Page 6. MAINE COASTAL NEWS February 2016 PORT SAFETY FORUM MEETING MINUTES
Date: December 16, 2015 Time: 10:00 AM Location: University of Southern Maine Portland, ME 04101
Special Note: Please remember our colleagues who perished on October 1, 2015 aboard EL FARO, especially fellow Mainers, Captain Michael Davidson, Dylan Meklin, Danielle Randolph, Michael Hol- land, as well as Brooklyn, New York native Mitchell Kufl ik. All were Maine Maritime Academy graduates. Introductions and Administration: Introductions – The meeting was called to order at 10:00 by the Port Safety Forum Co-Chair John Henshaw of the Maine Port Authority with Captain Baroody as the Co-Chair representing the Coast Guard. A quorum was comprised of 30 individuals. Review and Approval of the September 16, 2015Port Safety Forum Meeting Min- utes – Hearing no amendments or objections to the content of the September 16, 2015 minutes, Mr. Henshaw accepted the minutes as approved.
Coast Guard Update:
Ice Breaking – LT David Bourbeau LT Bourbeau of Sector Northern New England’s Waterways Management
Division, provided an overview of the Coast Guard’s icebreaking mission and procedures. The Coast Guard’s icebreaking mission has three basic priorities: Search and rescue; Ports, Waterways and Coastal Security; Urgent Response to vessels; Exi- gent community service (e.g., fl ood relief); and Facilitate navigation.
Sector Northern New England has four dedicated ice breaking resources; three 65’ harbor tugs, and one 140’ ice breaking tug. The Coast Guard uses Auxiliary air craft to fl y regular ice reconnaissance missions to track ice formations.
The Coast Guard’s
navigation facilitation focuses on petroleum facilities on: Piscataqua River; Portland Harbor/Fore River; and Penobscot River/ Bucksport/Searsport.
The Coast Guard may also be dis- patched to break ice where “Reasonable Demand of Commerce” is justifi ed, such as breaking out an iced facility.
Requests
may be made 24 hours a day by contacting the Coast Guard Command Center at (207) 767-0303. Mariner Activated Sound Signals – LT David Bourbeau
LT Bourbeau updated the Forum regarding the ongoing replacement of ob- solete VM-100 fog signals with the latest
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generation on-demand Mariner Activated Radio Sound Signal (MRASS) systems. The VM-100 systems are aging with growing reliability issues and limited spare parts, re- quiring the transition. The U.S. Coast Guard is upgrading the older VM-100 systems across the entire country including Maine and New Hampshire. The new MRASS system allows mariners to remotely activate navigation sound signals on demand by using a VHF radio. Mariners who require a sound signal will activate the aid by keying their VHF mic 5 times within 10 seconds on channel 83. The range of activation is line of sight. Once activated, the signal will sound for a pre-set period of time between 15 to 60 minutes. MRASS equipped aids to navigation will be appropriately marked on navigation charts. East Coast Waterway Analysis and Man- agement System – CWO Nichols Chief Warrant Offi cer Nichols outlined a broad initiative led by the Coast Guard to conduct a comprehensive Waterways Anal- ysis and Management System Study along the on the entire Atlantic and Gulf Seacoast Systems from Maine to Texas. The details are contained in Local Notice to Mariners 49/15. The study focuses on the existing offshore and near shore aids to navigation system, waterborne commerce, marine ca- sualty information, and future development projects. The purpose of this study is to determine the navigational requirements of vessels operating in the offshore and near shore environments. Comments must be received by March 15, 2016.
The analysis will consider stakehold- er input, environmental considerations, channel framework, user capabilities, and available technology.
The analysis is not a cost cutting measure, but rather, will determine how to more optimally mark waterways without negatively impacting navigation safety. Levels of Service will defi ne where/ how the Coast Guard will optimally provide Aids to Navigation in the future Individual operators and interested mar- itime industry representatives are requested
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Ocean Planning:
Regional Ocean Planning – John Weber Mr. John Weber of the Northeast Re- gional Ocean Council briefed the Port Safety Forum regarding Regional Ocean Planning and explained the organization of the plan- ning council, their mandates and goals. The National Ocean Policy, established by Presidential Executive Order in 2010, calls for the formation of nine regionally focused Regional Planning Boards to better manage the nation’s oceans and coasts.
In short,
the Northeast Council is comprised of 10 Federal agencies, 10 Federally recognized tribes, the New England Fishery Manage- ment Council, public, and non-government agencies, as well as ex-offi cio participation from the State of New York and Canadian agencies. The council strives to engage with appropriate waterway users to collect water- way usage data into a practical package suit- able for logical and science based planning. Using meaningful public participation, the council seeks the knowledge, perspectives, and needs of ocean stakeholders including fi shermen; scientists; boaters; environmen- tal advocacy groups; leaders in the shipping, ports, and energy industries; and all New Englanders who have an interest in the ocean. The Council, uses accurate, up-to- date data and information, including every- thing from practical traditional knowledge to innovative mapping technologies to best understand competing waterway demands. Specifi c areas of focus include: Maritime Commerce; Aquaculture; Recreation; Com- mercial Fishing; Energy; Culture; Mammals
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