Vessel Traffic Marine Safety Advisory - Mackenzie River

A "Marine Safety Advisory Service" was established in 1988, for the Mackenzie River due to high risk areas such as shoaling and danger zones. The following Marine Safety Advisory Procedures on the Mackenzie River should be followed by all vessels on the river, before entering, whilst proceeding through, and on leaving the danger zones (1-10) on the river listed below:

1.  Wrigley Harbour to Horn River

• Downbound traffic reports in at Mile 0 and out at Mile 65.
• Upbound traffic reports in at Mile 65 and out at Mile 0.
• Reporting radio facility - Inuvik MCTS Centre.

2.  Head of the Line to Fort Simpson

• Downbound traffic reports in at Mile 130, and again before leaving Mile 181 and reports out at Mile 205.
• Upbound traffic reports in at Mile 205 and out at Mile 130.
• Reporting radio facility - Inuvik MCTS Centre.

3.  Camsel Bend to Jones Landing

• Downbound traffic reports in at Mile 282 and out at Mile 325.
• Upbound traffic reports in at Mile 325 and out at Mile 282.
• Reporting radio facility - Inuvik MCTS Centre.

4.  Blackwater River to Old Fort Point

• Downbound traffic reports in at Mile 400 and out at Mile 480.
• Upbound traffic reports in at Mile 480 and out at Mile 400.
• Reporting radio facility - Inuvik MCTS Centre.

5.  Sans Sault Rapids

• Downbound traffic reports in at Mile 620 and out at Mile 645.
• Upbound traffic reports in at Mile 645 and out at Mile 620.
• Reporting radio facility - Inuvik MCTS Centre.

6.  Ramparts Rapids

• Downbound traffic reports in at Mile 667 and out at Mile 680.
• Upbound traffic reports in at Mile 680 and out at Mile 667.
• Reporting radio facility - Inuvik MCTS Centre.

7.  Oniak Channel

• Traffic reports in when entering the Oniak Channel from the following channels: Middle Channel, Luker Channel and East Channel.
• Traffic reports out when leaving the Oniak Channel to the following channels: Middle Channel, Luker Channel and East Channel.
• Reporting radio facility - Inuvik MCTS Centre.

8.  East Channel - Inuvik to Tununuk

• Downbound traffic reports when leaving Inuvik and out when either entering the Oniak Channel or at Mile 1040.
• Upbound traffic for Inuvik reports in at Mile 1040 or when entering from the Oniak Channel and reports arrival at Inuvik.
• Reporting radio facility - Inuvik MCTS Centre.

9.  East Channel - Kittigazuit

• Downbound traffic reports in at Mile 1070 and out at the fairway buoy at Mile 1081.
• Upbound traffic reports in at the fairway buoy at Mile 1081 and out at Mile 1070.
• Reporting radio facility - Inuvik MCTS Centre.

10.  Vessels should also report to Inuvik Marine Communications and Traffic Services Centre (MCTS) before entering and upon leaving the following restricted channels in the Mackenzie Delta.

• Aklavik Channel
• Arctic Red River
• Husky Channel
• Napoiak Channel
• Peel Channel
• Peel River
• Phillips Channel
• Schooner Channel
• Tiktalik Channel
• Tuktoyatuk Entrance Channel

Mariners should also report in and out of any other restricted channels in the Delta at their own discretion.

All vessels should maintain a continuous radio watch on the Western Arctic Emergency and Calling Frequency, 5803 kHz (SSB), from the time that they reach the first reporting point previous to entering a danger area until the time that they report clear of the danger area.

If contact cannot be made with the designated reporting facility on 5803 kHz, VHF channel 16 (156.8 MHz) may be used where available. Working frequencies that Inuvik MCTS uses are Channels 403, 601, 826 and 1214 which are listed in 1998 edition of RAMN.

The Safety Advisory calls should consist of the following information:

1. Name of towing vessel and number of barges in the tow and whether riding high or low
2. Direction of voyage i.e. northbound, southbound, etc
3. Danger Zone
4. Mileage
5. Time
6. Remarks

EXAMPLE:

"Inuvik Coast Guard Radio, this is Angus Sherwood, southbound with 6 barges riding high, entering Area 6 at Mile 680, 1030 local estimating Mile 660 at 1530 local, have you any traffic?"

If contact cannot be made with Inuvik MCTS, the vessel should transmit their position blind on the chance that someone may hear it and relay it through to Inuvik. Inuvik MCTS on receipt of a report of a vessel entering a danger area, will log the date, time of the report and the position of the vessel and will advise the vessel of any other known traffic in the area. At the same time the Centre will advise all other traffic in the area of the first vessel's approach.

Link to notmar 25 Authority: Canadian Coast Guard (AWVA)