(a) Subject to the exigencies of safe navigation, a VTS User shall comply with all measures established or directions issued by a VTS.
(b) If, in a specific circumstance, a VTS User is unable to safely comply with a measure or direction issued by the VTS, the VTS User may deviate only to the extent necessary to avoid endangering persons, property or the environment. The deviation shall be reported to the VTS as soon as is practicable.
(c) When not exchanging voice communications, a VTS User must maintain a listening watch as required by Sec. 26.04(e) of this chapter on the VTS frequency designated in Table 161.12(c) (VTS and VMRS Centers, Call Signs/MMSI, Designated Frequencies, and Monitoring Areas). In addition, the VTS User must respond promptly when hailed and communicate in the English language.
Note to Sec. 161.12(c): As stated in 47 CFR 80.148(b), a very high frequency watch on Channel 16 (156.800 MHz) is not required on vessels subject to the Vessel Bridge-to-Bridge Radiotelephone Act and participating in a Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) system when the watch is maintained on both the vessel bridge-to-bridge frequency and a designated VTS frequency.
Table 161.12(c)--VTS and VMRS Centers, Call Signs/MMSI, Designated Frequencies, and Monitoring Areas----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Designated frequency
Center MMSI \1\ call sign (channel designation)-- Monitoring area 3 4
purpose \2\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Berwick Bay--003669950:
Berwick Traffic..................... 156.550 MHz (Ch. 11)....... The waters south of 2945.00 N., west of
9110.00 W., north of 2937.00 N., and
east of 9118.00 W.Buzzards Bay:
Buzzards Bay Control \5\............ 156.600 MHz (Ch. 12)....... The waters east and north of a line drawn
from the southern tangent of Sakonnet
Point, Rhode Island, in approximate
position latitude 4127.20 N., longitude
7111.70 W., to the Buzzards Bay Entrance
Light in approximate position latitude
4123.8 N., longitude 7102.00 W., and
then to the southwestern tangent of
Cuttyhunk Island, Massachusetts, at
approximate position latitude 4124.60
N., longitude 7057.00 W., and including
all of the Cape Cod Canal to its eastern
entrance, except that the area of New
Bedford Harbor within the confines
(north of) the hurricane barrier, and
the passages through the Elizabeth
Islands, is not considered to be
``Buzzards Bay''.
Houston-Galveston--003669954........ ........................... The navigable waters north of 2900.00 N.,
west of 9420.00 W., south of 2949.00 N.,
and east of 9520.00 W.
Houston Traffic..................... 156.550 MHz (Ch. 11)....... The navigable waters north of a line
156.250 MHz (Ch. 5A).--For extending due west from the southernmost
Sailing Plans only. end of Exxon Dock 1 (2043.37
N., 9501.27 W.).
Houston Traffic..................... 156.600 MHz (Ch. 12)....... The navigable waters south of a line
156.250 MHz (Ch. 5A).--For extending due west from the southernmost
Sailing Plans only. end of Exxon Dock 1 (2943.37
N., 9501.27 W.).Los Angeles-Long Beach--03660465:
San Pedro Traffic................... 156.700 MHz (Ch. 14)....... Vessel Movement Reporting System Area:
The navigable waters within a 25
nautical mile radius of Point Fermin
Light (3342.30 N., 11817.60 W.).Louisville--003669732:
Louisville Traffic.................. 156.650 MHz (Ch. 13)....... The waters of the Ohio River between
McAlpine Locks (Mile 606) and Twelve
Mile Island (Mile 593), only when the
McAlpine upper pool gauge is at
approximately 13.0 feet or above.Lower Mississippi River--0036699952:
New Orleans Traffic................. 156.550 MHz (Ch. 11)....... The navigable waters of the Lower
Mississippi River below 2955.30 N.,
8955.60 W. (Saxonholm Light) at 86.0
miles Above Head of Passes (AHP),
extending down river to Southwest Pass,
and, within a 12 nautical mile radius
around 2854.30 N., 8925.70 W. (Southwest
Pass Entrance Light) at 20.1 miles Below
Head of Passes (BHP).
New Orleans Traffic................. 156.600 MHz (Ch. 12)....... The navigable waters of the Lower
Mississippi River bounded on the north
by a line drawn perpendicular on the
river at 2955.50 N., 9012.77 W. (Upper
Twelve Mile Point) at 109.0 miles AHP
and on the south by a line drawn
perpendicularly at 2955.30 N., 8955.60
W. (Saxonholm Light) at 86.0 miles AHP.
New Orleans Traffic................. 156.250 MHz (Ch. 05A)...... The navigable waters of the Lower
Mississippi River below 3038.70 N.,
9117.50 W. (Port Hudson Light) at 254.5
miles AHP bounded on the south by a line
drawn perpendicular on the river at
2955.50 N., 9012.77 W. (Upper Twelve
Mile Point) at 109.0 miles AHP.New York--003669951:
New York Traffic.................... 156.550 MHz (Ch. 11)--For The area consists of the navigable waters
Sailing Plans only. of the Lower New York Bay bounded on the
156.600 MHz (Ch. 12).--For east by a line drawn from Norton Point
vessels at anchor. to Breezy Point; on the south by a line
connecting the entrance buoys at the
Ambrose Channel, Swash Channel, and
Sandy Hook Channel to Sandy Hook Point;
and on the southeast including the
waters of Sandy Hook Bay south to a line
drawn at latitude 4025.00 N.; then west
in the Raritan Bay to the Raritan River
Railroad Bridge, then north into waters
of the Arthur Kill and Newark Bay to the
Lehigh Valley Draw Bridge at latitude
4041.90 N.; and then east including the
waters of the Kill Van Kull (KVK) and
the Upper New York Bay north to a line
drawn east-west from the Holland Tunnel
ventilator shaft at latitude 4043.70 N.,
longitude 7401.60 W., in the Hudson
River; and then continuing east
including the waters of the East River
to the Throgs Neck Bridge, excluding the
Harlem River.
New York Traffic.................... 156.700 MHz (Ch. 14)....... The navigable waters of the Lower New
York Bay west of a line drawn from
Norton Point to Breezy Point; and north
of a line connecting the entrance buoys
of Ambrose Channel, Swash Channel, and
Sandy Hook Channel, to Sandy Hook Point;
on the southeast including the waters of
the Sandy Hook Bay south to a line drawn
at latitude 4025.00 N.; then west into
the waters of Raritan Bay East Reach to
a line drawn from Great Kills Light
south through Raritan Bay East Reach LGB
14 to Comfort Point, NJ; then
north including the waters of the Upper
New York Bay south of 4042.40 N.
(Brooklyn Bridge) and 4043.70 N.
(Holland Tunnel Ventilator Shaft); west
through the KVK into the Arthur Kill
north of 4038.25 N. (Arthur Kill
Railroad Bridge); then north into the
waters of the Newark Bay, south of
4041.95 N. (Lehigh Valley Draw Bridge).
New York Traffic.................... 156.600 MHz (Ch. 12)....... The navigable waters of the Raritan Bay
south to a line drawn at latitude
4026.00 N.; then west of a line drawn
from Great Kills Light south through the
Raritan Bay East Reach LGB 14
to Point Comfort, NJ; then west to the
Raritan River Railroad Bridge; and north
including the waters of the Arthur Kill
to 4028.25 N. (Arthur Kill Railroad
Bridge); including the waters of the
East River north of 4042.40 N. (Brooklyn
Bridge) to the Throgs Neck Bridge,
excluding the Harlem River.Port Arthur--003669955:
Port Arthur Traffic................. 156.050 MHz (Ch. 01A)...... The navigable waters of the Sabine-Neches
Canal south of 2952.70 N.; Port Arthur
Canal; Sabine Pass Channel; Sabine Bank
Channel; Sabine Outer Bar Channel; the
offshore safety fairway; and the ICW
from High Island to its intersection
with the Sabine-Neches Canal.
Port Arthur Traffic................. 156.275 MHz (Ch. 65A)...... The navigable waters of the Neches River;
Sabine River; and Sabine-Neches Waterway
north of 2952.70 N.; and the ICW from
its intersection with the Sabine River
to MM 260.
Port Arthur Traffic................. 156.675 MHz (Ch. 73) \6\... The navigable waters of the Calcasieu
Channel; Calcasieu River Channel; and
the ICW from MM 260 to MM 191.Prince William Sound--003669958:
Valdez Traffic...................... 156.650 MHz (CH. 13)....... The navigable waters south of 6105.00 N.,
east of 14720.00 W., north of 6000.00
N., and west of 14630.00 W.; and, all
navigable waters in Port Valdez.Puget Sound: \7\
Seattle Traffic--003669957.......... 156.700 MHz (Ch. 14)....... The waters of Puget Sound, Hood Canal and
adjacent waters south of a line
connecting Nodule Point and Bush Point
in Admiralty Inlet and south of a line
drawn due east from the southernmost tip
of Possession Point on Whidbey Island to
the shoreline.
Seattle Traffic--003669957.......... 156.250 MHz (Ch. 5A)....... The waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuca
east of 12440.00 W. excluding the waters
in the central portion of the Strait of
Juan de Fuca north and east of Race
Rocks; the navigable waters of the
Strait of Georgia east of 12252.00 W.;
the San Juan Island Archipelago, Rosario
Strait, Bellingham Bay; Admiralty Inlet
north of a line connecting Nodule Point
and Bush Point and all waters east of
Whidbey Island north of a line drawn due
east from the southernmost tip of
Possession Point on Whidbey Island to
the shoreline.
Tofino Traffic--003160012........... 156.725 MHz (Ch. 74)....... The waters west of 12440.00 W. within 50
nautical miles of the coast of Vancouver
Island including the waters north of
4800.00 N., and east of 12700.00 W.
Victoria Traffic--003160010......... 156.550 MHz (Ch. 11)....... The waters of the Strait of Georgia west
of 12252.00 W., the navigable waters of
the central Strait of Juan de Fuca north
and east of Race Rocks, including the
Gulf Island Archipelago, Boundary Pass
and Haro Strait.San Francisco--003669956:
San Francisco Traffic............... 156.700 MHz (Ch. 14)....... The navigable waters of the San Francisco
Offshore Precautionary Area, the
navigable waters shoreward of the San
Francisco Offshore Precautionary Area
east of 12242.00 W. and north of 3740.00
N. extending eastward through the Golden
Gate, and the navigable waters of San
Francisco Bay and as far east as the
port of Stockton on the San Joaquin
River, as far north as the port of
Sacramento on the Sacramento River.
San Francisco Traffic............... 156.600 MHz (Ch. 12)....... The navigable waters within a 38 nautical
mile radius of Mount Tamalpais (3755.80
N., 12234.60 W.) west of 12242.00 W. and
south of 3740.00 N. and excluding the
San Francisco Offshore Precautionary
Area.St. Mary's River--003669953:
Soo Traffic......................... 156.600 MHz (Ch. 12)....... The waters of the St. Mary's River and
lower Whitefish Bay from 4557.00 N. (De
Tour Reef Light) to the south, to
4638.70 N. (Ile Parisienne Light) to the
north, except the waters of the St.
Mary's Falls Canal and to the east along
a line from La Pointe to Sims Point,
within Potagannissing Bay and Worsley
Bay.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Notes:\1\ Maritime Mobile Service Identifier (MMSI) is a unique nine-digit number assigned that identifies ship
stations, ship earth stations, coast stations, coast earth stations, and group calls for use by a digital
selective calling (DSC) radio, an INMARSAT ship earth station or AIS. AIS requirements are set forth in Sec.
161.21. The requirements set forth in Secs. 161.21 and 164.46 of this subchapter apply in those areas denoted
with an MMSI number, except for Louisville and Los Angeles/Long Beach.\2\ In the event of a communication failure, difficulties or other safety factors, the Center may direct or
permit a user to monitor and report on any other designated monitoring frequency or the bridge-to-bridge
navigational frequency, 156.650 MHz (Channel 13) or 156.375 MHz (Channel 67), to the extent that doing so
provides a level of safety beyond that provided by other means. The bridge-to-bridge navigational frequency,
156.650 MHz (Ch. 13) is used in certain monitoring areas where the level of reporting does not warrant a
designated frequency.\3\ All geographic coordinates (latitude and longitude) are expressed in North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83).\4\ Some monitoring areas extend beyond navigable waters. Although not required, users are strongly encouraged
to maintain a listening watch on the designated monitoring frequency in these areas. Otherwise, they are
required to maintain watch as stated in 47 CFR 80.148.\5\ In addition to the vessels denoted in Section 161.16 of this chapter, requirements set forth in subpart B of
33 CFR part 161 also apply to any vessel transiting VMRS Buzzards Bay required to carry a bridge-to-bridge
radiotelephone by part 26 of this chapter.\6\ Until otherwise directed, full VTS services will not be available in the Calcasieu Channel, Calcasieu River
Channel, and the ICW from MM 260 to MM 191. Vessels may contact Port Arthur Traffic on the designated VTS
frequency to request advisories, but are not required to monitor the VTS frequency in this sector.\7\ A Cooperative Vessel Traffic Service was established by the United States and Canada within adjoining
waters. The appropriate Center administers the rules issued by both nations; however, enforces only its own
set of rules within its jurisdiction. Note, the bridge-to-bridge navigational frequency, 156.650 MHz (Ch. 13),
is not so designated in Canadian waters, therefore users are encouraged and permitted to make passing
arrangements on the designated monitoring frequencies.
(d) As soon as is practicable, a VTS User shall notify the VTS of any of the following:
(1) A marine casualty as defined in 46 CFR 4.05-1;
(2) Involvement in the ramming of a fixed or floating object;
(3) A pollution incident as defined in Sec. 151.15 of this chapter;
(4) A defect or discrepancy in an aid to navigation;
(5) A hazardous condition as defined in Sec. 160.202 of this chapter;
(6) Improper operation of vessel equipment required by part 164 of this chapter;
(7) A situation involving hazardous materials for which a report is required by 49 CFR 176.48; and
(8) A hazardous vessel operating condition as defined in Sec. 161.2. [CGD 90-020, 59 FR 36324, July 15, 1994]
Editorial Note: For Federal Register citations affecting Sec. 161.12, see the List of CFR Sections Affected, which appears in the Finding Aids section of the printed volume and at www.fdsys.gov.