Riverhead Terminal

Size limits

North Berth: LOA 350m, draught 18.9m, 225,000DWT.

South Berth: LOA 195m, draught 12.8m, 42,000DWT.

Largest vessel handled: ''Princess Katherine'', 164,100DWT, draught 18.5m.

Water density

1015-1025.

Load line zone

Summer Zone for ships over 100m in length and Winter Seasonal Area for ships of 100m or less in length, Winter Nov 1 to Mar 31, Summer Apr 1 to Oct 31.

Tides

Range 2.0m. Current: Max 3kts. Flood current flows to the W. Ebb current flows to the E.

Deepest first. The draught is the largest any of the terminal's berths states; a dash means the source gives none.

Approach

The transit from the Point Judith Pilot Station to Riverhead is a wide deep roadstead whose narrowest point is the 3nm wide passage through the Race located at the entrance to Long Island Sound. Deep draught vessels usually transit the 1nm wide North Channel at the Race whose limits are marked by Race Rock Light to the N and Valiant Rock Buoy to the S.

Vessels proceeding to Riverhead from New York Harbour will normally board the pilot at New York anchorage or at a berth in New York. The operator has been advised by pilots rendering services to vessels coming to the Riverhead Terminal, that the recommended route to the Riverhead Terminal is from the sea E of Block Island or SSE of Point Judith Buoy No 2 through Block Island Sound between Point Judith and the N of Block Island and through The Race into Long Island Sound, clearing Horton Point and outlying shoals on the approach to the Riverhead Terminal platform area.

Anchorages

Depths in anchorage range from approx 17m at the E end to approx 26m at the W end. Anchorage is exposed with good holding ground.

Launch service is available to ships at anchor and at the platform.

Restrictions

Barge Berth: NW of the pier must be cleared on the recommended SW approach to, and NW departure from, the W of Pier Berth.

Mooring

Mooring Masters board vessels on their approach to the Platform.

Vessels moor heading either E or W and can normally be berthed at any stage of the tide. Mooring dolphins, located E and W approximately 106m from the centre of the platform structure, provide the mooring points for bow and stern lines from the vessel. Each mooring dolphin has four quick-release hooks for North Berth and two quick release hooks for South Berth. These mooring hooks are provided with hydraulic releasing mechanisms, which can be operated remotely from the main platform during vessel departure.

Spring lines from forward and aft are secured to quick release hooks on the breasting dolphins for North Berth, and on bollards on the South Berth breasting dolphins. Breast lines from vessels in the South Berth are secured to quick release hooks on the S side of the lower decks of the N breasting dolphins.

Vessels calling at the offshore platform are moored at any time, weather conditions permitting. The tidal current periods are generally the same as in The Race. Strong winds from the N and NW is experienced during the winter and spring. Tidal currents during maximum ebb and flood may reach 3kts.

Charts and publications

US 12354, 12358. BA 2754. Admiralty Pilot NP68, NP286(5).

ETA and pre-arrival notices

Vessels arriving in first US port: Please see country information.

Communications

Long range communications may be sent via Inmarsat or telex to the ship's agent.

Documents

Please see country information for details of documentation requirements..

Health

No action initiated unless there is illness onboard.

Ship Sanitation Control Certificates: Please see country information.

Pratique: US Customs Officers will board all vessels arriving from a foreign port and US flag vessels arriving with foreign cargo. The Customs Officer will board the vessel on arrival or immediately after berthing. No cargo may be discharged nor any person allowed to leave the vessel without the Customs Officer's permission.

Agents are requested to order US Customs inspectors for a time 2 hours prior to the vessel's ETA at the terminal.

Customs and immigration

An immigration Officer will normally board vessels arriving from foreign ports. Until clearance is obtained from the Immigration Officer, no crew member may leave the vessel.

Notices and regulations

Coastguard Vessel Inspection: Please see country information.

Upon consideration of these conditions, the decision is made whether or not to proceed with the berthing of the vessel. The pilot, who functions as the Docking Master, will greatly influence the decision, which is generally conceded to by the Master and the marine supervisor. There are times however that the pilot's decision to attempt berthing may be negated by the Master or by the marine supervisor, at which time the vessel will go to anchor and await improvement in the weather conditions.

After the vessel is moored and secure in the berth bonding cables are connected and the appropriate loading arms are lowered and connected to the designated ship's manifold connection. A company pollution control representative (PCR) will stay aboard the vessel during cargo operations.

Marine Terminal Regulations:

The operator has established certain terminal regulations to implement sections of the US Coast Guard regulations applicable to oil transfer operations and reserves the right to impose the regulations stated below and elsewhere in the document upon any vessel, ship or barge using its facilities.

Conditions: While the operator has used every care to ensure that its berths, facilities and other premises used in connection therewith are safe and suitable for the vessels using them, this is not guaranteed and every vessel brought alongside or moored thereto shall be and remain at the sole risk of the Master and Owner of the ship or barge. Under no circumstances shall petroleum be transferred without due adherence to safety and to applicable US Coast Guard regulations.

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.

Repairs

There are no major ship repair facilities available in E Long Island Sound. Repairs to ship's equipment should be scheduled before arrival through the ship's agent.

Bunkers, water and stores

Fresh water: Not available at the terminal.

Bunkering: Ship's bunkers should be ordered through the agent from the regular supplier for delivery by barge at anchor. Bunkering of ships is not permitted alongside the berth while cargo is being handled.

Stores: Available through agent.

Medical

Riverhead: A full service is available in Riverhead for treatment of medical emergencies.

Central Suffolk Hospital: Approx 6.4km from the Riverhead Terminal.

Crew change

Possible, arrange through agent.

Transport

Nearest airport: Kennedy International, La Guardia and MacArthur (1 hour by road).

Nearest railway: Riverhead (4.8km), infrequent service.

Working hours

Throughout 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, weather permitting, while a vessel is at the platform.

Where it is

Riverhead Terminal is an offshore mooring facility located in an open roadstead approx 1.9km N of Jacobs Point and about 16km SW of Horton Point Light in New York state.

The port

The facility consists of a 30.4m x 14m steel platform structure with breasting dolphins and mooring dolphins providing two berths; North side and South side. The platform deck is 7.4m above MLW. The Terminal is connected to the Platform by 2 x 24in (7.3m) diameter submarine pipelines designed for VLCC and Suezmax tankers. The facilities allow for vessel-to-vessel transfers, lightering by barges and transfer directly by pipeline to the shoreside terminal.

Traffic

Approx 3,700,000t of cargo handled annually.

What are the pilot arrangements at Riverhead Terminal?

The number of pilots appointed to accompany vessels to the Riverhead Terminal and to act as Docking Master in the berthing of the vessel shall be kept to a minimum.

What time zone is Riverhead Terminal in?

Local time at Riverhead Terminal is UTC−5. Clocks go to UTC−4 on 14 Mar 2027. Back to UTC−5 on 7 Nov 2027.

What is the maximum draft at Riverhead Terminal?

The deepest berth listed is at Riverhead Offshore Mooring Facility: 18.30 m maximum draught. The "Max draft per terminal" table gives each terminal's figure.

What is the water density at Riverhead Terminal?

1015-1025.

Which load line zone is Riverhead Terminal in?

Summer Zone for ships over 100m in length and Winter Seasonal Area for ships of 100m or less in length, Winter Nov 1 to Mar 31, Summer Apr 1 to Oct 31.

Who carries out Port State Control at Riverhead Terminal?

Port State Control at Riverhead Terminal: US Coast Guard.

What is the UN/LOCODE of Riverhead Terminal?

The UN/LOCODE of Riverhead Terminal is USRHD.

What crews who called at Riverhead Terminal 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.

Read and add tips for Riverhead Terminal →