Current through Register 1531, September 27, 2024
(1)
Effective upon the date set by contract by the Department with a company to
provide State-provided Tugboat Escorts, the Department will dispatch a
State-provided Tugboat Escort in Buzzards Bay to every Target Vessel upon
entering and while operating in Buzzards Bay.
(2) The Commissioner will contract with a
company to provide State-provided Tugboat Escort services. Unless the
Commissioner determines that exigent circumstances exist at a particular time,
the Contractor shall, at a minimum:
(a)
Dispatch a State-provided Tugboat Escort to every Target Vessel;
(b) Position each State-provided Tugboat
Escort to maintain a maximum distance of 1/4 (one fourth) of a nautical
mile from the assigned Target Vessel;
(c) Direct the State-provided Tugboat Escort
to monitor the assigned Target Vessel and to warn of actual or potential
navigational threats; and
(d)
Direct the State-provided Tugboat Escort to render Vessel Assistance to the
assigned Target Vessel if and when such assistance is requested or otherwise
determined to be necessary.
(3)
Minimum Standards for
Equipment on State-provided Tugboat Escorts. At a minimum,
State-provided Tugboat Escorts shall comply with the following:
(a) Be a U.S. flagged vessel with a current
load line certificate issued by a member of the International Association of
Classification Societies (IACS);
(b) Be either:
1. a tug with twin screws and a separate
system for power to each screw, with an aggregate shaft horsepower equivalent
to 4,000 horsepower or greater and a minimum bollard pull of 50 tons;
or
2. a tractor tug, having an
aggregate horsepower equivalent to 4,000 horsepower or greater and a minimum
bollard pull of 50 tons, which is propelled by blades or screws which may be
manipulated or rotated to provide propulsive thrust to any part of a 360°
arc relative to the keel or longitudinal axis of the tug.
(c) Meet or exceed NFPA 1925:
Standard on Marine Fire-Fighting Vessels, 2008 Edition
standards for Type V Marine fire-fighting vessels and special purpose
fire-fighting vessels;
(d) Be able
to maintain a steady minimum speed of ten knots in a Beaufort sea state six
(22-27 knots winds, seas up to 91/2 feet) and have fuel capacity to allow
for a minimum of 72 hours of continuous at sea operations;
(e) Meet the stability criteria established
by the U.S. Coast Guard in
46 CFR
173.095 and
174.145;
(f) Carry at a minimum the following
navigational, towing and rescue equipment:
1.
Complete and current navigation and communication technology, including gyro
and magnetic compasses Global Positioning System (GPS), radio and telephone
communications and twin radar displays equipped with ECDIS or ARPA integrated
with an AIS capable of monitoring vessel movement in Buzzards Bay and its
adjacent waterbodies;
2. AIS
transponder;
3. A towing winch and
associated wire and gear capable of towing at minimum, a 470 foot fully loaded
Tank Vessel;
4. An Orville Hook
device for recovery of towing bridles attached to drifting tank
barges;
5. A line-throwing gun
capable of passing a suitable messenger line to a disabled vessel from a
distance of at least 100 feet in 40-knot winds.
The Department may at any time require submittal of
documentation from the Contractor verifying specifications for each
State-provided Tugboat Escort used to provide services under the contract. The
Contractor of a State-provided Tugboat Escort shall allow the Department or its
authorized representative to board each such vessel at any time for the purpose
of verifying vessel specifications.
(4)
State-provided Tugboat Escort
Manning Requirements. The crew of a State-provided Tugboat Escort
shall include, at a minimum:
(a) A master
holding the appropriate U.S. Coast Guard license or documentation sufficient
for the tonnage and service in Buzzards Bay required by
314 CMR 19.00, and a valid
endorsement as radar observer (unlimited), valid on all waters;
(b) A mate holding the appropriate U.S. Coast
Guard license or documentation sufficient for the tonnage and service in
Buzzards Bay required by
314 CMR 19.00, and a valid
endorsement as radar observer (unlimited), valid on all waters;
(c) An able seaman holding the appropriate
U.S. Coast Guard documentation sufficient for the tonnage and service in
Buzzards Bay required by
314 CMR 19.00; and
(d) An engineer holding the appropriate U.S.
Coast Guard license for the type of propulsion and horsepower of the
State-provided Tugboat Escort required by
314 CMR 19.00.
(5) The State-provided Tugboat
Escort shall, while operating in Buzzards Bay, follow all guidelines in the
Buzzards Bay VMRS Users Manual, as may be amended from time to time, and comply
with all applicable requirements as defined by
33
CFR 165.100 and
33 CFR
207.20(a).
(6)
Pre-escort
Conference. Prior to commencing an escorted transit, the
State-provided Tugboat Escort shall, if possible, contact the Target Vessel
master to confirm the position of the Target Vessel, establish the radio
frequency to be used and the anticipated direction of movement and destination
of the Target Vessel, and exchange other pertinent information that the
State-provided Tugboat Escort captain and the Target Vessel master deem
necessary to facilitate operations in the case of an unplanned event.
