The bomb cyclone that has affected the Pacific Northwest since Sunday has reached the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, where nearly a record number of vessels are being held in anchorages and holding areas.
The U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port for Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach is encouraging commercial vessels adrift in holding areas to “proceed with energy” ahead of an expected wind event today and tomorrow.
Sector Los Angeles-Long Beach issued a maritime safety information bulletin Monday with a severe weather advisory and guidance for vessels during high wind events that are likely to become more frequent in the fall and winter. The bulletin comes at a time when a near-record number of vessels are anchored or drifting in holding areas outside the San Pedro Bay port complex, home to the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, which handle approximately 40% of U.S. container imports.
The safety bulletin addresses vessel safety within the LA-LB Harbor Master’s area, including the approaches to the ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach and Port Hueneme, in the face of today’s expected high winds.
“In order to ensure the safe navigation of all vessels, the Harbor Master encourages all commercial vessels over 1600 gross tons that are underway, not making way, to proceed under power ahead of the weather forecast,” the safety bulletin states. “Underway, not making way” would include vessels drifting in designated holding areas.
The Marine Exchange of Southern California, which provides vessel traffic services for the area, reported today that there are 56 vessels at anchor and 51 others in waiting areas within 40 miles of the ports, including 30 container ships at anchor and 43 in waiting areas.
An update last Friday from the Exchange called for vessels at anchor and in waiting areas to voluntarily put to sea prior to today’s wind event in order to space out. While Monday’s Harbor Master safety bulletin does not explicitly call for vessels drifting in waiting areas to put to sea, it does remind vessels of their obligations, expressed or implied, during high wind events while in the COTP Zone.
For vessels at anchor
When wind speeds (including wind gusts) exceed 35 knots predicted and/or observed, all anchored commercial vessels over 1,600 gross tons must secure:
a. That a second anchor, if installed, is ready to be dropped,
b. That their propulsion plant is placed on immediate standby,
c. That the vessel is not dragging anchor.
For vessels in standby/drifting areas
When wind speed (including gusts) exceeds 30 knots, the Capitania Maritima strongly recommends that all commercial vessels over 1,600 gross tons underway, not calling, shall.
a. Have their propulsion plan on immediate standby,
b. Remain at all times more than two nautical miles from other vessels,
c. Remain more than two nautical miles from traffic lanes, shoals and shore.
The weather system today and Tuesday is part of the “bomb cyclone” and atmospheric river that has been affecting the U.S. West Coast since Sunday. According to the National Weather Service, the system’s minimum central pressure dropped to 942.5 mb on Sunday, the lowest pressure ever recorded in the Pacific Northwest.
For Monday, the National Weather Service has issued a Small Craft Advisory in effect through tonight for coastal waters from Point Mugu to San Mateo Point, which includes the San Pedro Bay harbor area, as well as Santa Catalina Island. The area tonight should see winds 15 to 25 knots with gusts to 30 knots (34.5 mph) and combined seas 7 to 9 feet.
“Synopsis for the Southern California coast and Santa Barbara Channel, including the National Marine Sanctuary and Channel Islands National Park…at 16Z, or 9 AM PDT, a 969 MB low was 300 NM NW of Seattle, with a cold front pushing through coastal waters. This storm system will bring a period of gusty southerly winds and steep seas everywhere today, with a swell
The same weather system is responsible for complicating the salvage and firefighting on board ZIM Kingston, at anchor in the Strait of Juan de Fuca off Victoria, B.C., following a fire after the ship lost some 40 containers at sea sometime late Thursday or early Friday. While the fire has been reported as stable, a hazardous materials team expected to board the ship on Monday have been unable to because of the weather.
Safety concerns regarding the backlog of ships at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach have been heightened in recent weeks following this month’s oil spill which investigators now believe could be related to an anchor dragging incident during a severe wind event all the way back on January 25, 2021. During that storm, about half of the ships at anchor (24 in total) raised anchor and went to sea to ride out the storm.
