| Purpose and Process of Amendment |
The traffic separation schemes, which have been implemented from Jun 1st, 1970 and amended on July 1st 1986, as a voluntary project of the Japan Captains’ Association, have widely been recognized by both Japanese and foreign shipping concern ever since, with considerable contribution to the safe navigation of ships in the coastal water of Japan.
During the period of 10 years and more after the implementation of the amended scheme, however, the marine traffic situation has become increasingly complicated with changes moreover in the type and speed of ships, and so on. Under such circumstances, the Japan Captains’ Association has considered that existing traffic separation schemes should be re-examined whether they were still applicable under the prevailing traffic conditions, and thus, in 1999, initiated the work of preparing a concrete amendment of the schemes.
The Committee on Traffic Separation Schemes in the Association has analyzed and investigated in this work while taking into account the actual conditions of marine traffic and referring to domestic and foreign materials as well as various reports relating to traffic. Then the figure was modified, the location was shifted offward in the course or reassessment of each traffic separation area, so that ships can navigate more safely. Finally, a proposal for the traffic separation schemes were draughted as shown in Fig.1 to Fig.6 attached to the text.
| ■■■Abolished Traffic Separation Scheme■■■ |
| off Itie Saki |
The Association decided to implement the proposal traffic separation schemes from 00:00(JST) on September 1st, 2002.
In consequence of the nature as a voluntary project of the Association, these traffic separation schemes have no legal binding power. However, the Association hopes that all ships will, as far as practicable, proceed these traffic separation zones and follow all the traffic rules and requirements imposed by the traffic separation schemes, in the line with the purpose for which the schemes have been established. |
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