E SUB-COMMITTEE ON SAFETY OF NAVIGATION 57th session Agenda item 3 NAV 57/3/7 11 March 2011 Original: ENGLISH ROUTEING OF SHIPS, SHIP REPORTING AND RELATED MATTERS New traffic separation schemes and two-way routes in Norra Kvarken Submitted by Finland and Sweden SUMMARY Executive summary: This document provides a proposal for three new traffic separation schemes and three two-way routes in Norra Kvarken in the Baltic Sea, for consideration and approval by the Sub-Committee and forwarding to the Maritime Safety Committee, for adoption Strategic direction: 5.2 High-level action: 5.2.4 Planned output: 5.2.4.1 Action to be taken: Paragraph 24 Related documents: Ships' Routeing, tenth edition, 2010; MSC/Circ.1060 and Add.1; and SOLAS regulation V/10 Introduction 1 The Baltic Sea was designated as a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA) in 2005 (resolution MEPC.136(53)). It is a globally unique and sensitive northern brackish water ecosystem. 2 The Baltic Sea States are dependent upon safe, environmentally friendly, secure and sustainable sea transports. The maritime traffic in the Baltic Sea area is dense: the annual turnover of oil and petroleum products in the Baltic Sea is calculated to be more than 200 million tonnes. On top of that, over 500 million tonnes of other goods are annually transported by vessels within the Baltic Sea area. According to reported estimates, maritime transportation in the Baltic will increase by approximately 60% from 2003 until 2020. An increased risk for oil pollution tends to follow increased sea transportation. In addition, the average draught of vessels is expected to increase and some of the fairways to the ports in the northern part of the Baltic Sea are being dredged to suit larger vessels. A threat as sinister as cargo spills are spills of heavy oil from bunker tanks. Contrary to tankers transporting oil products as cargo, bunker tanks are not required to have a double-hull structure as protection.
Page 2 3 In order to plan the maritime traffic in the area in a way that will offer safer navigation in the area, Finland and Sweden propose a number of new routing measures. (see annexes 1, 2 and 3). Summary 4 The new routeing measures proposed in Norra Kvarken are: Three traffic separation schemes; and o "Norra Kvarken part I-III" Three two-way routes which will connect the three traffic separation schemes. o "Norra Kvarken part I-III" The routeing measures are described in annexes 1, 2 and 3. 5 According to AIS data, all traffic transiting Norra Kvarken, southbound, as well as northbound, tends to keep close to the Nordvalen lighthouse, resulting in head-on encounters (see annex 4). 6 The fundamental objective of the proposed traffic separation schemes and the two-way routes is to offer safer navigation by providing separation between opposing traffic streams in the areas so as to reduce the incidence of head-on encounters and to organize the traffic flow. 7 There is no history of major groundings, collisions or damages to the marine environment in the areas of the proposed TSSs and two-way routes. However, due to the fact that the traffic is increasing, especially ships carrying oil and other dangerous goods, the risk of accidents is also increasing. An oil spill resulting from grounding or collision in the area would have disastrous consequences on this unique and ecologically vulnerable area. The proposed routeing measures would reduce the probability of such accidents. Description of the area 8 Norra Kvarken is located in the northern part of the Baltic Sea. 9 The available depths create difficulties in designing an efficient routeing system and it is not possible to establish a straightforward traffic separation scheme in this area. Due to lack of routeing measures, dangerous encounter situations frequently occur. 10 This is an area where navigable waters are very limited, generally surrounded by shallow water which forces ships to navigate with extreme caution. Additionally, a rather dense eastbound and westbound traffic of passenger ships is crossing the southern part of the area. 11 The area is covered by Swedish charts number SE 429 edition 3/11-2010, SE 512 edition 11/11-2008, all in WGS 84 and Finnish charts number FI 47 edition 2005 V, FI 957 edition 2006 VII, all in WGS 84 and FI 5 edition 2006 V (in KKJ).
Page 3 Co-operation between States 12 For a long period of time, the maritime authorities in Finland and Sweden have been in close co-operation concerning matters related to safety of navigation in their adjacent waters and coastal areas. The TSSs and the two-way routes have been developed in close co-operation with the shipping industry. Traffic and marine environmental considerations 13 Norra Kvarken is transited by traffic to and from the northern ports of Finland and Sweden. 14 There are protected nature reserve areas in Swedish and Finnish coastal areas close to the proposed routeing measures. The Norra Kvarken Archipelago in Finland and the High Coast in Sweden are both in UNESCO's world heritage list as natural heritage sites with special physical significance. 15 Annually, about 10,000 ships pass the area. There are also advanced plans for a mine project in the northern part of Finland and Sweden and if these are carried through, the amount of traffic and size of vessels will increase. Additionally there are plans for dredging fairways to several ports in northern Finland to suit larger vessels. 16 The areas of proposed routeing measures are in compliance to S-44 IHO specified standards. 17 The most frequent wind directions in the area are between south and southwest. Wind speeds exceeding 21 m/s are mainly observed from November to April. The number of days with fog (defined as visibility less 1000 metres) is 3 to 7 days per month, on an average. 18 In winter time, Norra Kvarken is developing a heavy ice situation and this makes the area even more complicated for the mariners. Recommendatory routeing system 19 It is proposed that the traffic separation schemes and the two-way routes are recommendatory for all ships. Position-fixing in relation to the routeing system 20 Existing aids to navigation are considered adequate to enable mariners to determine their position with sufficient accuracy to navigate in accordance with rule 10 of the COLREGs. Position-fixing is supported by several aids to navigation in the proposed routeing system and the lighthouse in the area gives clear radar echoes and is equipped with racon. 21 The proposed routeing measures are within coverage of fully operational Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). Stations are transmitting differential GPS corrections and integrity data for the area in accordance with IALA standards. 22 There is full electronic navigational chart (ENC) coverage of the area.
Page 4 Miscellaneous information 23 The proposed routeing measures have been developed in close co-operation with the shipping industry. An expert workshop, with experienced mariners who traffic the area regularly, was held to identify hazards and risk reduction measures in the area. The proposed TSSs and two-way routes are the result from these discussions. Action requested of the Sub-Committee 24 The Sub-Committee is invited to consider and approve the proposal for three new traffic separation schemes and three new two-way routes in Norra Kvarken as indicated in the annexes to this document and to refer the proposal to the Maritime Safety Committee for adoption. Sweden and Finland request the effective date of implementation to be [1 May 2013]. ***
Annex 1, page 1 ANNEX 1 PROPOSED NEW TRAFFIC SEPARATION SCHEMES IN NORRA KVARKEN (Reference chart: Finnish chart number 47 edition 2005 V in WGS-84.) Part I (a) A traffic separation zone 0.1 mile wide is centred upon the following geographical (1) 63 27.22 N 020º37.58 E (2) 63º27.93 N 020º38.58 E (b) A traffic lane for the northbound traffic is established between the traffic separation line described in paragraph (a) and a line connecting the following geographical (3) 63º27.03 N 020º38.32 E (4) 63º27.72 N 020 39.24 E (c) A traffic lane for the southbound traffic is established between the traffic separation line described in paragraph (a) and a line connecting the following geographical (5) 63º28.12 N 020º37.93 E (6) 63º27.42 N 020º36.83 E Part II (d) A traffic separation zone 0.1 mile wide is centred upon the following geographical (7) 63º31.60 N 020º42.72 E (8) 63º31.84 N 020º43.00 E (9) 63º32.50 N 020º45.82 E (e) A traffic lane for the northbound traffic is established between the traffic separation line described in paragraph (d) and a line connecting the following geographical (10) 63º31.19 N 020º43.77 E (11) 63º32.29 N 020º46.24 E (f) A traffic lane for the southbound traffic is established between the traffic separation line described in paragraph (d) and a line connecting the following geographical (12) 63º 32.70 N 020º45.37 E (13) 63º32.23 N 020 41.09 E Part III (g) A traffic separation zone 0.1 mile wide is centred upon the following geographical (14) 63º34.73 N 021º01.51 E (15) 63º35.06 N 021º03.61 E
Annex 1, page 2 (h) A traffic lane for the northbound traffic is established between the traffic separation line described in paragraph (g) and a line connecting the following geographical (16) 63º34.42 N 021º01.76 E (17) 63º34.72 N 021º03.88 E (i) A traffic lane for the southbound traffic is established between the traffic separation line described in paragraph (g) and a line connecting the following geographical (18) 63º 35.40 N 021º03.33 E (19) 63º35.04 N 021º01.26 E
Annex 1, page 3 CHARTLET TSSs ***
Annex 2, page 1 ANNEX 2 PROPOSED NEW TWO-WAY ROUTES IN NORRA KVARKEN (Reference chart: Finnish chart number 47 edition 2005 V in WGS-84.) Part I (a) A two-way route is established bounded by a line connecting the following geographical (20) 63º25.21 N 020º35.75 E (21) 63º25.54 N 020º33.94 E (6) 63º27.42 N 020º36.83 E (3) 63º27.03 N 020º38.32 E Part II (b) A two-way route is established bounded by a line connecting the following geographical (4) 63º37.72 N 020 39.24 E (5) 63º28.12 N 020º37.93 E (13) 63 32.23 N 020 41.09 E (10) 63 31.19 N 020 43.77 E Part III (c) A two-way route is established bounded by a line connecting the following geographical (11) 63 32.29 N 020 46.24 E (12) 63 32.70 N 020 45.37 E (23) 63 33.49 N 020 52.35 E (19) 63º35.04 N 021º01.26 E (16) 63º34.42 N 021º01.76 E (22) 63 32.90 N 020 51.03 E
Annex 2, page 2 CHARTLET TWO-WAY ROUTE ***
Annex 3, page 1 ANNEX 3 EXTRACT FROM CHART WITH THE PROPOSED ROUTEING MEASURES ***
Annex 4, page 1 ANNEX 4 AIS DATA FROM TRAFFIC TRANSITING NORRA KVARKEN SOUTHBOUND
Annex 4, page 2 AIS DATA FROM TRAFFIC TRANSITING NORRA KVARKEN NORTHBOUND