demonstrations. No vessel or person would be permitted to enter the safety zone without obtaining permission from the COTP or a designated representative. We invite your comments on this proposed rulemaking."
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/03/13/2024-05339/safety-zone-inner-harbor-baltimore-md
They protect their own!
Like an FAA issued "TFR" (Temporary Flight Restriction) - our TeeVee chopper pilots get on a scene here in our Metroplex, then the FAA shoos them out with a TFR limiting how close they can get ...
San Francisco Bay area tug escorts - https://www.sfmx.org/information/escort-program/
Escort Program 851.2 – Purpose and Scope
This subchapter sets forth tank vessel escort requirements for the San Francisco, San Pablo and Suisun Bays. These requirements specify that tank vessels carrying 5,000 or more long tons of oil in bulk as cargo shall be escorted by a suitable escort tug or tugs. The escort tugs will be available, and shall respond as needed to influence the speed and direction of travel of the tank vessel in the event of a casualty, or steering or propulsion failure, thereby reducing the possibility of groundings or collisions and the risk of oil spills from these tank vessels.
Addenda: https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/FileHandler.ashx?DocumentID=22000&inline
"851.2 Purpose and Scope" This subchapter sets forth tank vessel escort requirements for the San Francisco, San Pablo and Suisun Bays. These requirements specify that tank vessels carrying 5,000 or more long tons of oil in bulk as cargo shall be escorted by a suitable escort tug or tugs. The escort tugs will be available, and shall respond as needed to influence the speed and direction of travel of the tank vessel in the event of a casualty, or steering or propulsion failure, thereby reducing the possibility of groundings or collisions and the risk of oil spills from these tank vessels.
Backgrounder: "Tugboats, Mega-Ships and the Container Port"
Excerpt: Escort Tugs, which provide immediate assistance to giant container vessels are an essential part of port operations and will typically be placed behind a vessel and be attached to a towing line. Pilots guide the tug and monitor when to pull a ship at a certain angle. When a ship is not being ‘tugged’, the towing line will remain slack.
Assist Tugs may also be required during port transits and are essential for positioning tugs alongside a vessel, applying force to assist the making of turns, reducing speed, providing propulsion and docking.
The operations department at the Port of Montreal outlined for PTI how tugs are utilised: “Tug boats are necessary for assisting mega-ships in ports while docking and undocking. Depending on many factors, the required tug boat bollard pull and the number of tug boats used will vary.
“The main objectives for [a] tug assist is to induce gyration movement, control speed and counter a vessel’s inertial mass without a vessel’s main propeller whilst at the berth to protect hull and berth integrity
More: https://www.porttechnology.org/news/tugboats_mega_ships_and_the_container_port/