[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 6 (Monday, January 10, 1994)]
[Notices]
[Pages 1411-1412]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-487]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: January 10, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Coast Guard
[CGD 91-202]
RIN 2115-AE10
Escort Vessels for Certain Oil Tankers
AGENCY: Coast Guard, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of availability.
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SUMMARY: A two-part study assessing the capability of escort tugs to
control disabled tankers in Prince William Sound, Alaska, was
commissioned by the Disabled Tanker Towing Study Group (DTTSG). The
study will specifically review the present equipment, personnel, and
procedures aboard the tankers and escort vessels operating in Prince
William Sound, as well as the assist capabilities of the vessels
presently in service for escorting these tankers. Part 1 of the study
has been completed, and the U.S. Coast Guard has been granted
permission to make it available to the public. Certain technical
findings of this study will aid the U.S. Coast Guard in promulgating
national-level tug escort regulations under section 4116(c) of the Oil
Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90).
ADDRESSES: Part 1 of the Prince William Sound Disabled Tanker Towing
Study, entitled ``Evaluation of Existing Equipment, Personnel and
Procedures,'' is available for inspection or copying at the Office of
the Executive Secretary, Marine Safety Council (G-LRA/3406) (CGD 91-
202), U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, 2100 Second Street SW.,
Washington, DC 20593-0001, between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday through
Friday, except Federal Holidays. The telephone number is (202) 267-
1477.
Additionally, copies of Part 1 of the study may be ordered from the
National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA 22161 (phone
orders (703) 487-4650). The NTIS publication number is PB94-120961;
price $27.00 for paper copy, or $12.50 for microfiche copy.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Thomas Jordan, Project Manager, OPA 90 Staff, at U.S. Coast Guard
Headquarters, 2100 Second Street, SW., Washington, DC 20593-0001, or by
phone at (202) 267-6751.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Background and Discussion
In the aftermath of the EXXON VALDEZ grounding, the state of Alaska
established a contingency plan that includes provisions requiring laden
tankers to be escorted through Prince William Sound. The escort vessels
are expected to provide immediate assistance to a tanker in the event
it suffers a propulsion or steering failure. The escort vessels also
have some spill response capabilities. At present, there are 11 tugs
and escort vessels in this service, operating out of Port Valdez and
escorting tankers to Hinchinbrook Entrance.
The Disabled Tanker Towing Study Group (DTTSG) was formed to review
the present escort vessel practices in Prince William Sound. The DTTSG
is formed of representatives from the Regional Citizen's Advisory
Council (RCAC) for Prince William Sound, the Prince William Sound
Tanker Association, the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company, the Alaska
Department of Environmental Conservation, and the U.S. Coast Guard.
The DTTSG commissioned The Glosten Associates, Inc., to prepare a
two-part study. The first part was to conduct an expert review and
evaluation of the emergency towing equipment aboard the tankers and
escort vessels operating in Prince William Sound. The second part was
to determine, by means of actual tanker/tug trials and computer
simulation analyses, the capabilities of the escort vessels to actually
control disabled tankers.
The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA 90)
Section 4116(c) of OPA 90 requires the Secretary of Transportation
to initiate issuance of regulations that define areas where single hull
tankers over 5,000 gross tons transporting oil in bulk must be escorted
by at least two towing vessels (as defined under 46 U.S.C. 2101), or by
other vessels which the Secretary considers appropriate. These defined
areas must include Prince William Sound, Alaska, and Rosario Strait and
Puget Sound, Washington (including those portions of the Strait of Juan
de Fuca east of Port Angeles, Haro Strait, and the Strait of Georgia
subject to U.S. jurisdiction). The Secretary has delegated this
responsibility to the Coast Guard.
Federal Regulatory Action to Date
The Coast Guard's regulatory response to this section of OPA 90 has
been divided into two rulemaking projects: the first project (CGD 91-
202) focuses on the Prince William Sound and Puget Sound waters
specifically identified in the statute, the second project (CGD 91-
202a) focuses on other navigable waters where escorts might be
required.
In order to issue effective national escort rules, the Coast Guard
finds it necessary to determine the realistic capabilities of the
various types of tugs that may be used for escort service. To this end,
the Disabled Tanker Towing Study (DTTS) is expected to provide valuable
technical information. In addition to its participation in the DTTSG,
Coast Guard's other actions to date have been as follows:
(1) A notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) for the Prince William
Sound and Puget Sound waters was published in the Federal Register on
July 7, 1992 (57 FR 30058). Because the original public comments did
not include sufficient information on certain issues, the comment
period was reopened March 26, 1993 (58 FR 16391), with a request for
more-detailed comments on some specified issues. Altogether, more than
100 public comments were received.
(2) An advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) seeking public
comment on other navigable waters where escort vessels should be
required was published April 27, 1993 (58 FR 25766). This ANPRM also
requested detailed comments on some specified issues. More than 45
public comments were received.
(3) Three public hearings were held: in Anchorage, Alaska, on June
3, 1993; Valdez, Alaska, on June 5, 1993; and Seattle, Washington, on
June 7, 1993. Both Alaska hearings had teleconferencing arrangements to
include outlying communities in the Exxon Valdez impacted areas. All
three hearings were well attended. Locally-interested parties,
including individuals and representatives of environmental, commercial
fishing, and recreational groups, tug operators, pilots, and tanker
operators, made presentations at each hearing. Transcripts of the three
hearings have been put in files 43, 44, and 45 of Coast Guard docket
91-202a.
Summary of the Study
The Executive Summary from Part 1 of the DTTS, ``Evaluation of
Existing Equipment, Personnel and Procedures,'' is reprinted here
verbatim:
``This study has been undertaken by The Glosten Associates, Inc.,
to evaluate the existing capability for emergency towing at Prince
William Sound and to examine alternatives that could enhance the escort
and assist capabilities for disabled tankers within the waterway from
the Alyeska Oil Terminal at the Port of Valdez to the Gulf of Alaska
outside Hinchinbrook Entrance.
Part 1, reported herein, is an objective evaluation by an
experienced salvage towing master of the existing tugs, emergency
towing equipment, towing practices, and discussion of alternate tug
types. Part 2 will evaluate alternative equipment and deployments,
using engineering methods, including simulation, that could improve the
safety or cost-effectiveness of the response system.
The Part 1 investigation was performed by subcontractor Smit Tak
BV, based in Rotterdam. Captain Jan ter Haar, a senior Smit Tak salvage
master, conducted interviews and observed normal operations and
emergency drills in the Valdez area.
Captain ter Haar feels that, with some changes such as improved bow
fendering, the existing escort/response vessels (ERVs) are adequate to
control a ship's heading in the event of a steering failure and to tow
it in the event of loss of propulsive power. He reserves any final
opinion on the number of such vessels required to control an incident,
in relation to the size of tanker and the weather conditions, to the
results of simulations in Part 2.
All tankers calling at Valdez are required to carry specific
emergency towing gear for rapid deployment and connection to a rescue
tug. This ``Prince William Sound Emergency Towing Package'' is stowed
and deployed differently on various vessels. Captain ter Haar
recommends that all vessels adopt systems that can be readied for
deployment in 15 minutes or less by a crew of two without using winch
power.
Captain ter Haar demonstrated in drills several effective
alternative methods of making towing connections with the tugs' own
gear, without deploying the ship's Prince William Sound Towing Package.
Drills were also used to assess crew skills in towing large tankers in
adverse weather with multiple tugs. He concludes that additional drills
and training, both in the makeup and towing operations, would be
beneficial.
With regard to escort vessel operations, Captain ter Haar
recommends that, in the Valdez Narrows area, escort position should be
in close proximity to tankers for faster response to a steering
failure. However, in the more open waters of Prince William Sound,
where a power or steering failure will not result in immediate peril of
grounding, close escort does not increase the level of safety of the
system. Escort vessels strategically positioned at key locations would
appear to provide the same level of protection. This deployment issue
will be analyzed more thoroughly in Part 2.
Captain ter Haar concludes that the vessels presently under
contract are suitable for rescue towing in Prince William Sound under a
full range of weather conditions. In the open waters of the Gulf of
Alaska, at and beyond Hinchinbrook Entrance, he concludes that a larger
salvage tug would improve the capability to prevent a major casualty.''
Anticipated Course of Action
The second phase of the DTTS (tanker/tug maneuvering trials and
computer simulation analyses) is currently underway. The Coast Guard
has been informed that the technical data collection should be
completed by January, 1994, and that Part 2 of the study will be
released by spring, 1994.
In the meantime, the Coast Guard is now reviewing all public
comments and studying various technical submittals, including Part 1 of
the DTTS. Because the Federal regulations that it ultimately proposes
as a result of this review will probably differ from those proposed in
the NPRM, the Coast Guard plans to issue a Supplementary Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking (SNPRM). The Coast Guard anticipates issuing the
SNPRM after Part 2 of the study has been reviewed and analyzed.
Dated: January 4, 1994.
W. J. Ecker,
Rear Admiral, U.S. Coast Guard, Chief, Office of Navigation Safety and
Waterway Services.
[FR Doc. 94-487 Filed 1-7-94; 8:45 am]
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