30 Jun 2017 / Delaware Bay & River, United States of America
The U.S. Coast Guard, Sector Delaware Bay, has issued a memorandum giving guidance on notification and request procedures for vessels with a draft in excess of 40 feet project depth seeking to transit the Delaware Bay and River.
Vessel Eligibility Requirements
1. A draft waiver request must be forwarded to Pilots’ Association of the Bay and River Delaware and Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay by the vessel’s requesting agent no later than 96 hours prior to arrival at Cape Henlopen Pilot Station.
2. The Mariners Advisory Committee Chairman and/or President of the Pilots’ Association or their designees must review the transit plan and environmental conditions. Sector Delaware Bay Prevention Department personnel will review for Port State and inspection issues. All reviewers must agree to allow for a waiver. The assigned transit pilots will make the final passage viability decision.
3. To qualify for a maximum draft waiver, vessels must meet the following criteria:
(a) Maximum draft 41’00” freshwater
(b) Non-hazardous cargo
(c) Vessel size limitations:
- LOA: 230.00m / 754.63ft
- Beam: 32.31m / 106.00ft
- Draft: 12.50m /41.00ft
- Air Draft: 41.15m / 135.00ft
(d) Vessel shall be constructed to meet Annex I of MARPOL 73/78 Regulation 12A.6-8 and 11.8 Oil Fuel Tank Protection, as amended by Resolution MEPC141(54) for all ships for which the building contract is placed on or after 1 April 2009. Vessels must have inherent protection of bunker fuel tanks provided by MARPOL Regulations for vessels built after April 1, 2009.
(e) All required equipment must be in proper working order.
(f) Vessels with equipment requiring a Captain of the Port (COTP) Order shall anchor as directed until such issues are resolved and the COTP Order rescinded.
(g) Vessels with a history of Port State Control violations will not be granted a waiver.
(h) Vessels with a history of inspection violations will not be granted a waiver.
(i) Vessel must be able to make such speed as required to arrive at the Benjamin Franklin Bridge in eight hours from the Pilot Station at Cape Henlopen, Delaware.
The U.S. Coast Guard’s memorandum also outlines environmental requirements and details of the transit plans.
For further details and information about operations in the USA contact GAC USA at [email protected]
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