Marine transportation in the Bay Area is supported and enhanced around
the clock by the Marine Exchange, a non-profit, membership organization.
Its primary efforts focus on collecting and disseminating shipping
information, facilitating communication and discussion in the community,
and identifying and developing improvements.
The scope of the activities in which the Marine Exchange is involved
is as broad as that of the shipping industry itself. It ranges from
forecasting, tracking, statistical analysis, operational support and
communications to industry forums and collaborative programs.
A member of the Marine Exchange becomes a participant in the oldest
maritime service organization in the United States and mingles within
a community that represents marine transportation.
By joining, members open up the full range of services and collectively
support the industry improvements the Marine Exchange is involved in.
Members’ needs guide all of the Exchange’s activities.
Members receive highlighted listings in the Golden Gate Ports Handbook,
along with free copies and adveritising discounts.
Any company or individual directly or indirectly involved with marine
transportation is eligible for membership. A company membership is $300
per year and provides for five designees while an individual membership
is $150 per year and provides for one designee.
The Marine Exchange has been collecting, analysing and disseminating
ship traffic information for more than 150 years. A lot has changed
over the years, but the commitment of the Exchange to its membership
has not.
Marine Intelligence
Members can call the Exchange to get the latest on vessel activities
and particulars, Bay traffic and conditions, company contact information
and almost any aspect of the maritime community.
ETA’s, ETD’s and shift itineraries, as well as actual movements and
vessel positions are updated continuously and are available by fax or
email at any time.
Movement times, port and berth information, last and next ports of
call, vessel type, flag and agent are included.
Statistical and Specialty Reports
Monthly and yearly statistical summaries of Golden Gate shipping break
down arrivals by agent, berth, type, flag, last port of call, etc.
Specialty reports profile the activities of tankers, tanker escorts,
and tug assists.
Special Reports
Bay Area shipping activity since 1987 can be evaluated in a number
of ways. Information can focus on specific vessels and ports or broaden
to include industry sectors and trends.
Multi-Region Reporting
MISNA (Maritime
Information Society of North America) comprises ten marine exchanges,
including all of the West Coast. Shipping information can combined from
any of the represented regions.
Research
The Exchange maintains a library of maritime books and periodicals
and has access to voyage records going back over 100 years. Members
may drop by the office to browse or call with their questions.
This new publication combines the information previously contained
in the Golden Gate Atlas and the Marine Exchange Membership Directory.
The scope of coverage has expanded to include non-members of the Marine
Exchange.
Produced jointly by the Marine Exchange and Marine Digest, it provides
the most extensive maritime listings available for the region.
Bay Area ports, their facilities and services are also covered, along
with general operational information.
Marine Exchange members
receive highlighted listings, free copies, and advertising discounts.
The Marine Exchange provides a vital communications link between pilots,
tugs, the Coast Guard, ship agencies and carriers, government agencies,
and members interested in vessel movements.
Ship Reporting
On request, members can be advised with changes in ETA’s, ETD’s, and
other times related to vessels and their movements.
Telephone Answering Service
The service is designed exclusively for the maritime community and
tailored to individual subscribers. Knowledge of ship activity and the
maritime community makes it possible to anwer simple questions and guage
the urgency of calls.
VHF Communications
Channels 10 and 18A are manned continuously, and Channels 13 and 14
are monitored to stay abreast of vessel traffic and bridge-to-bridge
communications. The remaining frequencies are also available.
Fax and Telex Service
Messages are received and relayed at all hours according to members’
requirements. Vessel time changes are automatically passed to pilots,
tug companies, and others as necessary.
A phone call/fax/e-mail with a ship’s arrival information simplifies
Coast Guard notifications. Initial and updated reports are sent to the
MSO and copied to the requesting member free of charge.
Tug Dispatching
The whole range of tug boat activities can be monitored and coordinated,
including time changes, crew availability and tug boat positions.
The Marine Exchange’s gaze focuses on the horizon, developing enhancements
through discussion, cooperation and collaboration.
The Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System measures winds, tides,
currents and salinity in the San Francisco and Suisun Bays. Free updates,
taken every six minutes, are accessible by phone at 707-642-4337 or
on the internet at www.sfmx.org.
Transponders aboard vessels coupled with computer software allow users
to graphically view vessels and their associated information within
Bay waters. Future enhancements and development point to the system
becoming a fixture locally and globally.
To coordinate the safe and efficient transit of vessels in San Francisco
Bay in an effort to prevent accidents and the associated loss of life
and damage to property and the environment. We execute our mission by
MONITORING vessels movements, INFORMING mariners of other vessels and
potential hazards, RECOMMENDING courses of action when we see a situation
that the mariner may not have seen, and DIRECTING the outcome of situations
when necessary to prevent disasters.
Acting on behalf of the State of California, the Marine Exchange monitors
compliance with escort regulations, records vessel movements, tests
tug boats, and receives and files escort checklists.
Updating the harbor safety plan, fine-tuning the tanker escort regulations
are primary responsibilities. Additional efforts target bridge management,
facilities, pilotage, ports, and the full range of harbor concerns.
Industry representatives join together to increase efficiency.
The mission of this Area Maritime Security Committee is to help coordinate
planning, information sharing, and other necessary activities to aide
the security of the Marine Transportation System.
Local chapter of national effort to enhance American competitivenes
and infrastructure.
Complete support includes database management, desktop publishing,
copying and mailing, membership and meeting coordination, bookkeeping
and billing services.
