REGULATIONS FOR VESSELS PASSING OTHER VESSELS UNDERWAY IN PORTSMOUTH HARBOUR

1. Mariners are advised that the King’s Harbour Master Portsmouth has made the following General Direction under the Dockyard Port of Portsmouth Order 2005 that the regulations herein are in force to govern the passing of ships underway in the channel and harbour north of Saddle Buoy.

2. The traffic guidance below has been designed to take account of all vessels, planned and currently using the harbour. In exceptional circumstances, after considering the relative risks, the Vessel Traffic Services Supervisor (VTSS) on watch will decide if any deviation from these regulations can be permitted.

3. Passing Areas. The following passing areas are established, tied to sizes of vessels and weather conditions:

South of Saddle Buoy

The navigable waters south of Saddle Buoy.

Bar Channel

The navigable waters of the approach channel from a line joining Outer Spit Buoy (OSB) and Saddle Buoy to a line joining Number 3 Bar and 4 Bar buoys.

Main Harbour (South)

The navigable waters of the approach channel and the main channel of the harbour between a line joining 3 Bar and 4 Bar buoys, and a line joining the southern Oil Fuel Jetty dolphin to the stern of HMS Warrior.

Main Harbour (North)

The navigable waters of the main channel between: To the east – a line joining North Corner and 98 Pile. To the northwest – a line joining 98 Pile and Shell Pier light. To the south – a line joining the southern Oil Fuel Jetty dolphin to the stern of HMS Warrior.

Tidal Basin

The navigable waters of the main channel between to the east – a line joining Fountain Lake Corner and 103 Pile and to the west – a line joining North Corner and 98 Pile.

4. Holding Area. The navigable waters to the north and west of a line between 98 Pile and Shell Pier light and south and east of a line between 95 Pile and Powder Jetty light.

The Holding Area is established for use by Roll On - Roll Off (Ro-Ro) ferries (pilots on other vessels may also request to use this area, but the final decision will remain with the VTSS) to wait for inbound/outbound vessels to pass, as agreed in advance with KHM Harbour Control when the Upper Harbour Ammunition Facility (UHAF) is not in operation and winds are less than 30 knots.

5.Vessels bound to Portsmouth International Port (PIP) berths will not be permitted to pass OSB until their designated berth is clear or suitable abort berth is available and agreed, in advance of the vessel passing OSB, between the VTSS, PIP and the vessel Master.

6. A ‘Precautionary Area’, defined as an area requiring regulatory traffic control, is established the length and breadth of the Main Harbour (South) and Bar Channel areas excluding the Small Boat Channel between 4 Bar buoy and the Ballast Pile (see Chartlet 1). All vessels navigating in this area shall ensure that vessels greater than 135 metres in length overall (LOA) when navigating within the ‘Precautionary Area’ are automatically allocated a ‘Moving Prohibited Zone’ (MPZ). The MPZ is defined as an area extending 500 metres ahead of the bow and 50 metres from the ship’s side on both sides of the ship.

Small vessels (defined as any vessel of less than 20 metres LOA or a sailing vessel) may not enter a MPZ.

For the purpose of indicating the presence of the MPZ, the master of any vessel of over 135 metres LOA shall display on the vessel where it can best be seen, by day, a black cylinder, and by night, 3 all-round red lights in a vertical line.

7. Where two or more vessels are to pass using the passing areas as defined in section 3 and the below tables, they may do so provided that the larger of those vessels does not exceed the maximum size in Column 2, and the opposing vessel, does not exceed the corresponding size in columns 3 or 4.

Column 1 Passing Area	Column 2 Maximum size of vessel 1	Column 3 Maximum size of vessel 2. Wind up to 30 knots	Column 4 Maximum size of vessel 2. Wind more than 30 knots
South of Saddle	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
Bar Channel	300 metres	215 metres	135 metres
Main Harbour (South)	110 metres	110 metres	110 metres
Main Harbour (North)	215 metres	110 metres	110 metres
Tidal Basin	215 metres	135 metres	110 metres

Table 1: QEC Berthed alongside in Portsmouth.

Column 1 Passing Area	Column 2 Maximum size of vessel 1	Column 3 Maximum size of vessel 2. Wind up to 30 knots	Column 4 Maximum size of vessel 2. Wind more than 30 knots
South of Saddle	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
Bar Channel	300 metres	215 metres	135 metres
Main Harbour (South)	110 metres	110 metres	110 metres
Main Harbour (North)	215 metres	187 metres	110 metres
Tidal Basin	215 metres	152 metres	110 metres

Table 2: No QEC Berthed alongside in Portsmouth.

Chartlet 1: Precautionary area – Not to be used for Navigation.

Notes.

a. QEC vessels will have a 250 metres all-round Security Exclusion Zone in force when underway and are not to be passed by any vessel once north of Saddle. This will include closure of the Small Boat Channel.

b. Outbound vessels are to take care to ensure they do not encroach on the Small Boat Channel, particularly when passing inbound vessels.

c. At VTSS discretion, larger ships may be allowed to pass each other in Tidal Basin if no QEC vessel is in harbour and Tidal Basin occupancy is low.

d. RORO ferries and cruise liners above 125m LOA are required to have a tug with a bollard pull over 26 tonnes in attendance if the wind is above 30 knots, and two such tugs if the wind is above 40 knots. A pilot shall be employed to operate the tug(s), with the exception of any Towage endorsements for Pilot Exemption Certificate (PEC) holders. The decision on how to employ allocated tugs remains with the Master or Pilot (where carried). Pilots and tugs are available at 2 hours notice, but in high wind situations, early booking is strongly advised, in order to secure arrival and departure times.

e. If a QEC vessel is in port, large cargo vessels above 205 metres LOA are to have a 26 tonne plus bollard pull tug connected in both the bow and in the stern while passing the QEC berth.

f. In good weather conditions, a vessel of less than 50m LOA, may be allowed to pass an outbound vessel over 100m LOA in the area between 3 Bar Buoy and Victoria Pier. Such a passing must only take place once permission from Harbour Control has been granted, and the passing is agreed by both vessels.

8. General Direction 6/23 is hereby cancelled.