Opinion ID: 504932
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Scene

Text: 2 The KEIYOH MARU is a Panamanian registered ocean-going oil tanker, under bareboat charter by Gloriosa. The FORT WORTH is a United States registered ocean-going oil tanker, owned and operated by Trinidad. These two ships collided on February 1, 1981, just outside the Port of Los Angeles. 3 The Port of Los Angeles/Long Beach has a breakwater separating the harbor from the open sea. There are two gaps in the breakwater. The entrance to the Port of Long Beach is east of the entrance to the Port of Los Angeles. At each breakwater entrance sea buoys and charts indicate trapezoidal pilot boarding areas. By the published orders of the United States Coast Guard Captain of the Port, Order 1-78, 45 Fed.Reg. 30,431 (1980), these pilot boarding areas were restricted to only those vessels entering or exiting each port. The collision between the KEIYOH MARU and the FORT WORTH occurred in the pilot boarding area for the Port of Los Angeles. 4 Between the trapezoidal boarding areas is a restricted area designated Anchorage G. By published Coast Guard regulations, 33 C.F.R. Sec. 110.214(a)(7) (1987), this area was restricted to only those vessels intending to anchor or depart from anchorage in the area. The restrictions with respect to the pilot boarding areas and Anchorage G prohibited a vessel outbound from the Port of Long Beach to cut across either area en route to the northbound shipping lanes. The pilot boarding area restrictions and the restrictions with respect to entering Anchorage G were clearly noted on charts in use aboard the FORT WORTH and KEIYOH MARU. These restrictions were also in government publications of which both vessels were required to be aware. 33 C.F.R. Sec. 164.33 (1987). No evidence was introduced that either vessel had reason to be unaware of these restrictions.