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MARAD Issues Advisory to Vessels Transiting to or from Japan or in Waters in the Vicinity

Published May 16, 2011 9:08 AM by The Maritime Executive

The following is advisory 2011-02, issued by The United States Maritime Administration on May 18, 2011:

1. THIS MARAD ADVISORY PROVIDES GUIDANCE TO VESSELS TRANSITING TO OR FROM PORTS IN JAPAN OR IN WATERS IN THE VICINITY OF THE NORTHEAST COAST OF THE ISLAND OF HONSHU.

2. U.S.-FLAG OPERATORS WITH SHIPS IN THE AFFECTED AREAS ARE REQUESTED TO FORWARD THIS ADVISORY TO THEIR SHIPS BY THE MOST EXPEDITIOUS MEANS.

3. A 8.9/9.0 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE STRUCK THE PACIFIC OCEAN NEAR NORTHEASTERN JAPAN AT AROUND 1446 ON MARCH 11 (JST) CAUSING DAMAGE WITH BLACKOUTS, FIRE AND A TSUNAMI. NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS NEAR FUKUSHIMA WERE DAMAGED AND RADIATION RELEASE WAS DETECTED AND IS BEING MONITORED BY JAPAN.

4. IN RESPONSE TO THE SITUATION AT THE FUKUSHIMA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT, THE UNITED STATES NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (NRC), THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY AND OTHER TECHNICAL EXPERTS IN THE U.S. GOVERNMENT HAVE REVIEWED SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION COLLECTED FROM ASSETS IN JAPAN, AS WELL AS WHAT THE GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN HAS DISSEMINATED. CONSISTENT WITH THE RESULTS OF THAT REVIEW, NRC GUIDELINES AND GUIDANCE ISSUED BY THE U.S. AMBASSADOR TO JAPAN, THE U.S. COAST GUARD RECOMMENDS, AS A PRECAUTION, THAT VESSELS AVOID TRANSITING WITHIN 50 MILES (80 KILOMETERS) OF THE FUKUSHIMA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT AT POSITION 37 DEGREES 19 MINUTES NORTH, 141 DEGREES 01 MINUTES EAST. MARINERS ARE ADVISED THAT THIS RECOMMENDATION SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A MINIMUM DISTANCE FROM THE FUKUSHIMA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT SHOULD BE AVOIDED. PRUDENT TRACKLINE PLANNING SHOULD INCORPORATE CURRENT WIND AND WEATHER CONDITIONS.

5. MARINERS ARE ADVISED TO MONITOR AND COMPLY WITH NAVTEX AND NAVAREA XI WARNINGS. MARINERS SHOULD KEEP ABREAST OF INFORMATION BEING PROVIDED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN RELATING TO ANY FURTHER POTENTIAL IMPACTS. THE MARTIME ADMINISTRATION AND THE U.S. COAST GUARD WILL PROVIDE UPDATED NOTICES AS ADDITIONAL GUIDANCE BECOMES AVAILABLE.

6. IN THE EVENT A VESSEL BOUND FOR A U.S. PORT TRANSITS WITHIN THE 50-MILE (80-KILOMETER), PRECAUTIONARY AREA, THE U.S. COAST GUARD RECOMMENDS THE VESSEL'S MASTER TO SUBMIT TRANSIT INFORMATION, INCLUDING THE DATE AND TOTAL TIME WITHIN THE PRECAUTIONARY AREA, TO THE COGNIZANT U.S. COAST GUARD CAPTAIN OF THE PORT USING THE COMMENT BLOCK ON THE 96-HOUR ADVANCED NOTICE OF ARRIVAL.

7.THIS ADVISORY WILL BE PUBLISHED ON THE MARAD WEB SITE AT WWW.MARAD.DOT.GOV UNDER THE NEWSROOM TAB.

8. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING THIS ADVISORY, CONTACT CAPTAIN ROBERT FORD, MARITIME ADMINISTRATION, OFFICE OF SECURITY, CODE: MAR-420, ROOM W25-308, 1200 NEW JERSEY AVE, S.E., WASHINGTON, DC 20590, TELEPHONE 202-366-0223, FACSIMILE 202-366-3954, TLX II 710.822.9426 (MARAD DOT WSH), OR EMAIL: [email protected].