PORT GUIDE · FOR OFFICERS, MASTERS AND SHORE TEAMS
King Cove
Pilot
updated May 2010- Deer Passage Pilot boards55°01.5′N 162°19.3′W
Pilotage is compulsory except for warships, US and Canadian registered fishing vessels, certain vessels engaged in coastal trade and small motor boats.
Pilotage services are provided by the Southwest Alaska Pilots Association and Association of Alaska Marine Pilots, both of which are based at Homer.
Arrangements for pilots should be made well in advance through the vessel's agent.
Key data
updated Aug 2022Size limits
LOA 116m, draught 5, 2,881DWT.
Load line zone
North Pacific Winter Seasonal Zone, Winter Oct 16 to Apr 15, Summer Apr 16 to Oct 15.
Max draft per terminal
| Terminal | Max draught | Max LOA | Berths |
|---|---|---|---|
| King Cove Deep Water City Dock | — | — | 1 |
| PeterPan Seafoods, King Cove Wharf | — | — | 1 |
| PeterPan Seafoods, King Cove Wharf Dock | — | — | 1 |
| PeterPan Seafoods, King Cove Center Dock | — | — | 1 |
| PeterPan Seafoods, King Cove East Dock | — | — | 1 |
Deepest first. The draught is the largest any of the terminal's berths states; a dash means the source gives none.
Approach
updated May 2010Approach
The port is approached from the North Pacific to Cold Bay and Deer Passage.
King Cove is entered between the W side of Bold Cape (55°01'N 162°15'W) and Morgan Point, 1.5nm W. The cove is deep in mid channel and clear of dangers except near the shore where there is foul ground.
King Cove harbour is a dredged basin situated on the W side of the head of King Cove. It is formed between a spit which curves N from the W shore nearly as far as the E spit and a breakwater, which extends E from the W shore to form the N side of the harbour.
Lights mark a narrow dredged entrance channel between the breakwater and the W spit. Depth in the entrance channel and basin is approx 4.0m.
Anchorages
Vessels can anchor in the S part of King Cove (55°02'N 162°19'W) in depths from 24.0-27.0m and in the N part in depths from 29.0-38m, mud with volcanic ash. The 2 parts are separated by a bar with depths of approx 24.0m, sand over a hard bottom.
Charts and publications
Admiralty Pilot NP4.
Reporting before arrival
updated Aug 2010ETA and pre-arrival notices
Vessels arriving in first US port: Please see country information.
Communications
VHF: Ch 06, 16.
Documents
Please see country information for details of documentation requirements.
Health
No action initiated unless there is illness onboard.
Sanitation Control Certificates: Please see country information.
Customs and immigration
For crew not to be detained onboard, each crew member must have a visa in their passport or Seaman's Book.
Notices and regulations
Coastguard Vessel Inspection: Please see country information.
Inspections
Port State Control here: US Coast Guard.
Foreign ships are examined by the US Coast Guard. File the Advance Notice of Arrival 96 hours ahead (33 CFR 160).
ISPS
ISPS Designated Authority: United States Coast Guard, Office of Compliance. Address: 2100 Second St, SW, Washington DC, 20593, USA. Tel: +1 202 267 2978. Fax: +1 202 267 4858. Email: [email protected]. For further ISPS information see IMO website http://www2.imo.org/ISPSCode.
Port services
updated Jul 2022Bunkers, water and stores
Fresh water and bunkering are available locally.
Medical
Facilities are available locally.
Transport
King Cove is accessible only by air and sea. The State Ferry operates bi-monthly between May and October. The ferry and marine cargo services use one of three docks owned by Peter Pan Seafoods.
Working hours
The Port of King Cove office is open from 8am to 5pm on Monday - Sunday.
About King Cove
updated May 2010Where it is
King Cove is situated on the SW tip of the Alaska mainland.
The port
The port is in a small, natural harbour with an alongside berth and an anchorage.
The principal cargoes handled are seafood and general freight.
Traffic
Approx 14,500t of cargo handled annually.
Questions about King Cove
Where does the pilot board at King Cove?
The pilot boards at Deer Passage, 55°01.5′N 162°19.3′W.
What time zone is King Cove in?
Local time at King Cove is UTC−9. Clocks go to UTC−8 on 14 Mar 2027. Back to UTC−9 on 7 Nov 2027.
Which load line zone is King Cove in?
North Pacific Winter Seasonal Zone, Winter Oct 16 to Apr 15, Summer Apr 16 to Oct 15.
Who carries out Port State Control at King Cove?
Port State Control at King Cove: US Coast Guard.
What is the UN/LOCODE of King Cove?
The UN/LOCODE of King Cove is USKVC.
Tips from seafarers
What crews who called at King Cove say: pilot boarding, the agent's papers, inspections, shore leave. Each tip is shown with the writer's rank and ship type, and an AI summary sits on top once there are three or more.
A planning aid, not for navigation. These facts come from public sources and each section shows how old it is. Check with the port, your agent, your ENCs and official publications. Spotted something wrong? Tell us on the feedback board.