33 CFR § 161.60 - Vessel Traffic Service Prince William Sound.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t33/s161.60"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "33 CFR § 161.60 - Vessel Traffic Service Prince William Sound."
title_number: 33
title_name: "Navigation and Navigable Waters"
section_number: "161.60"
section_name: "Vessel Traffic Service Prince William Sound."
chapter_name: "COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY"
subchapter_number: "P"
subchapter_name: "PORTS AND WATERWAYS SAFETY"
part_number: "161"
part_name: "VESSEL TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-04-05"
last_updated: "2026-04-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "46 U.S.C. 70001, 70002, 70003, 70034, 70114, 70119; Pub. L. 107-295, 116 Stat. 2064; DHS Delegation No. 00170.1, Revision No. 01.3."
regulatory_source: "CGD 90-020, 59 FR 36324, July 15, 1994, unless otherwise noted."
cfr_part: "161"
---


# 161.60 Vessel Traffic Service Prince William Sound.

(a) The VTS area consists of the navigable waters of the United States north of a line drawn from Cape Hinchinbrook Light to Schooner Rock Light, comprising that portion of Prince William Sound between 146°30′ W. and 147°20′ W. and includes Valdez Arm, Valdez Narrows and Port Valdez.

(b) The Valdez Arm VTS Special Area consists of the waters of the Valdez Arm Traffic Separation Scheme (described in § 167.1703 of this chapter); the waters northeast of a line drawn from shoreline to shoreline through the points 60°58.04′ N, 146°46.52′ W and 60°58.93′ N, 146°48.86′ W; and southwest of a line bearing 307° True from Tongue Point at 61°02.10′ N, 146°40.00′ W.

(c) The Valdez Narrows VTS Special Area consists of those waters of Valdez Arm, Valdez Narrows, and Port Valdez northeast of a line bearing 307° True from Tongue Point at 61°02′06″ N., 146°40′ W.; and southwest of a line bearing 307° True from Entrance Island Light at 61°05′06″ N., 146°36′42″ W.

(d) Additional VTS Special Area Operating Requirements. The following additional requirements are applicable in the Valdez Narrows VTS Special Area:

(1) No VMRS User shall proceed north of 61° N. without prior approval of the VTS.

(2) For a vessel listed in paragraph (d)(3) of this section—

(i) Approval to enter this area will not be granted to a vessel when a tank vessel of more than 20,000 deadweight tons is navigating therein;

(ii) A northbound vessel shall remain south of 61° N. until the VTS has granted permission to proceed; and

(iii) A southbound vessel shall remain in Port Valdez east of 146°35′ W. and north of 61°06′ N. until the VTS has granted permission to proceed.

(3) Paragraph (d)(2) of this section applies to—

(i) A vessel of 1600 gross tons or more; and

(ii) A towing vessel of 8 meters or more in length, except for a vessel performing duties as an escort vessel as defined in 33 CFR part 168.

(e) Reporting Points.

Table 161.60(**d**)—VTS Prince William Sound Reporting Points

| Designator | Geographic name | Geographic description | Latitude/longitude | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1A | Cape Hinchinbrook | Cape Hinchinbrook | 60°16′18″ N; 146°45′30″ W | Northbound Only. |
| 1B | Schooner Rock | Schooner Rock | 60°18′42″ N; 146°51′36″ W | Southbound Only. |
| 2A | Naked Island | Naked Island | 60°40′00″ N; 147°01′24″ W | Northbound Only. |
| 2B | Naked Island | Naked Island | 60°40′00″ N; 147°05′00″ W | Southbound Only. |
| 3A | Bligh Reef | Bligh Reef Light (Pilot Embark) | 60°50′36″ N; 146°57′30″ W | Northbound Only. |
| 3B | Bligh Reef | Bligh Reef Light (Pilot Disembark) | 60°51′00″ N; 147°01′24″ W | Southbound Only. |
| 4A | Rocky Point | Rocky Point | 60°57′48″ N; 146°47′30″ W | Northbound Only. |
| 4B | Rocky Point | Rocky Point | 60°57′48″ N; 146°50′00″ W | Southbound Only. |
| 5 | Entrance Island | Entrance Island Light | 61°05′24″ N; 146°37′30″ W. |  |

[CGD 90-020, 59 FR 36324, July 15, 1994, as amended by CGD 95-033, 60 FR 28332, May 31, 1995; USCG-1998-3799, 63 FR 35532, June 30, 1998; USCG-2001-10254, 67 FR 53742, Aug. 19, 2002; USCG-2015-0433, 80 FR 44282, July 27, 2015; USCG-2023-0759, 89 FR 22948, Apr. 3, 2024]