§ 161.60 Vessel Traffic Service Prince William Sound.

(a) The VTS area consists of the navigable waters of the United States north of a line drawn from Cape Hinchinbrook Light to Schooner Rock Light, comprising that portion of Prince William Sound between 146°30′ W. and 147°20′ W. and includes Valdez Arm, Valdez Narrows and Port Valdez.

(b) The Valdez Arm VTS Special Area consists of the waters of the Valdez Arm Traffic Separation Scheme (described in § 167.1703 of this chapter); the waters northeast of a line drawn from shoreline to shoreline through the points 60°58.04′ N, 146°46.52′ W and 60°58.93′ N, 146°48.86′ W; and southwest of a line bearing 307° True from Tongue Point at 61°02.10′ N, 146°40.00′ W.

(c) The Valdez Narrows VTS Special Area consists of those waters of Valdez Arm, Valdez Narrows, and Port Valdez northeast of a line bearing 307° True from Tongue Point at 61°02′06″ N., 146°40′ W.; and southwest of a line bearing 307° True from Entrance Island Light at 61°05′06″ N., 146°36′42″ W.

(d) Additional VTS Special Area Operating Requirements. The following additional requirements are applicable in the Valdez Narrows VTS Special Area:

(1) No VMRS User shall proceed north of 61° N. without prior approval of the VTS.

(2) For a vessel listed in paragraph (c)(3) of this section—

(i) Approval to enter this area will not be granted to a vessel when a tank vessel of more than 20,000 deadweight tons is navigating therein;

(ii) A northbound vessel shall remain south of 61° N. until the VTS has granted permission to proceed; and

(iii) A southbound vessel shall remain in Port Valdez east of 146°35′ W. and north of 61°06′ N. until the VTS has granted permission to proceed.

(3) Paragraph (c)(2) of this section applies to—

(i) A vessel of 1600 gross tons or more; and

(ii) A towing vessel of 8 meters or more in length, except for a vessel performing duties as an escort vessel as defined in 33 CFR Part 168.

(e) Reporting Points.

Table 161.60(d)—VTS Prince William Sound Reporting Points

Open Table
Designator Geographic name Geographic description Latitude/longitude Notes
1A Cape Hinchinbrook Cape Hinchinbrook 60°16′18″ N; 146°45′30″ W Northbound Only.
1B Schooner Rock Schooner Rock 60°18′42″ N; 146°51′36″ W Southbound Only.
2A Naked Island Naked Island 60°40′00″ N; 147°01′24″ W Northbound Only.
2B Naked Island Naked Island 60°40′00″ N; 147°05′00″ W Southbound Only.
3A Bligh Reef Bligh Reef Light (Pilot Embark) 60°50′36″ N; 146°57′30″ W Northbound Only.
3B Bligh Reef Bligh Reef Light (Pilot Disembark) 60°51′00″ N; 147°01′24″ W Southbound Only.
4A Rocky Point Rocky Point 60°57′48″ N; 146°47′30″ W Northbound Only.
4B Rocky Point Rocky Point 60°57′48″ N; 146°50′00″ W Southbound Only.
5 Entrance Island Entrance Island Light 61°05′24″ N; 146°37′30″ W.

[CGD 90–020, 59 FR 36324, July 15, 1994, as amended by CGD 95–033, 60 FR 28332, May 31, 1995; USCG–1998–3799, 63 FR 35532, June 30, 1998; USCG–2001–10254, 67 FR 53742, Aug. 19, 2002; USCG–2015–0433, 80 FR 44282, July 27, 2015]


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