Offshore Vessel Traffic Management Ovtm Study Executive Summary PDF Download

The objectives of the study were: (1) to analyze the causes of tanker and other vessel casualties that could potentially result in oil pollution, and (2) to evaluate various alternative vessel traffic management systems and techniques for the prevention of oil-polluting casualties in the U.S. offshore waters. The geographical areas of interest are the waters from the U.S. coast out to 200 NM around the contiguous 48 states, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Alaska, except the area north of the Aleutian Islands. Three types of casualties are addressed in the study: groundings, collisions, and rammings. Vessels included in the study are tank vessels (tankers and tank-barges) over 1000 gross tons. The analysis of the causes of tank vessel casualties is performed mainly with the Coast Guard Merchant Vessel Casualty Report (MVCR) data base covering the period from July 1971 to October 1977. Other data sources surveyed include: the Lloyd's Weekly Casualty Reports, the Tanker Casualty Library of Marine Management Systems, Inc., and the Coast Guard Pollution Incident Reporting System. The nature and characteristics of tank vessel casualties that occur in the U.S. offshore waters are described. Systems and techniques considered as alternatives for preventing these casualties are identified, evaluated against each casualty and given an overall rating of casualty prevention effectiveness based on criteria which are defined. The promising systems are selected and conceptual descriptions are presented including the operational features, technical description, cost, staffing and training required, and legal implementation considerations.