[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] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 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] BILLING CODE 4910-14-M