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IWAKUNI/KURE

ANCHORAGES

Iwakuni

There are four designated anchorages and one ammunition anchorage within the Iwakuni Harbor restricted waters:

The depth is 84 ft (25 m) and the bottom type is soft sand and mud. The holding ground is good but these anchorages are outside the breakwater and as such are exposed to elevated sea states and wind. They are not considered typhoon anchorages.

During strong winds Bravo, Charlie, and Delta are more favorable due to the close proximity of Alpha and the ammunition anchorage to Hime-Kojima.

Anchorages are assigned by the pilot and/or Harbor Authority for the Port of Iwakuni.

The Quarantine Anchorage is centered in position 34°10.43'N 132°16.72'E about 2.5 nmi north of the Port of Iwakuni.

Figure 27 and Figure 28 provides views of anchorage area "F" in the Kure Outer Harbor. Two JMSDF ships were anchored at the time of the Site Visit.

There are no mooring buoys in the Port of Iwakuni.

Kure

Kure-ko, with adequate depths, mud, good holding ground, lying close to shore, affords an ideal anchorage for large vessels. Anchorages and the use of mooring facilities are designated by means of signals transmitted from the signal station on Kourume-jima.

The quarantine anchorage, the limits which are charted on Chart # 97268, lies west of the Inner Harbor entrance and is centered in a position about 0.8 nmi south-southwest of Ko-Urume-jima. Ships are cautioned that numerous small fishing boats are normally present along the final approach to Kure-ko.
Kure also has two explosive anchorages which are sometimes used by U.S. military vessels. Their locations are as follows:

Hiro Wan in close proximity to Kure has an explosive anchorage located at 34°10.78'N 132°37.08'E.

There are six mooring buoys available within the Inner Harbor as listed in the navigation publications. The Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force (JMSDF) maintains control over a number of other buoys in the Inner Harbor. Their use must be coordinated through the JMSDF.

Excellent dry docks and repair facilities are available at Kure with the capacity to handle and repair ships over 100,000 tons.

The excellent anchorages, docks and repair facilities coupled with the exceptional protection from winds and seas accompanying tropical cyclones has given Kure the reputation of being one of the best, if not the best, typhoon havens in all of Japan. This reputation and abundance of facilities has in the past lured many ships both large and small to seek refuge in Kure, thus presenting the Harbor with its only notable problem -- that of crowding. It should be noted that the deep-draft JMSDF ships normally sortie to Anchorage Area "E" in Hiroshima Bay in the event of a strong tropical cyclone because of these crowded conditions.

During the Site Visit in October 2009, Kure Port Authorities and one of the ship's agents stated that large merchant ships greater than 100,000 tons normally anchor in the Inland Sea behind Shikoku Island because of the crowded conditions in Kure. Other deep-draft vessels usually anchor in Hiroshima Bay where there is a good safety radius away from other ships. It was reaffirmed that Anchorage Area "E" in Hiroshima Bay was the location normally used by JMSDF deep-draft vessels. JMSDF Kure District Officers stated that Area "E" was the preferred location to anchor in the event of a tropical cyclone. They stated that some JMDSF ships have also proceeded to the Inland Sea behind Shikoku Island depending on the track and intensity of the tropical cyclone and the operational requirements.

The Port Authorities indicated that anchorages used during typhoon evasion need to be coordinated with the Japanese Coast Guard (VHF Channel 16).

Source: http://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/port_studies/thh-nc/japan/iwakuni_kure/text/anchorages.htm