USCG establishes regulated navigation area for vessels in Florida Keys

Due to potential safety issues in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, vessels are prohibited from “entering into, anchoring, loitering, or movement” within a safety zone in the Florida Keys for the next two weeks, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

   The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) over the weekend established a temporary regulated navigation area and temporary safety zone for waters within the Florida Keys due to ocean dangers in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma.
    For the next two weeks, vessels are prohibited from “entering into, anchoring, loitering, or movement within a safety zone of 25 yards around law enforcement vessels, salvage vessels, or visible wreckage” in the Florida Keys, according to the USCG.
   “These temporary regulations are necessary for the safety of persons, vessels, and property due to the large volume of debris, sunken vessels, and salvage operations associated with Hurricane Irma,” the USCG explained in a Sept. 17 statement.
   Vessels within the regulated navigation area within one nautical mile of land in the Florida Keys must operate at a slow speed, meaning the speed at which a vessel proceeds when it’s fully off plane, completely settled in the water, and not creating excessive wake.
   However, no specific speed is assigned to “slow speed,” the Coast Guard said, due to different speeds at which vessels of different sizes and configurations may travel while complying with the definition.
   A vessel is not proceeding at a slow speed, according to the Coast Guard, if it is: on a plane; in the process of coming on or coming off a plane; or creating an excessive wake.
   The emergency rule became effective at 5 p.m. Sept. 16, and is expected to remain in place through 8 a.m. on Oct. 1.
   “Coast Guard personnel have been working alongside the U.S Navy, NOAA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and FEMA personnel and using specialized equipment to assess and scan the Port of Key West in order to mark and identify all potential hazards to navigation,” Coast Guard Sector Key West Commander Capt. Jeffrey Janszen said. “Our goal is to fully open the Port of Key West for all navigational needs as soon as possible, but we first have an obligation to ensure safety of the port and vessels in order to protect all marine and maritime interests.”