FEDERAL ANCHORAGE REGULATIONS 33 CFR 110.72d and 33

FEDERALANCHORAGE

REGULATIONS

33CFR110.72d

and

33CFR110.173

LTJohnDowning

U.S.CoastGuardSectorCharleston

AnchorageManagement

• Federalandstategovernmentshaveconcurrent

jurisdictionovernavigablewater sandthelands

beneath.Federallawalsorecognizesstateand

localauthoritytoregulateanchorages.The

regulatorypowerofthestateissubjecttothe

paramountauthorityoftheFederalgovernment

fortheregulationofinterstateandforeign

commerce.Statesex ercisecontrolifitis

consistentwithFederalactionsorfunctions,and

doesnotinterruptcommerce.

CoastGuardAuthority

• TheUnitedStatesCoastGuard(USCG)hastheauthorityto

establish,administer,andenforceanchoragegroundsand

regulationsforvesselsinnavigablewatersoftheUnited

States(U.S.).Establishing,amendingorremovingan

anchorageareaoftenoriginatesatthelocallevel,withkey

waterwa yusersexpressinga needforsuchanarea.The

USCG,orothergovernmentagencies,mightalsodetermine

aneedforananchoragearea.

• TheUSCGalsoconsidersotherusesofthewaterwayin

ordertoensurethatcreationormodificationofanchorage

groundsminimizewaterwayuseconflicts.

TypesofAnchorages

• Therearefour typesofanchoragescommon

throughoutportsof theU.S.;eachservesa

specificpurposeforspecifictypesofvessels:

– Specialanchorageareas.

– Anchoragegrounds.

– Bargefleetingfacilities/areas.

– Managedanchoragemooringfields.

SpecialAnchorageAreas

• Specialanchorageareasaredefinedin33CFR§

109.10,Specialanchorageareas.Special

anchorageareasallowvesselsoflessthan65feet

inlength(20meters)toanchorwithoutanchor

lights.Theyalsoallowvesselsoflessthan65feet

inlength,andbarges,canalboats,scows,or

othernondescriptcrafttoanchorwithout

requiredsoundsignals.

•

AnchorageGrounds

• TheUSCGusesthistypeofanchorageto

managemostvesselactivitythroughoutthe

U.S.

• Specificregulationsapplicable toeach

anchoragegroundareinref erence33CFR§

110,subpartB,AnchorageGrounds.

BargeFleetingFacility/Area

• Abargefleetingfacilityisaregulatedareanormally

servedbyabargemooringser vicecomprisedofoneor

moretiersofbarges,whereatierismorethanone

bargemooredinterdependentlyinrowsorgroups.

Usedaslay‐berths,thesefacilitiesarecommonly

establishedalongornearariverbank.

• Abargefleetingfacilityisacommercialarea,subjectto

permittingbytheU.S.ArmyCorpsofEngineers

(USACE),orpursuanttoaregionalgener alpermit,for

making‐up,breaking‐down,orstagingbargetows.

ManagedAnchorageMooringFields

• Managedanchoragemooring fieldsare

unregulated,oftentemporar ymooringareas.

Theyarenotanchoragesbydefinition.

• Whilenotformallyestablishedinanchorage

regulations,stateorlocalgovernments,or

evenprivateparties,definemooringfieldsfor

specifictypesofvessels,projects,orevents.

• Typicallyknownonlybyareaknowledge.

AnchorageUses

• Asabestpractice,anchorageusesare

consideredeitherroutineornon ‐routine.The

CO TPhastheauthoritytodeterminewhich

typeofanchorageavesselcananchorin,and

forhowlong,basedontheintendeduse.

AnchorageUses(cont)

• COTPdiscretionvariesfromoneporttothenext

basedonamyriadoffactors,including:

– Vesselsize,draft,type,andcargo.

– Anchoragelocationsandsizeswithintheport.

– Proximitytocriticalinfrastructures,military

installations,waterways,andenvironmentally

sensitiveareas.

– Portsafetyandsecurity.

– Economicneedsoftheportandindustry.

RoutineAnchora geUses

• Mostvesselsuseanchoragegroundsto

engageincommerceintheportorconduct

maintenance.Exampleusesinclude:

– Awaitingberthingspace,sailingorders,cargo,or

labor.

– Awaitingasecurityboarding.

– Awaitingavesselexam.

– Hotwork.

FederalAuthority

• TheUSCGhasauthoritytoapproveordeny,in

wholeorinpart,anchoragewaiverrequeststhat

deviatefromexistingregulations.

• TheUSCGalsohasauthoritytoestablish,amend,

orremoveanchorageswithinnavigable

waterwaysof theU.S.viatherulemakingprocess.

ThegoverninglawforFederalrulemakingis

AdministrativeProcedure,5U.S.C.,Part1,

Chapter5(APA).

StateAuthority

• Whenastateestablishesananchoragearea,itis

oftentermedamanagedanchoragemooring

field(MAMF).AuthoritytoestablishMAMFs

comesfromeachstate’sPublicTrustDoctrine,

whichpreservestheseareasforpublicuse.

• BeforeastateestablishesorregulatesaMAMF,it

firstmustfollowtheUSACEpermittingprocess,

whichincludesaUSCGreview,toverifythatthe

anchorageisnotanobstructionorhazardto

navigation.

CharlestonAnchorages

33CFR110.173and33CFR110.72d

CharlestonAnchorageRegulations

33CFR110.173

• (b)Theregulations.(1)Exceptincasesofgreat

emergency,novesselshallbeanchoredinthe

mainshipchannelsasdefinedbybrokenlines

markingtheirboundariesonNOAAChart11524.

Vesselsmustbeanchoredinsuchawayasnotto

interferewiththefreenavigationofchannelsin

theport,includingCooper,Ashley,WandoRivers,

andTownCreek,nortoobstructtheapproachto

anypierorentrancetoanyslip,nortoimpede

themovementofanyvesselorcraft.

CharlestonAnchorageRegulations

(cont)

33CFR110.173

• (2) Vessels using the anchorages opposite the eastern

waterfront of Charleston shall place their anchors as near as

possible in the center of the anchorage. Vessels not using a

designated commercial anchorage shall not place their

anchors within the main ship channels, nor shall be so

anchored as to swing within 400 feet of any wharf or pier on

the eastern waterfront of Charleston. Vessels may be so

anchored as to swing into the main ship channels only if they

are so placed with reference to the customary winds, tides,

and currents of the harbor, as to swing only during slack

water, and that during this period there shall remain in the

waters adjacent to the channel an area of sufficient depth as

to permit the safe passage of loaded vessels.

CharlestonAnchorageRegulations

(cont)

33CFR110.173

• (3)Novesselmayanchorwithinthe

designatedanchoragesformorethan72

hourswithoutthepriorapprovalofthe

CaptainofthePort.

• (4)Novesselmayanchorunlessit

maintainsabridgewatch,guardsand answers

Channel16FM,andmaintainsanaccurate

positionplot.

CharlestonAnchorageRegulations

(cont)

33CFR110.173

• (5)Ifanyanchoredvesselissocloseto

anotherthatacollisionisprobable,each

vesselmustcommunicatewiththeother

vesselandtheCaptainofthePortonChannel

16FMandshallacttoeliminatetheclose

proximitysituation.

• (6)Novesselmayanchorunlessitmaintains

thecapabilitytogetunderwaywithin4hours.

CharlestonAnchorageRegulations

(cont)

33CFR110.173

• (7)Novesselmayanchorina‘‘deadship’’

status(propulsionorcontrolunavailablefor

normaloperations)withoutthepriorapproval

oftheCaptainofthePort.

• (8)Draggingofanchorsinoracrossmainship

channelsandcableareasisprohibited.

CharlestonAnchorageRegulations

(cont)

33CFR110.173

• (9)Vesselswhich,throughforceofgreat

emergency,areanchoredcontrarytothe

foregoingregulationsinthissectionshallbe

shiftedtonewberthsinaccordancewithsuch

regulationsattheearliestopportunity.

• (10)Avessel,uponnotificationfromtheCaptain

ofthePorttoshiftitspositioninanchorage

groundsmustgetunderwayatonceorsignalfor

atug,andmustchangepositionasdirectedwith

reasonablepromptness.

CharlestonAnchorageRegulations

(cont)

33CFR110.173

• (11)Novesselmayconductlightering

operationsinananchoragewithout

permissionfromtheCaptainofthePort.

• (12)Whentheuseofananchorageisrequired

bynavalvessels,thevesselsanchoredtherein

shallmovewhentheCaptainofthePort

directsthem.

CharlestonAnchorageRegulations

(cont)

33CFR110.173

• (13)Nothinginthissectionshallbeconstrued

asrelievingtheownerorpersoninchargeof

anyvesselfromthepenaltiesoflawfor

obstructingnavigation,orforobstructingor

interferingwithrangelights,orfornot

complyingwiththenavigationlawsinregard

tolights,fogsignals,etc.

CharlestonEntranceAnchorage

Questions?