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How to report AIS violations?

7K views 61 replies 29 participants last post by  SailRacer 
#1 ·
Yesterday we were sailing on the Delaware River, where we frequently encounter large commercial traffic. AIS helps us to "see" vessels coming from miles away, and make sure that we are well out of their way.

We were passed by Seatrade's Polarstream, which was not transmitting an AIS signal. (I was seeing dozens of other vessels up to 22 nm away.) This is the first time we have noted a vessel >300 tons that was not complying with this Homeland Security/SOLAS requirement. I attempted to hail him on channels 13, 19, and 16, and he did not respond. I wanted to politely suggest that he turn on his transponder. But he did not respond to any of my hails. (A later radio check passed with no problems.)

So my question is, are we supposed to report these sorts of things to USCG? If so, what is the suggested mechanism? Is there a phone number for vessels within cell reception to call? Or are we supposed to hail USCG over the public VHF and report them for everyone to hear? Or are we just supposed to ignore it?

 
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#32 ·
misfits - I struggle with those issues too, and don't like having a society where everyone snitches on each other. And if we actually get there, there will be so many "false alarms" that the system will collapse from its own weight. So it's a dual edged sword.

I'm not sure where we should draw the line on commercial traffic. I don't want to sound like I'm suspicious of our friends from overseas, but the fact that most of these large freighters are foreign flagged makes it a little more important to have them tracked IMO.

Also, every decade or so we have a large oil spill here on the Delaware. About 9 years ago, the Athos 1 hit an underwater submerged object that led to 265,000 gallons of crude oil spilling into the river. I would think that it would be helpful to have independent 3rd parties recording AIS tracks for such accidents, since investigations can sometimes lead to "he said she said" discrepancies. That's another reason why AIS transmissions for large vessels could be important.

FWIW, my own AIS system is receive only. I do not transmit my location, mainly because I think if every recreational vessel does so, the display will get too clogged with unnecessary traffic. But the big boys are always the stand on vessel relative to recreational traffic, so I'd like to see where they are on AIS.
 
#33 ·
"Since 911 America has become a different place. "
I'd have to pretty much agree with you. Al-Q won that war, they curtailed our society forever. Anyone who thinks otherwise, can explain why we've run an undeclared war in the middle east ever since and how the War Powers Act failed to accomplish the goal of never having another Vietnam.
Then they can explain why Congress and the US airline industry both got away with pretending they didn't enable Al-Q by ignoring global flight security standards.
Meanwhile, this is what we've got and I don't think reporting a drunk driver is being a good little German, I think it is a matter of reporting it instead of dealing with it the old fashioned way, which would be boarding the vessel and keelhauling the master for his negligence. Or banning Liberian flag vessels from US "domestic" trade.
There's no end to the nonsense but the bottom line is that a vessel not keeping watch and not complying with safety standards, is a disaster waiting to happen.
Oh, wait, after Tom Clancy's blockbuster book and novel (more than 10 years before 9/11) with the premise that a jumbo jet would make a mighty fine bomb...Right, we've proven the value of ignoring the improbable.
 
#35 ·
"Since 911 America has become a different place. "
I'd have to pretty much agree with you. Al-Q won that war, they curtailed our society forever...
It's clear that that the country has been severely divided ever since our marches to war in Afghanistan, Iraq, Arab spring, etc., and even domestic policy has been wracked by partisanship (largely over the reckless spending that accelerated during those wars).

But I think it's a severe overstatement to suggest that AQ has won any war and/or succeed at "curtailing" anything irrevocably. Our country is a better place than you portray.
 
#34 ·
A commercial vessel that is required to have AIS does not mean that that vessel cannot operate if there is a problem with the unit, what it means is that vessel must report the problem to their own flag state and the flag state/port authority of any countries they are visiting....

The vessel can/will be issued an exemption for a set period to effect repairs. At one stage we had no AIS for two weeks and visited thee different ports until a technician (at the third port) was available to rectify the problem, we had an exemption and followed procedure, all above board and perfectly legal...
 
#42 ·
While I completely agree that Big Bro is out of control, it seems to me that almost all our big cities are on waterfronts and all those tankers and container ships ships present a BIG risk. Those who believe the nut jobs are not looking for weaknesses are living in a different century.
 
#44 ·
The snag with COLREG collision rules are exactly when they go in effect. We would all agree that spotting a tanker on the horizon would not cause one to assess stand-on rules. But when do you?

Common sense would cause a 25 ft sailboat to get out of the way of a tanker, long before the COLREGS rules even mattered. I think that's ultimately TakeFive's point.

Also recall, regardless of stand-on rules, all vessels are required to take whatever action necessary to avoid a collision. If you should be able to reasonably assess a tanker would not be able to make the evasive maneuvers necessary to comply with the stand-on rules for you situation, but you could, you would be expected to get the heck out of the way. Stand-on or not. Life just ain't as simple as writing a computer program to solve for every encounter.
 
#45 ·
Once past the TSS and inside the COLREG line, in a channel, by the rules, a large, faster overtaking vessel is SUPPOSED TO make contact with a smaller, slow moving boat to arrange a passage. Since it seems that these large vessels may not even speak English and will probably ignore this rule, the only sane option is GTH out of the way. The best option is to stay right out of channels such as on the Delaware Bay or Chesapeake. Even where these channels narrow down, there's usually plenty of water to stay outside. I always make sure I'm well out of channels like this so I'm not worrying about being run down by tankers and such. If you're in water that is too shallow for them, they can't get you:)
 
#46 ·
All large vessels in the Delaware River shipping channel are restricted in movement, and some especially the LNG carriers have USCG and tug escorts.

Occasionally I will see a large vessel making the sharp turn at the Tinicum Range/Chester Range turn with a tug assist to make the turn. Ships and barges will also have tug assist (often two tugs) in the shipping channel when getting underway at the general anchorage of Marcus Hook and off PHL airport.

I don't have AIS so stay well clear of larger vessels, the value of AIS is in part to know the intentions of the larger vessels; speed, direction, destination,... with that information I would be able like TakeFive to better judge when and if it is safe to enter the shipping channel. There are sections of the river where staying out of the channel is not an option.

I don't know the legal requirements, but for the safety of shipping on the river, large vessels running without AIS creates a potential hazard to other vessels.

While I have concerns about government monitoring of private activity without a warrant, operating a pleasure vessel in navigable waters is a regulated activity not a private activity.
 
#47 ·
Rick,
The Coast Guard monitors 16, so a transmission like this repeated twice:

"Polarstream, Polarstream, Polarstream, this is the sailing vessel TakeFive passing to your port. Please be aware that your AIS is not transmitting."

In those two transmissions you've made Polarstream aware (if they're listening) and you've made the Coast Guard aware (they are listening). If they're having equipment problems that the CG is already aware of, no harm no foul. Otherwise you've brought the situation to the CG's attention and the ship's attention.


As for being the stand on vessel:
I used to sail a 22 footer on the Delaware. You learn VERY quickly to stay well away from barge and ship traffic.

Only a fool would put themselves and their guests lives at risk by trying to prove something to a ship. If there was a ship or barge headed my way I made sure I was well out of the channel. The big boys move FAST and there is no guarantee they see you. You only have to look at the fatal collision between a barge and a Duck Tour boat on the Delaware to see my point.

By staying clear Rick is being prudent and safe.
 
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#51 ·
I've often marveled about how the most trivial issues seem to turn into major debates up here. But I never thought that the idea of recreational sailboats giving way to an 11,000 tonne freighter would be debatable. This has to be a new record! :laugher
 
#53 ·
COLREGS are not trivial. There are parts of the world (England) that will fine you if you are not following them and that 11,000 tonne freighter reports you because you caused him or another ship to alter course because you did not do what was expected.

As I wrote earlier, if your altering course impacts other traffic who thought you would follow COLREGS correctly, and they then have to alter course as a result, you may well hear a lot of resentment on the VHF.

If the area is a channel which the vessels are restricted by draught or in a narrow channel and you are less than 20 meters, then of course they are stand on. However, Rule 9 does not negate Rule 13, overtaking.
 
#57 ·
Colregs:
They're restricted by draft in a channel; I'm required to stay out of the way.

Outside a narrow channel, if I see a ship or barge headed my way I'll make a clear course change that moves me AWAY from a point of possible collision such that my intentions are clear. If I'm even remotely close I'll hail them on 13 and let them know my intentions.

Common Sense:
Stay the hell away from something that is huge, can't stop or steer very well in close quarters, may not see you and can surely kill you.

Is there really something to debate here?????? :confused:

I'm just glad I don't have to deal with ship traffic where I sail now...
 
#54 ·
'Trivial" was the wrong word. I should have said "obvious." A small sailboat giving way to an 11,000 tonne freighter is "obvious" and non-debatable. Yet you still insist on debating it. Have fun with that one. :laugher
 
#55 ·
.....A small sailboat giving way to an 11,000 tonne freighter is "obvious" and non-debatable. Yet you still insist on debating it. Have fun with that one. :laugher
In practical terms, you are absolutely right. However, you introduced this line of discussion by using the technical term, stand-on, and declared that recreational traffic is stand-on to commercial. That is not what the COLREGs actually say, as there are only specific commercial vessels that are high up the food chain, or draft issues, or nuances when collision avoidance even goes into affect. Therefore, you got a form over function debate.

I think it makes everyone sharper to actually discuss the rules, despite the futility in this case. No one would stand-on until they were dead right.
 
#60 · (Edited)
I *am* frequently the stand-on vessel when encountering large ships NOT in the Bay. This may be an area not experienced by many who sail mostly in their local area. It is VERY confusing to the ship if I start doing random stuff when they expect me by the COLREGS to keep going. I will call them on the VHF and ask what their plans are. If I can't raise them we assume no one is on the bridge. Then we revert to "Monty Python" colregs, i.e RUN AWAY RUN AWAY!

This is entirely logical. A power boat, even a 900 foot long one, can change course out in the ocean to avoid one sailing vessel. This same ship in the Bay cannot do so without either running aground or hitting some OTHER sailboat. A small fleet of sailboats could effectively bring shipping to a halt in a confined area. In the ocean - not so much.
 
#62 ·
Call no one,
Sometimes the AIS is not working and it may be the next port that they will have it fixed by Radio Holland or some other Radio shack rep. Expect it not to work sometimes as the shore startion that you get your info from maybe out by reason that is only need to know.

A good outlook uses more than one source of identifing danger.
Sail safe
 
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