Navigational Safety Advisory - Upper Cook Inlet Ice Guidelines Activation

The U.S. Coast Guard has activated the Ice Guidelines for Upper Cook Inlet (Anchorage area) on Thursday, December 21, 2023.

III. UPPER COOK INLET GUIDELINES

North of 60° 45’ N latitude (East -West Forelands)

WHILE MOORED AT FACILITIES IN UPPER COOK INLET:

A. SELF-PROPELLED VESSEL OPERATIONS

1. Vessels should maintain “underway” watches in both engineering spaces and on the bridge when ice conditions threaten a vessel’s mooring arrangement.

2. While these guidelines are in effect, steam (or other heated medium, not including air) should be continuously delivered to both the primary and secondary sea chests.

3. Engines, generators, propulsion systems, and winches should be in a status to ensure the most expeditious means of mitigating ice conditions by relieving strain on mooring lines, getting the vessel underway, or both as appropriate. A sufficient number of additional mooring lines should also be immediately available.

B. TUG AND BARGE OPERATIONS

1. Tugs attending barges should maintain an “underway” watch while alongside a dock.

2. Tugs should keep main engines running and ready for immediate operation, to include testing generators, pumps, and winches for operation, in order to ensure prompt action can be taken to mitigate hazardous ice conditions, relieve strain on mooring lines, or get underway.

3. A sufficient number of additional mooring lines should be immediately available.

4. Ensure assist tugs are available for transit and confirm that they have no schedule

Upper Cook Inlet Ice Guidelines Activation NSA signed

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