WesternAlaskaAlternativePlanningCriteriaforTankers

WAKAPCT
OperatingProceduresforOilTankersTransitingandOperating
InWesternAlaskaWaters
August13,2014

TheAlternativePlanningCriteria(APC)OperatingProceduresweredevelopedtomitigatethe
riskofmaritimeincidentsthatresultinoilspills.Thisdocumentoutlinesriskmitigation
measuresaMasterorCaptainofOilTankers shalladheretowhentransitingAlaskawaters
wherethisAPCapplies.CompliancewiththeseOperatingProceduresonallvoyagesinAlaska
waterswherethisAPCappliesisaconditionofparticipatingintheNetworksAPC.Nothingin
theOperatingProceduresisintendedtocontrolorlimittheultimateauthorityofthemasteror
captainofanoiltankerinthesafenavigationofhisorhervesselorconstraintheauthorityof
theCoastGuardCaptainofthePortwherethisAPCapplies.

TheseOperatingProceduresapplytotheabovereferencedoiltankersoperatinginWestern
AlaskawatersoutsideofCookInletintheCoastGuardCaptainofthePortWesternAlaskazone
thatextendstotheseawardboundariesoftheU.S.EEZ(ExclusiveEconomicZoneupto200
milesoffshore).

Animportantcomponentoftheenhancedenvironmentalprotectionandresponsecapabilities
providedbythisAPCistheMaritimeDomainAwarenessandEngagementwithvesselsenrolled
intheNetwork.Accordingly,allvesselsenrolledintheNetworkshallbeequippedwithan
operableAIS(AutomaticIdentificationSystem)transceiverthatproperlytransmitsinformation
onthevesselsoperationalandnavigationstatus.

TheAlaskaMaritimePreventionandResponseNetwork(Network)maintainsa7x24watchand
thatusesanetworkofterrestrialandsatelliteAutomaticIdentificationSystem(AIS)receiversto
monitorcompliancewiththeseoperatingprocedures.Whennoncomplianceisdetectedthe
NetworkMonitoringCenterwillcontactthemaster,owner/operatorandCoastGuardofthe
situationasagreedtointheowner/operatorNetworkMembershipapplication.

1. Documents:TheMastershallhaveacopyoftheCoastGuardAKAPCTapprovalletter
andtherelevantOperatingProceduresonboardpriortooperatinginAlaskawaters

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wherethisAPCapplies.

2. AutomaticIdentificationSystem(AIS):ThemastershallensurethevesselsAISis
transmittingaccurateinformation,includingthevesselstype,dimensionsand
destination.Additionally,theAISshalltransmitproperinformationregardingthe
vesselsoperation.NotUnderCommandshallnotbetransmittedunlessavesselhas
encounteredextraordinarycircumstancesthatinterferewiththesafenavigationof
thevesselaspertheInternationalRulesoftheRoad.TheNetworkwillcontacttheship
whenAIStransmissionsofNotUnderCommandarebroadcasttodeterminethe
natureoftheproblemthevesselisexperiencing.

3. ReportingofHazardousCondition:TheMastershallnotifytheNetworkandthe
appropriateCoastGuardCaptainofthePortofanyhazardouscondition,mechanicalor
structuralfailures,reducedpropulsionduetomechanicaldeficienciesorneedto
conductservicingorrepairswhileunderwaythataffectpropulsion,orothervessel
casualtiesincurredwhileoperatingwithintheU.S.EEZ(200miles)inWesternAlaska.
Thenotificationshallbemadewithinonehourofoccurrenceandthemasterofthe
vesselwillensurehourlyupdatesandpositionreportsareprovidedtotheCaptainofthe
PortandtheNetworkuntilthesituationisresolvedtothesatisfactionoftheCoast
Guard.AHazardousConditionasdefinedin33CFR160.204whichincludesbutisnot
limitedtoanyconditionthatmayadverselyaffectthesafetyandseaworthinessofany
vessel,bridge,structure,orshoreareaortheenvironmentalqualityofanyport,harbor,
ornavigablewaterwayoftheUnitedStates.Itmay,butneednot,involvecollision,
allision,fire,explosion,grounding,leaking,damage,injuryorillnessofapersonaboard,
ormanningshortage.

4. NotificationofQI:ConsistentwiththeproceduresfornotifyingtheQI(Qualified
Individual)intheapprovedVesselResponsePlan,theNetworkwillprovideassistancein
contactingtheQIshouldanincidentresultinginorpresentingathreatofoilpollutionat
therequestofthemasterofthevesseloroperator.

5. RoutingMeasuresforVessels:Offshoreroutingisonemeansofreducingtheriskof
marinecasualties.Distanceoffshoreprovidesmoretimeforrepairstobeeffectedby
thevesselscrewifahazardousconditiondevelops,providestimetorespondto
navigationalerrorsandtimeforanassistvesseltoarriveonscenebeforeavessel
grounds.VesselsenrolledintheAPCshallcomplywiththeroutingmeasuresoutlined
belowonallvoyages,evenwhenonInnocentPassage,unlessthemasterdetermines
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thatduetoweatherorotherfactorsitisunsafetodoso.Intheseinstancesnoticeof
deviationshallbemadeasaddressedinsection8below.
a. AleutianIslands:

I.
NorthernRoutesbetweenAttuandUnimakPass:Exceptwhen
proceedingtoandfromanAlaskanportorplace,orcrossingtheAleutian
Islandsthroughanauthorizedpass,thevesselshallmaintainadistanceof
aminimumof75milesoffshore.AuthorizedpassesareUnimakPass,
AmutkaPass,AmchitkaPassandthepassbetweenBuldirIslandand
AgattuIsland.Whenavesselisproceedingthroughoneofthesefour
approvedpasses,thevesselshallmaintainadistanceof12milesormore
offshore.Adistanceof12milesshallbemaintainedoffAttuIslandwhen
approachingordepartingtheAleutianIslandsChain.

II.
AreaToBeAvoided(ATBA):Vesselsshallensuretheydonotpasscloser
than12milesfromBogoslofIsland,locatedapproximately20milesnorth
ofUmnakIsland(53.56N168.02W)

III.
AleutianIslandsSouthernRoutesbetweenAttuandUnimakPass:
Maintainadistanceofaminimumof75milesoffshoreexceptwhen
makingWesternAlaskaportcallsortoalighteringareainwhichcasethis
routeshouldonlybemodifiedtosafelynavigatetoandfromtheportor
lighteringarea.
b. WesternAlaskaNorthoftheAleutianIslands(BeringSea,ChukchiSeaand
BeaufortSea):Withexceptionofvesselsmakingportcallsorproceedingto
lighteringareas,transitingvesselsshallsailonaroutethatensuresadistanceof
minimumof12milesoffshoreismaintainedwithexceptionoftheBeringStrait,
whereadistanceof3milesoffshoreshallbemaintained.WhenmakingWestern
Alaskaportcallsorproceedingtoandfromlighteringareasreviewedbythe
COTPWesternAlaska,variancesfromthereducedriskroutemaybemodifiedto
safelynavigatetoandfromtheportorlighteringarea.

c. GulfofAlaska:ForGulfofAlaskawaterseastofUnimakPasstransitingvessels
shallsailonaroutethatensuresadistanceofminimumof12milesoffshoreis
maintainedexceptforvesselsintheprocessofenteringordepartingaportor
place.

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6. TransitsinWaterswithIceConditions:ThevesselsMastershallevaluateweatherand
iceconditionspriortoenteringWesternAlaskawatersandificemaybeencountered,
shallensurethevesselshullissuitableforoperatingintheprojectediceconditionsand
thefollowingguidelinesadheredtowheniceisencountered.

a. Ensuretheproperoperationofallvesselmachineryiniceimpactedwatersand
whenambientairtemperaturesto40degreesF.Thisincludesbutisnotlimited
toemergencyfirepumps,generatorsandmooringwinches.

b. Ensureanadequatevesseldraftismaintainedtokeepthevesselsseasuction
andpropellerwellbelowtheicetopreventicefromslidingunderthevessel.

c. Unlessthevesselisdesignedtobreakice,thevesselshouldnotforceiceatany
time.ForcingIceisdefinedasmakingwaythroughicethatissubstantial
enoughtosignificantlyslowthespeedofthevessel,orwhenthevesselslowsto
50%orlessofthespeedmadebeforeenteringtheice.Ifthemaster,pilotor
bothbelievethevesselisforcingice,themastershallabortthetransitand
navigatetosaferwatersuntilmorefavorableconditionsarepresent.

d. EnsurecompliancewithanyIceRulesapplicabletoparticularareaswhen
issuedandeffectivebyCaptainofthePort,WesternAlaska.

7. FuelSwitchingProcedures:ThevesselshallcomplywithCoastGuardMarineSafety
AlertMSA0309thataddressedprecautionstobeundertakenwhenswitching
propulsionfuelsandprescribesfuelswitchingbecompletedoutsideof12miles
offshore.

8. TimelyNoticeofHazardousSituationand/orReducedPropulsion:TheMastershall
notifytheCoastGuardofanyhazardouscondition,mechanicalorstructuralfailures,
reducedpropulsionduetomechanicaldeficienciesorneedtoconductservicingor
repairswhileunderwaythataffectpropulsion,orothervesselcasualtiesincurredwhile
operatingwithin200milesofAlaskasshores.Thenotificationshallbemadewithinone
hourofoccurrenceandthemasterofthevesselwillensurehourlyupdatesandposition
reportsareprovidedtotheCaptainofthePortuntilthesituationisresolvedtothe
satisfactionoftheCoastGuard.AHazardousConditionasdefinedin33CFR160.204
whichincludesbutisnotlimitedtoanyconditionthatmayadverselyaffectthesafety
andseaworthinessofanyvessel,bridge,structure,orshoreareaortheenvironmental
qualityofanyport,harbor,ornavigablewaterwayoftheUnitedStates.Itmay,but
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neednot,involvecollision,allision,fire,explosion,grounding,leaking,damage,injuryor
illnessofapersonaboard,ormanningshortage.

AdditionalPortCallRiskReductionMeasures

1. OiltankersoperatingunderthisAPCwillcomplywiththefollowingtoreducetheriskof
environmentalincidentswhenmakingportcallsinWesternAlaska.

InadditiontofulfillingtherequirednoticeofarrivaltotheCoastGuardin33CFR
160,thevesselorauthorizedrepresentativeshallprovide48houradvance
noticeoftransferofoilcargototheCaptainofthePortWesternAlaskavia
emailatsectoranchoragearrivals@uscg.milorviaphoneat(907)4284200.

Thevesselwillproceedatminimumsafemaneuveringspeedfortheprevailing
conditionswhenenteringterritorialseaswhileenteringordepartingportor
lighteringarea.

Thevesselwillnotproceedtocloserthan12milesfromtheoiltransfer
port/facilityuntilconfirmationisreceivedthatatowingvesselisimmediately
availabletogetunderwayandcapabletoassistifneeded.

Thevesselwillnotproceedtocloserthan3milesfromtheoiltransfer
port/facilityuntilanescorttowingvesselisintheimmediatevicinityofthetank
vesselavailableandcapabletoassistasneededtoensureasafetransitand
emergencytowinggearontheoiltankerisoperationalandpersonnelstanding
bytothedeploytowinggearorreceivealinefromthetugasthesituation
dictates.

Priortoconductingatransfertoavesselorfacilitythevesselwillverifywiththe
receivingfacilityorvesselthatanoilspillrecoverybarge,containmentboom
deploymentvessel(s)andpersonnelareimmediatelyavailabletoinitiatea
responseintheeventofanoilspill.Compliancewiththeaboveisdemonstrated
by:
o FacilityTransfer:Conductingthetransferatafacilityregulatedby33
CodeofFederalRegulationsPart154andcompletingaDeclarationof
Inspectionpriortoconductingthetransfer.

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o Vessel:SubmittingalighteringplantotheCaptainofthePortthatis
stampedandsignedasreviewedbytheCoastGuardandcompletinga
DeclarationofInspectionpriortoconductingthetransferandprovides
informationontheonsceneresponsecapabilitiesand,

EnsuringavesselmeetingtheAlaskaPetroleumDistributorsand
Transporters(APD&T)AgreementforComplianceispresent,or

Avesselwiththefollowingcapabilities;

Transferhosesandportablepumpssufficienttooffload
thelargestcargotankin24hoursofcontinuousoperation,

Containmentboominaquantityequaltothreetimesthe
vessellength(comparedtotwicethevessellengthas
specifiedfortheAMPDin33CFR155),

Oilrecoverydeviceswithaneffectivedailyrecovery
capacity(EDRC)equalto50%oftheMMPD(thelesserof
1250barrelsperdayor5%ofthecargocapacity),and

Temporarystoragereservedinthebargecapacityor
throughuseofvoidsandballasttanksequalto10%ofthe
twolargestcargocompartments.

Whentransferringtoafacility,thevesselshallensureasinglecontainment
boomisdeployedaroundthevesselunlesstides,currentsandweatherpreclude
thisfrombeingdonesafelyandorfrombeingeffective.
Themasterofthevesseltransferringoiltoafacilityorvesselwillnotconductoil
transferoperationswhenweatherconditionsprecludetheabilitytoconducta
safeoilspillresponse.

Ifoiltransferoperationsareconductedatnight,operationswillonlybe
conductediflightingmeetsrequirementsof33CFR156.118.

Thevesselwillnotengageinsimultaneousmultiplevesseltransfertoorfrom
twocargorecipients(i.e.vesselandfacility).

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Thevesselconductingoffshorelighteringoperationsshallprovide48hoursadvancenoticeof
transfertotheCoastGuardCaptainofthePortWesternAlaskaviaemailat
sectoranchoragearrivals@uscg.milorviaphoneat(907)4284200.

AdditionalinformationontheWAAPCandtheNetworkmaybeobtainedat
www.akmrpn.org

Network:24hourOperationsCenter
Phone:(907)4633064
email:operations@akmprn.org

CoastGuardCaptainofthePortWesternAlaska
Phone:(907)9074284200
email:sectoranchoragearrivals@uscg.mil

Encl1:RiskReductionRoutingMeasuresGraphics

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OffshoreRiskMitigatingRoutes
AleutianIslands

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AuthorizedPasses
WesternAlaska

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OffshoreRiskMitigatingRoutes
BeringSea,BristolBay,CentralGulfofAlaska

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OffshoreRiskMitigatingRoutes
NorthwestAlaskaandArctic

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