LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER PRE-ENTRY INFORMATION Notice of Arrivals Prior to Arrival at any U.S. port, the vessel master should ensure a complete and accurate Notice of Arrival has been submitted to National Vessel Movement Center. The best or preferred method of submission is electronically, using the enoad web site at https://enoad.nvmc.uscg.gov/. Emailed XML / InfoPath files are also very commonly used. Filing in any other format is discouraged since it may not meet CBP requirements. All vessels that have properly submitted a Notice of Arrival will receive an email receipt that a successful submission was received by the National Vessel Movement Center. You can check the status of your submissions by providing the Notice ID and Vessel ID Numbers. Notice IDs are available within the email receipt that is returned upon a successful submission. If a vessel is diverted from a previously scheduled port, a new Initial notice must be submitted for the new arrival port. When submitting the new Initial notice, information should be added to support the port diversion in the comments field and should reference the original submission. The Notice for the original port should then be cancelled. 1
North American Emission Control Area Effective 01 August 2012 Extends up to 200 nautical miles from coasts of the United States and Canada. Records that must be available to determine if the fuel oil used onboard the ship meets the standard. Bunker Delivery Notes Representative Fuel Oil Samples Fuel Oil Changeover Procedures Fuel Oil Changeover Logs and Voyage Plans For vessels entering the North America ECA that were unable to procure and use compliant (Low sulfur) fuel oil, the vessel must submit a Fuel Oil Non-Availability Report (FONAR) 96 hours prior to entering the North American ECA. Operators of vessels can electronically submit a Fuel Oil Non-Availability Report using a Fuel Oil Non-availability Disclosure (FOND) form. The electronic portal for submitting a FOND is the EPA s Central Data Exchange (CDX) found at https://cdx.epa.gov. First time users must register to use the CDX service. Instructions on how to use the CDX site can be found at https://cdx.epa.gov/about/userguide. Mississippi River Regulated Navigation Area (RNA) Requirements Before embarking a Pilot when entering or getting under way in the Mississippi River RNA, main propulsion machinery must be available to immediately respond to the full range of maneuvering commands and that any load-limiting programs or automatic accelerationlimiting programs that would limit the speed of response to engine orders beyond that needed to prevent immediate damage to the propulsion machinery are capable of being overridden immediately. While under way in the RNA, each vessel must have an engineering watch capable of monitoring the propulsion system, communicating with the bridge, and implementing manualcontrol measures immediately when necessary. Additionally, the master shall ensure that the following additional operating conditions will be satisfied so long as the vessel is under way within the RNA: 1. The main propulsion plant is in all respects ready for operations including the mainpropulsion air-start systems, fuel systems, lubricating systems, cooling systems, and automation systems; 2. Cooling, lubricating, and fuel-oil systems are at proper operating temperatures; 3. Main-propulsion standby systems are ready to be immediately placed in service. 2
Equipment Tests Prior to Entering or Getting Underway in/on the Mississippi River 48 hours before entering the Mississippi River, the emergency steering drill required by SOLAS Chapter V Regulation 26 must be carried out and logged if not conducted within the previous 3 months. The drill must consist of the following: (1) Operation of the main steering gear from within the steering gear compartment. (2) Operation of the communications between the navigating bridge and the steering compartment. (3) Operation of the alternative power supply (emergency generator under load) for the steering gear. 12 hours before entering or getting underway in the Mississippi River, the following equipment must be tested and logged: (1) Operation of the steering gear from each steering position on the navigating bridge using each remote control system and include the confirmation of the following: (a) Full movement of the rudder (b) Each rudder angle indicator in relation to the actual position of the rudder. (c) Visual inspection of the steering gear and its connecting linkage. (d) Each steering gear unit and remote control system power failure alarms. (e) The main steering gear from the emergency generator while under load. (2) The Standby or emergency generator, for as long as necessary to show proper functioning, including steady state temperature and pressure readings. (3) Batteries for emergency lighting and power systems. (4) All internal vessel control communications and vessel control alarms. (5) Main propulsion machinery, ahead and astern. 3
Radio Watch for Vessels in the Mississippi River VTS and at Anchorage 33 CFR 161.12(c) requires vessels to maintain a listening watch on the VTS frequency designated in 33 CFR Table 161.12(c) when in a VTS User area. In addition, the VTS User must respond promptly when hailed and communicate in the English language. VTS Channels for the Lower Mississippi River and New Orleans: Ch. 11 - The navigable waters of the Lower Mississippi River from 86 miles Above Head of Passes (AHP), extending down river to Southwest Pass, and, within a 12 nautical mile radius around Southwest Pass Entrance Light. Ch. 12 - The navigable waters of the Lower Mississippi River from 86 miles Above Head of Passes (AHP), extending up river to 109 miles AHP. Ch. 05A - The navigable waters of the Lower Mississippi River from 109 miles AHP, extending up river to 254 miles AHP. 33 CFR 110.195(c)(3) requires vessels using anchorages in the Mississippi River to maintain a manned bridge and radio guard on VHF Channel 16 OR the appropriate VTS New Orleans sector frequency noted in TABLE 33 CFR 161.12(c). Regulations Governing the Garbage Management Plan and Garbage Record Book. 1. Any ship more than 12 meters long as well as fixed and floating platforms must display Garbage Regulation Placards written in the working language of the ship s crew. Ships engaged in voyages to ports or offshore terminals under the jurisdiction of other parties to the convention must also display the garbage placard in English, French, or Spanish. 2. Any ship 100GT or more and/or certified to carry 15 or more passengers must have a Garbage Management Plan that includes: a. Written procedures for minimizing, collecting, storing, processing, and disposing of garbage, b. Written procedures for use of any equipment used in the Garbage Management Plan, c. Designation of person or persons responsible for ensuring the Garbage Management Plan is followed. 4
MARPOL Annex V (Garbage) Discharge Regulations Effective Date: January 1, 2013 1. Strict requirements are going into effect regulating the discharge of garbage in Special Areas as defined by MARPOL Annex V. 2. These requirements will affect vessels operating in the Gulf of Mexico, which is part of the Wider Caribbean Region Special Area. The entire Wider Caribbean Region is defined as: the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea proper including the bays and seas therein and that portion of the Atlantic Ocean within the boundary constituted by the 30 N parallel from Florida eastward to 77 30 W meridian, thence a rhumb line to the intersection of 20 N parallel and 59 W meridian, thence a rhumb line to the intersection of 7 20' N parallel and 50 W meridian, thence a rhumb line drawn southwesterly to the eastern boundary of French Guiana. 3. The discharge of any garbage into the sea in special areas is prohibited, with the exceptions of certain types of food wastes and cargo residues under specific conditions. 4. Discharge of food wastes may be made if all of the following conditions are met: a. The discharge of food wastes must be NOT LESS than 12 nautical miles from the nearest land or nearest ice shelf. b. Food wastes discharged in any special area must be comminuted or ground to the point that they are capable of passing through a screen with openings no greater than 25 mm. c. Food wastes discharged in the special area must not be contaminated by any other type of garbage. 5. Discharge of cargo residues may be made if all of the following conditions are met: a. Cargo residues, cleaning agents or additives may not include any substances classified as Harmful to the Marine Environment according to IMO guidelines. b. Both the port of departure and next port of destination must be within the special area and the vessel is not transiting outside the special area between ports. c. There must be no adequate reception facilities at the port of destination. d. If all of these conditions (a, b, & c above) have been met and there is no other alternative available for unloading cargo residues, the discharge of cargo residues may be made NOT LESS than 12 nautical miles from the nearest land. 5