U.S Coast Guard, Sector Columbia River

Area of Responsibility: 420 nautical miles of Washington and Oregon coastline, 33 ports, 465 miles of navigable rivers throughout WA, OR, and ID, including the Columbia River, Salmon & Snake Rivers in the east (Idaho).

“Guardians of the Pacific Northwest”

Sector Columbia River Response Missions (search and rescue, law enforcement, environmental protection, and support for other units) are carried out from Warrenton, OR. Sector Columbia River Prevention Missions (marine safety, vessel inspection, aids to navigation support, and waterways management) are managed by Marine Safety Unit (MSU) Portland located in Portland, OR.

WINDMILL CARGO HEIGHTS AND IMPACT OF VESSEL VISIBILITY DURING TRANSIT

The Columbia River System remains one of the most difficult waterways for vessel traffic to navigate, specifically for deep-draft vessels. The deep-draft channel in the Lower Columbia River runs from Astoria to Vancouver, spanning 105 miles from the ocean. The channel is so narrow that only one vessel may enter or exit at a time. Due to these conditions, deep-draft vessels employ the use of pilots to assist in the transit from the bar to respective berths and anchorages, and vice versa. Pilots’ extensive experience on the Columbia River System ensures the vessels transiting into and out of the channel do so safely with the importance of safety of crews, other vessels, the waterway, and cargo in mind.

Port State Control Officers in Captain of the Port Zone Columbia River, at Marine Safety Unit Portland, OR, have noticed an alarming trend of vessels loaded in violation of International and US Regulations. Specifically, break-bulk deep-draft vessels as well as retrofitted bulk carriers have been identified carrying windmills blades causing blind sectors when viewed from the navigation bridge and obscuring forward vision ahead of the bow of the ship.

This greatly decreases pilots’ ability to safely navigate within the channel, while keeping clear of other vessel traffic and remaining in the deepest part of the channel to ensure the safety of the vessel. The Coast Guard has a responsibility to ensure the safety of navigation is not impeded by the risk of reduced visibility, while also maintaining the flow of commerce within the Columbia River System.

In order to meet the requests of vessels and charters, Foreign Nations have issued Flag State dispensations allowing transit in a condition where the cargo taken (windmill blades) obscured pilot vision in violation of various regulations listed in the table below (Table 1). Commonly, these dispensations (which are valid only for the SOLAS International Regulations) include a Closed Circuit Television system (CCTV), with the idea that a video camera feed would be utilized to see the otherwise obscured sectors. These vessels, however, are also subject to the Navigation Safety Regulations of 33 C.F.R. § 164 when calling on ports in U.S. Waters.

APPLICABLE REGULATIONS

33 C.F.R. § 164.15, NAVIGATION BRIDGE VISIBILITY

“The view of the sea surface must not be obscured by more than the lesser of two ship lengths or 500 meters (1640 feet) from dead ahead to 10 degrees on either side of the vessel. Within this arc of visibility any blind sector caused by cargo, cargo gear, or other permanent obstruction must not exceed 5 degrees” USCG continued on page 15