Safety zones for specific deepwater ports.

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§ 150.940 Safety zones for specific deepwater ports.

(a) Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP).

(1) The location of the safety zone for LOOP is as described in Table 150.940(A) of this section:

Expand Table

Table 150.940(A) - Safety Zone for LOOP, Gulf of Mexico

Plotting guidance Latitude N Longitude W
(i) Starting at 28°55′24″ 90°00′37″
(ii) A rhumb line to: 28°53′51″ 90°04′07″
(iii) Then an arc with a 4,465 meter (4,883 yard) radius centered at the deepwater port's pumping platform complex 28°53′07″ 90°01′30″
(iv) To a point 28°51′08″ 90°03′06″
(v) Then a rhumb line to 28°50′10″ 90°02′24″
(vi) Then a rhumb line to 28°49′06″ 89°55′54″
(vii) Then a rhumb line to 28°48′37″ 89°55′00″
(viii) Then a rhumb line to 28°52′05″ 89°52′42″
(ix) Then a rhumb line to 28°53′11″ 89°53′42″
(x) Then a rhumb line to 28°54′53″ 89°57′00″
(xi) Then a rhumb line to 28°54′53″ 89°59′36″
(xii) Then an arc with a 4,465 meter (4,883 yard) radius centered again at the deepwater port's pumping platform complex
(xiii) To the point of starting 28°55′24″ 90°00′37″

(2) The areas to be avoided within the safety zone are:

(i) The area encompassed within a circle having a 600 meter radius around the deepwater port's pumping platform complex and centered at 28°53′07″ N, 90°01′30″ W.

(ii) The six areas encompassed within a circle having a 500 meter radius around each single point mooring (SPM) deepwater at the port and centered at:

Expand Table
Latitude N Longitude W
28°54′13″ 90°00′37″
28°53′17″ 89°59′59″
28°52′16″ 90°00′19″
28°51′46″ 90°01′25″
28°52′09″ 90°02′33″
28°53′08″ 90°03′02″

(3) The anchorage area within the safety zone is an area enclosed by the rhumb lines joining points at:

Expand Table
Latitude N Longitude W
28°52′22″ 89°57′47″
28°54′06″ 89°56′38″
28°52′05″ 89°52′42″
28°50′21″ 89°53′51″
28°52′22″ 89°57′47″

(b) Northeast Gateway Deepwater Port (NEGDWP) -

(1) Location. The safety zones for the NEGDWP consist of circular zones, each with a 500-meter radius and centered on each of the deepwater port's two submerged turret loading (STL) buoys. STL Buoy “A” is centered at the following coordinates: 42°23′38″ N, 070°35′31″ W. STL Buoy “B” is centered at the following coordinates: 42°23′56″ N, 070°37′00″ W. Each safety zone is located approximately 13 miles south-southeast of the City of Gloucester, Massachusetts, in Federal waters.

(2) No anchoring areas. Two mandatory no anchoring areas for NEGDWP are established for all waters within circles of 1,000-meter radii centered on the submerged turret loading buoy positions set forth in paragraph (b)(1) of this section.

(3) Area to be avoided. An area to be avoided (ATBA) for NEGDWP is as described in Table 150.940(B):

Expand Table

Table 150.940(B) - ATBA for NEGDWP

Plotting guidance Latitude N Longitude W
(i) Starting at 42°24′17″ 070°35′16″
(ii) A rhumb line to: 42°24′35″ 070°36′46″
(iii) Then an arc with a 1250 meter radius centered at point 42°23′56″ 070°37′00″
(iv) To a point 42°23′17″ 070°37′15″
(v) Then a rhumb line to 42°22′59″ 070°35′45″
(vi) Then an arc with a 1250 meter radius centered at point 42°23′38″ 070°35′31″
(vii) To the point of starting 42°24′17″ 070°35′16″

(4) Regulations.

(i) In accordance with the general regulations set forth in 33 CFR 165.23 and elsewhere in this part, no person or vessel may enter the waters within the boundaries of the safety zones described in paragraph (b)(1) of this section unless previously authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) Boston, or his/her authorized representative.

(ii) Notwithstanding paragraph (b)(4)(i) of this section, tankers and support vessels, as defined in 33 CFR 148.5, operating in the vicinity of NEGDWP are authorized to enter and move within such zones in the normal course of their operations following the requirements set forth in 33 CFR 150.340 and 150.345, respectively.

(iii) All other vessel operators desiring to enter, operate or conduct diving operations within a safety zone described in paragraph (b)(1) of this section must contact the COTP, or the COTP's authorized representative, to obtain permission by contacting the Sector Boston Command Center at 617-223-5761 or via VHF-FM Channel 16 (156.8 MHZ). Vessel operators given permission to enter, operate, or conduct diving operations in a safety zone must comply with all directions given to them by the COTP or the COTP's authorized representative.

(iv) No vessel, other than a support vessel or tanker calling on NEGDWP may anchor in the area described in paragraph (b)(2) of this section.

(c) Neptune Deepwater Port (Neptune) -

(1) Location. The safety zones for Neptune consist of circular zones, each with a 500-meter radius and centered on each of Neptune's two submerged turret loading (STL) buoys. STL Buoy “A” is centered at the following coordinates: Latitude 42°29′12.3″ N, Longitude 070°36′29.7″ W; and STL Buoy “B”: Latitude 42°27′20.5″ N, Longitude 070°36′07.3″ W. Each safety zone encompasses, within the respective 500-meter circles, the primary components of Neptune, including a submerged turret loading buoy and a pipeline end manifold. Each safety zone is located approximately eight nautical miles south-southeast of Gloucester, Massachusetts, in Federal waters.

(2) No anchoring areas. Two mandatory no anchoring areas for Neptune are established for all waters within circles of 1,000-meter radii centered on the submerged turret loading buoy positions set forth in paragraph (c)(1) of this section.

(3) Area to be avoided. An area to be avoided (ATBA) for Neptune is as described in Table 150.940(C):

Expand Table

Table 150.940(C) - ATBA for Neptune

Plotting guidance Latitude N Longitude W
(i) Starting at 42°27′26.6″ 70°35′13.1″
(ii) A rhumb line to 42°29′18.3″ 70°35′35.4″
(iii) Then an arc with a 1250 meter radius centered at point 42°29′12.3″ 70°36′29.7″
(iv) To a point 42°29′6.3″ 70°37′24.0″
(v) Then a rhumb line to 42°27′14.7″ 70°37′1.6″
(vi) Then an arc with a 1250 meter radius centered at point 42°27′20.5″ 70°36′7.3″
(vii) To the point of starting 42°27′26.6″ 70°35′13.1″

(4) Regulations.

(i) In accordance with the general regulations set forth in 33 CFR 165.23 and elsewhere in this part, no person or vessel may enter the waters within the boundaries of the safety zones described in paragraph (c)(1) of this section unless previously authorized by the Captain of the Port (COTP) Boston, or the COTP's authorized representative.

(ii) Notwithstanding paragraph (c)(4)(i) of this section, liquefied natural gas carriers (LNGCs) and support vessels, as defined in 33 CFR 148.5, calling on Neptune, are authorized to enter and move within such zones in the normal course of their operations following the requirements set forth in 33 CFR 150.340 and 150.345, respectively.

(iii) All other vessel operators desiring to enter, operate or conduct diving operations within a safety zone described in paragraph (c)(1) of this section must contact the COTP or the COTP's authorized representative to obtain permission by contacting the Sector Boston Command Center at 617-223-5761 or via VHF-FM Channel 16 (156.8 MHZ). Vessel operators given permission to enter or operate in a safety zone must comply with all directions given to them by the COTP or the COTP's authorized representative.

(iv) No vessel, other than an LNGC or support vessel calling on Neptune, may anchor in the area described in paragraph (c)(2) of this section.

[USCG-2007-27887, 72 FR 45903, Aug. 16, 2007, as amended by USCG-2007-0087, 73 FR 34194, June 17, 2008; USCG-2009-0589, 75 FR 51376, Aug. 20, 2010; USCG-2013-0397, 78 FR 39183, July 1, 2013; USCG-2015-0433, 80 FR 44281, July 27, 2015]


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