JHC Navigating Limits Sub-Committee
The INC 1/11/03 reflects modern trading realities and the
associated climate information is kept under review by the standing
sub-committee.
Member's Area Responsbilities
| Area 1 |
Arctic |
Mike
Thompson |
| Area
2 |
Northern
Seas |
Mike
Thompson |
| Area
3 |
Baltic |
Paul
Fry |
| Area
4 |
Greenland |
Dan
Dobisz |
| Area
5a |
N
America |
Mike
Thompson / Paul Western |
| Area
5b |
N
America |
Richard
Bridges |
| Area
6 |
N
America (W) |
Matt
Gysbers |
| Area
7 |
S
Ocean |
Richard
Bridges |
| Area
8 |
Kerguelen |
Richard
Bridges |
| Area
9 |
East
Asia |
Matt Gysbers / Jason
Page |
Recent Incidents
29.8.2010 Cruise ship runs aground in Canadian Arctic
More than 120 passengers were evacuated by the
Canadian cost guard when an elderly expedition cruiseship ran aground in
the Beaufort Sea’s Coronation Gulf.The ice strengthened 4,376-gt
Clipper
Adventurer, part of a Miami based fleet, was built in 1975
was reported as listing art 4.5 degrees to port but stable.
Great Lakes
25.03.2010 There are continued restrictions to vessel
traffic for an extra 24 hours near Southern Lake Huron & the
Upper St. Clair River after an ice bridge caused a hazard to navigation.
Efforts are being made to relieve the ice jam above the Blue Water
Bridge. A suspension for vessel transits on the St. Clair River has
been put in place for 48 hours. No Night time transits will be
allowed. Vessels will need to provide at least 1 assist tug of
sufficient power for safe transit until further notice.
Bulkers Trapped in Lake Huron
20.3.2010 Two Great Lakes bulkers were stuck in Lake Huron after
winds pushed an 11 mile section of ice into the shipping channel.Tugs
and coastguard vessels were involved in freeing the two ships, the
73,000dwt Edgar B Speer and the 19,400 ton Alpena, built 1942.
Baltic Ice Problems
4.3.10 Around 50 ships recently became stuck in thick ice in the
Baltic around Sweden,
the Stockholm archipelago and the Finnish
island of
Aland. These
included two passenger ferries and two cargo ships with over 1,100
people aboard. In the southern Baltic, conditions were reported to be
the worst for 15 years in contrast to the northern area which is having
a relatively benign year.
Loran-C shut down
8.2.10 The US Coast Guard has stopped transmitting the radio signal
Loran-C (North American Long Range Navigation-C) which has been a
reliable navigation aid since WW2. Mariners will now have to rely
on the satellite system, GPS.
Russian reefer in trouble in Sea of Okhotsk
22.1.10 The 1,557 dwt Smolninskiy lost power in icy waters
and was in danger of sinking. Latest reports stated the operation
to airlift the 30 crew was being prevented by poor weather
conditions.
White Sea (Port Vitino) - current conditions - from a Master's
report
13.1.10 During loading Voy No.xx at port Vitino 02-05 Jan, 2010 there
was very low air temperature during the day -25C/-13F and during night
time up to -30C/-22F.
White sea is an iceberg free area, with ice only during winter
time. Ice at port Vitino area and Kandalaksha Bay: thickness varies from
0.10-0.30 metres. Vessel speed in loaded condition on the port
Vitino fairway was 6.0-7.0 knt and in Kandalaksha Bay, varied from
1.0 to 7.5 knt at full manoeuvering speed.
Other part of White sea on way to Murmansk: ice conditions lighter,
ice thickness from 0.05-0.20 meters.
Expanding ice cover in northern China could have a serious
impact on oil exploration and shipping.
13.1.10 Activity in the Yellow Sea is also being restricted, where
ice may reach 90 nautical miles from the coast next week.
The ice may reach 40 centimetres in thickness, according to the
State Oceanic Administration. Sea ice appeared last week in Bohai and
the Yellow Sea as cold fronts pushed temperatures down to minus 10
degrees Celsius. The coast of nearby Shandong province also saw the
most severe icing in 30 years.
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