California Code of Regulations › Title 14 - Natural Resources › Division 1 - Fish and Game Commission-Department of Fish and Game › Subdivision 4 - Office of Spill Prevention and Response › Chapter 4 - Vessel Requirements › Subchapter 2 - Tank Vessel Escort Program for the los Angeles/Long Beach Harbor › Section 851.20 - Purpose and Scope

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 28, July 12, 2024
This subchapter sets forth tank vessel escort
						requirements for tank vessels underway in the Los Angeles/Long Beach Harbor and
						their approaches. These requirements specify that tank vessels carrying 5,000
						or more metric tons of oil in bulk as cargo shall be escorted by a suitable
						escort tug or tugs. When required, the escort tug(s) shall take action under
						the direction of the tank vessel master or pilot, to influence the speed and
						direction of travel of the tank vessels in the event of a casualty, steering or
						propulsion failure, thereby reducing the possibility of groundings or
						collisions and the risk of an oil spill from these tank vessels.
This subchapter establishes the criteria for matching
						tugs to tankers and barges. Tankers will be matched according to a matrix that
						correlates a tanker's displacement (in metric tons) with the braking force of a
						tug(s). Barges with a displacement tonnage less than or equal to 20,000 metric
						tons shall be matched based on the aggregate displacement tonnage of both the
						primary towing vessel and the tank barge. Barges with a displacement tonnage
						greater than 20,000 metric tons require a tethered escort and a one-to-one
						correlation between the sum of the total displacement tonnage of the primary
						towing vessel and its barge, and the escort tug(s).
The Administrator shall periodically review the matching
						criteria, other program elements and enforcement mechanisms. The program review
						will include a survey of the tank vessel-related incidents in U.S. waters to
						determine the type of failures that have occurred, an assessment of tug
						technology and any advances made in design and power, and the tug
						escort-related rules and policies that are implemented by other coastal states
						and maritime organizations, and any changes to bathymetry in the Harbor. At the
						conclusion of the review, the Administrator will determine whether it is
						necessary to modify the tug/tank vessel matching criteria or any other
						provision of the program requirements.
1. New
						subchapter 2 and section filed 7-28-94; operative 8-29-94 (Register 94, No.
						30).
2. Change without regulatory effect amending subchapter 2
						heading filed 7-12-95 pursuant to section
						100, title 1, California Code of
						Regulations (Register 95, No. 28).
3. Amendment of subchapter 2
						heading, section and NOTE filed 8-19-98; operative 9-18-98 (Register 98, No.
						34).
4. Amendment filed 7-16-2001; operative 8-15-2001 (Register
						2001, No. 29).
5. Amendment filed 7-12-2012; operative 8-11-2012
						(Register 2012, No. 28).
Note: Authority cited: Sections
						  8670.17.2
						  and
						  8670.23.1,
						  Government Code. Reference: Section
						  8670.17.2,
						  Government Code.