4 June Vermundsgade 38 C DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø. Overgaden oven Vandet 62 B DK-1023 Copenhagen K. Rentemestervej 8 DK-2400 Copenhagen NV

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1 Admiral Danish Fleet Great Belt VTS Danish Naval Home Guard Danpilot Danish Pilotage Authority Agency for Environmental and Spatial Planning Danish Directorate of Fisheries Danish Coastal Authority Danish Shipowners Association Danish Shipowners Association for Smaller Vessels Danish Shipowners Association of 1885 Danish Car Ferry Shipowners Association Danish Association of Small Commercial Vessels Danish Association of Suction Dredgers Danish Fishermen s Association Danish Maritime Officers Union of Danish Yachtsmen Danish Sport Diving Federation Søfart Maritime Denmark Information about changes to TSS At Hatter Barn Changes to the traffic separation system At Hatter Barn in Samsø Belt entering into force on 1 July 2009 Denmark has succeeded in adopting amendments to the traffic separation system At Hatter Barn through the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The system, which is popularly referred to as the diagonal route, is found south-east of Hatter Barn. The traffic separation system At Hatter Barn was established in 1984 and has, since then, functioned without changes. The primary change is that the coastal traffic zone associated with the traffic separation system is cancelled and instead a traffic separation zone is established at the south-eastern side of the system. In addition, minor changes will be made to the north-easterly traffic route as well as to the arrangement of buoys on the south-eastern side part of the system and in connection with the new traffic separation zone. 4 June 2009 DANISH MARITIME AUTHORITY Vermundsgade 38 C DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø DANISH MARITIME SAFETY ADMINISTRATION Overgaden oven Vandet 62 B DK-1023 Copenhagen K NATIONAL SURVEY AND CADASTRE Rentemestervej 8 DK-2400 Copenhagen NV The background for the changes is that, when Great Belt VTS was extended to include the area at At Hatter Barn, some inappropriate navigational consequences were identified in the existing system. The amendment of the traffic separation scheme was announced by the IMO on 10 December 2008 through Circular COLREG.2/Circ.60. Subsequently, this was officially promulgated in Denmark in Notices to Mariners (Efterretninger for Søfarende), no. 9, as most recently followed by an up-dated description in Notices to Mariners, no. 19, including a description of the new buoying. New versions of charts nos. 102 and 128 have been published on 1 May Corrections to other charts will be promulgated in Chart Corrections (Søkortrettelser), no , which

2 2/5 will be annexed to Notices to Mariners, no , and published on on 26 June The traffic routes in the traffic separation system At Hatter Barn have a minimum depth of 15 m at normal mean sea level. Ships with a draught greater than 13 m should use the deep water route between Hatter Reef and Hatter Barn. Distribution of authority The amendments have been made by the Danish Maritime Authority, the Danish Maritime Safety Administration and the National Survey and Cadastre in cooperation. These three agencies will deal with the following as regards the amendment: Danish Maritime Authority: Routeing, route systems, navigational regulations and reporting systems. Danish Maritime Safety Administration: Buoying, navigational warnings, NAVTEX and Notices to Mariners. National Survey and Cadastre: Publishes and up-dates charts, publishes Chart Corrections and nautical publications. Great Belt Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) Vessel traffic in the Great Belt and Samsø Belt must take part in the mandatory vessel reporting system BELTREP, as amended most recently by the IMO by Resolution MSC.230(82) of 5 December 2006 and introduced by Order no. 488 of 31 May 2007 on the vessel reporting system BELTREP and navigation under the East Bridge and the West Bridge in the Great Belt. The BELTREP vessel reporting system is operated by the Great Belt Vessel Traffic Service. Originally, the vessel reporting system covered the area in the Great Belt around the permanent connection, but at the latest amendment it was extended so that it also covers the area in Samsø Belt up to Sjællands Odde. The background for this extension was a desire to guide the vessel traffic around Hatter Barn and, thereby, increase safety of navigation. Problems in connection with the existing traffic separation system The continuous monitoring of vessel traffic in Samsø Belt revealed inappropriate navigational patterns of the existing traffic separation system and the associated coastal traffic zone: Small and slow-going ships were mixed with large and fast-going ships in the traffic separation zone in that, normally, the international regulations for preventing collisions at sea do not permit navigation in a coastal traffic zone. In addition, it has been pointed out that it could be difficult for small vessels to merge with other vessel traffic at the ends of the

3 3/5 system in connection with navigation under conditions of poor visibility. In quite a few cases, northbound ships, which are to enter the north-east bound traffic lane of the traffic separation system, do not approach correctly or sufficiently early and, consequently, navigate the first part or the route in the wrong traffic lane in which southbound ships navigate. At the northern part of the traffic separation system and the deep water route, northbound and southbound ships crowd together in certain cases. The traffic separation system is relatively narrow and, since the monitoring was initiated, there have been reports of a number of cases where overtaking ships have navigated in the oncoming traffic lane in contravention of the international regulations for preventing collisions at sea. By reducing the number of ships in the system, it is expected that there will be more room for overtaking and, consequently, that the number of reports will be reduced. The Danish Maritime Authority, the Danish Maritime Safety Administration and the National Survey and Cadastre decided together to discuss how these problems could be changed by adjusting the existing traffic separation system. The following measures were proposed: The coastal traffic zone is cancelled permitting small and slowgoing vessels with a low draught to use the area southeast of the traffic separation system and, thereby, not take up room for large and fast-going ships in the traffic separation system. This will increase both safety of navigation and the capacity of the traffic separation system. The separation line on the south-eastern side of the traffic separation is changed into a separation zone. The aim of this is to prevent large ships from circumnavigating the routing system and to avoid uncertainty as regards the intentions of small vessels in relation to the vessel traffic in the separation system as such. At the grounds around the Leveret, it is only possible for ships with a low draught to pass. The north-easterly lane in the traffic separation system is adjusted by the shape of a funnel during approach from the south. Hereby, ships will have more room for making the turn into the traffic separation system. A funnel in the north-easterly lane s end of the traffic separation system. This will make it easier to make room for south-westerly bound ships approaching the traffic separation or the deep water route from the north. The buoys in the traffic separation system are to be reorganised.

4 4/5 Consultation of maritime users, etc. A draft proposal with a principled outline of an amended traffic separation system was submitted for comments in the spring of The comments received contained positive statements about the proposal, and a few comments drew the attention to the presence of a few shoals close by south-east of the present system and that it would be necessary with a clear buoying. Buoying The Danish Maritime Safety Agency is finishing the supplementary buoying that is to be made when the amendment of the traffic separation system at Hatter Barn enters into force on 1 July 2009 at hours UTC. The north-easterly lane is funnel-shaped at both ends, and in the southern end the buoys marking the western and southern delimitation line of the traffic separation zone will be L-shaped. The delimitation line of the eastern side of the traffic separation zone will be marked by a yellow special marking for ships choosing not to navigate in the traffic separation zone as such. Existing buoying outside the traffic separation system as such will be adjusted as well. As regards all buoying, the changes will be made as close as physically possible to the time when the amendment of the traffic separation system enters into force. Charts and electronic navigational charts (ENC) The new versions of charts nos. 102 and 128 showing the changed traffic separation system at Hatter Barn have been ready for delivery from the National Survey and Cadastre since 1 May Thus, it is possible for users to get acquainted with the changes until 1 July 2009, when existing versions of the charts will be annulled, which will be published in Chart Corrections. As regards other relevant charts (nos. 100, 112, 141 and 145), which cover only parts of the traffic separation system at Hatter Barn, the chart extract will be included in Chart Corrections no , which will be annexed to Notices to Mariners, no , and published on on 26 June 2009 (with information that the chart extracts are not to be inserted until on 1 July 2009). In the official electronic navigational charts (ENC), a caution area was inserted around the traffic separation system at Hatter Barn in the end of May 2009 by means of updates. When users click this area, a text file will be available with information about the coming changes to the traffic separation system, including the date of entry into force. Furthermore, in-

5 5/5 formation will be submitted to PRIMAR, which will forward it to ENC distributors. International regulations for preventing collisions at sea The purpose of traffic separation systems is to reduce the risk of collisions. This is achieved by introducing one-way traffic lanes so that oncoming ships are avoided to as large an extent as possible, and the observation of other ships in the traffic separation system will make it possible to know, through their location, in what direction they are going. Consequently, it will be much easier to decide whether there is a risk of collisions. The traffic separation system at Hatter Barn is covered by the provisions of regulation 10 of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea. Great Belt VTS monitors safety of navigation in the area and can assist and guide ships. The cancellation of the coastal traffic zone means that, in the future, it will be permitted to navigate between Røsnæs and Sejerø south-east of the traffic separation system. It is the master s responsibility that the depth is sufficient in relation to the ship s draught. In the traffic separation zone on the south-eastern side of the system, navigation along the system will be prohibited since the zone is covered by regulation 10(e) of the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, which do however permit fishing operations in a separation zone. Enclosures 1) Chart draft of TSS At Hatter Barn The changes occur by the existing system being shown by means of green graphics. The amended system is shown by means of ordinary graphics. 2) Extract of chart no. 128 TSS At Hatter Barn amended system.