News alert issued by the UK P&I Club
The UK P&I Club has issued on its website news alert regarding low visibility restrictions in San Francisco. Vessels that call in the San Francisco/Oakland bay area should take note that with immediate effect, all large vessels will be restricted from sailing northbound under the bay bridge when visibility is less than a half mile.
This action comes 5 weeks after a vessel hit the bay bridge causing 3 million USD in damage. This incident and the 2007 Cosco Busan incident came during foggy conditions with a quarter mile of visibility.
The rules which will be enforced by the Coast Guard apply to ships sailing out of the bay. They do not apply to ships sailing from the ocean into the bay because of safety concerns and concerns that broader regulations could stall commerce.
When visibility is limited due to fog, the rules require Masters of large vessels, and the local pilots that help guide them, to sail under the wider spans of the bay bridge between towers A & B or towers D & E towers and to immediately report visibility changes to the Coast Guard
Source: The UK P&I Club
