Posted on: Saturday, October 6, 2001

The September 11th attack
Coast Guard requires 96-hour notice from ships

By Scott Ishikawa
Advertiser Transportation Writer

The Coast Guard is requiring most ships entering U.S. ports to provide a 96-hour advance notice of arrival instead of the usual 24-hour notice.

Out-of-state vessels must contact their port of destination within 96 hours with specific information on crew, passenger and cargo.

The changes, enacted earlier this week, will not affect shipping to Hawai'i, said Coast Guard spokeswoman Petty Officer Lauren Smith.

"The earlier advance notice just allows us and other federal agencies to investigate the passengers, crew and cargo of each vessel coming in," Smith said.

About 98 percent of all cargo coming to Hawai'i, Guam and American Samoa arrives by ship. Out-of-state vessels make more than 1,100 port calls in Hawai'i each year.

Ships reporting under the rules will continue to send information to the Coast Guard captain of the port office where they plan to arrive until Oct. 15, Smith said. After that date, most reports will be made to the Coast Guard's new National Vessel Movement Center.

The Coast Guard is advising ship operators and others involved in maritime operations to review the new rules. A Web link to the complete rules can be found at www.uscg.mil/d14.

Some 10,000 ships make more than 68,000 port calls in the United States each year.

While recreational and small passenger boats are not covered under this rule change because nearly all of them are registered in Hawai'i, those vessels are still required to stay away from restricted zones around state harbors, cruise passenger ships and Navy vessels, the Coast Guard said.