New fog rule in San Francisco Bay

   New rules to restrict the movement of large ships near the Bay Bridge between San Francisco and Oakland during heavy fog were approved by the San Francisco Bay Harbor Safety Committee on Thursday, according to several media reports.
   The rules follow a Jan. 7 accident when an empty oil tanker, the Overseas Reymar, struck a tower of the Bay Bridge near Yerba Buena Island and five years after the containership Cosco Busan hit an adjacent tower.
   The San Jose Mercury News reported “The rules, which will be enforced by the Coast Guard and take effect immediately, apply to ships sailing out of the bay. They do not apply to ships sailing from the ocean into the bay because of concerns that broader regulations could stall commerce.”
   The News said roughly 3,500 cargo ships, oil tankers, chemical ships and other large vessels sail in and out of San Francisco Bay. – Chris Dupin