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 4 - Tank Vessel Escort Regulations for Humboldt Bay › Article 1 - General Provisions and Definitions › Section 851.85 - Requirements During Tank Vessel Escorts

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 28, July 12, 2024
(a) Escort tugs shall maintain a
						station-keeping distance from the tank vessel being escorted of no further than
						1,000 feet ahead or aside, or 500 feet astern of the tank vessel while engaged
						in the escort activity.
(b) An
						escort tug shall not simultaneously engage in the escort of more than one tank
						vessel.
(c) The speed or speeds
						selected for the transit must permit stationing the escort tug to allow the
						escort tug to effectively influence the tank vessel's movement in the event of
						a casualty.
(d) A tanker shall have
						sufficient and qualified line-handling-capable crew members standing by and
						available to immediately receive lines from each escort tug. In addition, the
						tanker shall comply with all applicable federal regulations relating to anchor
						readiness.
(e) The line-haul tug
						for a tank barge shall have sufficient and qualified line-handling-capable deck
						hands standing by available to receive lines from each escort tug. When the
						tank barge is fitted with an emergency tow wire or comparable, adequate
						mechanical device, or the escort tug is made fast to the tank barge, crew
						transfers shall not be required.
(f) Tank vessels shall have sufficient and
						qualified direct supervision of line-handling-crew operations. Supervisors
						shall have direct radio communication capability with the bridge of the tank
						vessel or vessel towing a barge.
(g) The master of any tank vessel shall
						maintain, at all times for which escort tug services are required, direct two
						way radio communications on VHF-FM with the master of the escort tug on a
						channel agreed to by both the master of the tank vessel and the master of the
						escort tug providing escort services.
(h) Notwithstanding any other provision of
						this subchapter, all escort tugs in Humboldt Bay which meet the requirements of
						this subchapter for the escort of tank vessels shall have their bollard pull
						(ahead and astern) measured, except as provided in (i) below.
(1) Bollard pull measurements shall be
						verified by a member of the International Association of Classification
						Societies.
(2) Bollard pull
						measurements verified by a member of the International Association of
						Classification Societies in other ports of the State shall meet the
						requirements of this section, provided that evidence of the results of these
						measurements are on file with the Humboldt Bay Harbor District.
(3) Escort tug companies shall provide the
						Humboldt Bay Harbor District with the results of the bollard pull measurements
						verified pursuant to the provisions of this subchapter.
(4) Escort tugs whose bollard pull has not
						been measured and verified or are not within the scope of the definition of
						"bona fide sister tug", shall not be used for the escort of tank vessels in
						Humboldt Bay.