Coast Guard seeks to federalize anchorage grounds east of Astoria

Proposals near Rice Island and other places could increase the safety of ship navigation.

As the president of Columbia River Pilots, Jeremy Nielsen is no stranger to the narrow and sometimes unforgiving waters that flow between Astoria and Portland.

The river is a designated marine highway — and as on any highway, Nielsen said, travelers need stops to rest, fuel and do maintenance out of the flow of traffic. For commercial ships, anchorage grounds have long served that purpose. But as vessel traffic and size have increased in recent years, anchorage capacity has lagged, spurring concerns for safety along the waterway.

Source: Coast Guard seeks to federalize anchorage grounds east of Astoria | Local News | dailyastorian.com