Lower Columbia Region Harbor Safety Committee

The Lower Columbia Region Harbor Safety Committee met virtually on September 1st with a special presentation from the U.S. Coast Guard regarding Make Way as well as an update on the PROTEAS anchor recovery project. The next meeting will be held November 10th and updates can be found on the website: www.lcrhsc.org

The Coast Guard announced in the Federal Register a proposal to revise the training requirements for national Merchant Mariner Credential endorsements as master of towing vessels (limited) or mate (pilot) of towing vessels on inland waters or Western Rivers routes. Comments and material must be received by the Coast Guard on or before November 1, 2021. You may submit comments identified by docket number USCG-2020-0492 using the Federal Decision Making Portal at www.Regulations.gov

The Inaugural Pacific Coast Port Access Route Study (PAC-PARS) is live.

The PAC-PARS intent is to analyze current and future demands of waterway usage to ensure safe navigation. Major goals of the study include: analyzing and quantifying historical vessel traffic densities, analyzing and quantifying historical marine incidents/ casualties, collecting and analyzing public comments, working with maritime and environmental partners to determine future waterway use, and make an informed recommendation based on data collected to maintain, amend, or create vessel routing measures.

The areas of the study will incorporate all waters on the outer continental shelf to encompass all major routes adjacent to and within port entrances and traffic separation schemes for the entire Pacific Coast. The areas of study will include major ports such as: San Diego, Los Angeles/Long Beach, San Francisco, Humboldt Bay, Coos Bay, Yaquina Bay, Astoria, Grays Harbor, and Seattle/Puget Sound.

Of note, comments and related material must be received on or before 25 January, 2022.

2021

CANCELED

Out of an abundance of caution, the Board of the Maritime Commerce Club decided to cancel our Annual Harbor Splash this Fall, previously scheduled for September 14, 2021. We look forward to resuming this popular event in September 2022!