commissioners and for such compensation as they may elect. They may also engage such other personnel as may be necessary. 3. Duties and powers of port officials and bodies.-The port authority is charged with the development of the ports and the promotion of their maritime and commercial interests. It was formed to promote cooperation between the several port cities and to coordinate their terminal facilities. It promulgates and enforces rules and regulations for the construction, alteration, and extension of piers, wharves, and other harbor structures and regulates sanitary conditions, fire hazards, private dredging operations, etc. The port authority is a corporation and enjoys all rights, powers, and immunities incident to that form of organization. 4. Laws establishing port authorities and relating to port and harbor administration.-The State Port Authority was created by an act of the general assembly of Virginia (Senate bill 171) adopted in March, 1926. Classification societies, salvage associations, and underwriters' representatives, Hampton Roads district PORT SERVICES AND CHARGES FIRE PROTECTION The water fronts at Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Newport News, Va., are protected by city fire departments. The fire department of each city has modern fire-fighting equipment and in addition numerous private tugs equipped with fire-fighting apparatus are available. All important piers are equipped with fire extinguishers, fire-alarm systems, fire barrels, etc. Some are equipped with sprinkler systems. Information regarding fire protection at the various wharves and piers is given in the table showing data relative to piers, wharves, and docks. The city of Norfolk maintains the fire tug Vulcan which is berthed at Berkley at the confluence of the Eastern and Southern Branches of the Elizabeth River. The tug is 98 feet long with 22-foot beam and 9-foot draft. It is rated at 400 horsepower and is equipped with four fire towers and connections for twenty-four 21⁄2-inch streams. Its pumps generate 125 pounds pressure on all fire lines. PILOTAGE Pilotage at Hampton Roads ports is performed exclusively by the Virginia Pilots Association and is compulsory for all vessels excepting those engaged in coastwise trade and those exempted by United States statute. The master of any inbound vessel that arrives within the line of Cape Henry bearing west of south without having taken a pilot may proceed to Hampton Roads or York Spit Light and there employ any steamboat or towboat to tow his vessel to its destination. Pilotage is not compulsory for vessels proceeding above Newport News, Yorktown, Mobjack Bay, Urbana, or Smiths Point, nor for vessels bound to and from points on the Potomac River. Rates of pilotage from sea to Smiths Point, Newport News, or Norfolk or to any intermediate point and vice versa are as follows: If an inbound vessel be spoken or boarded 20 miles or more eastward of Cape Henry, 25 cents per foot is added to the foregoing rates. DOCKAGE At the railroad piers and municipal terminals, from which the majority of the regular overseas lines operate, no dockage charges are assessed against vessels while loading or discharging cargo. A charge of 1 cent per net registered ton per day is made against vessels tying up at these facilities for other purposes. TOWAGE The towage rates for the ports of Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Newport News are as follows: Vessels outbound from Newport News, Norfolk, or Lamberts Point stopping in Hampton Roads will be charged 1 cent per net ton extra. Light inbound and outbound vessels 10 per cent less. Half rate on all tonnage in excess of 1,700 net registered tons. One cent per ton on carrying capacity through the three bridges on barges over 1,200 tons capacity. Canal and sea going barges, harbor docking Towing, small tugs.. Towing, large tugs.. Pumping boiler pressure. Furnishing steam... Detention or waiting.. Tugs by the hour Running time chargeable. No extra charge for nights, holidays, or Approximate distances between local points in nautical miles $10. 00 22.50 20.00 12.50 10.00 Sundays. Navy yard (north landing). Campbell's Wharf. 241⁄2 265% Fort Norfolk.. Lamberts Point.. Craney Island Lighthouse.. Sewalls Point... Old Point Comfort (wharf). Cape Henry Lighthouse. 934 11% 218 WHARFAGE There are no uniform wharfage rates at privately owned wharves, the charges varying at different terminals and with different commodities. At the municipal terminals at Norfolk the wharfage charge is 1 cent per 100 pounds, including 10-15 days' free time. Information relative to wharfage at the railroad terminals will be found in the section of this report relating to railroads. LIGHTERAGE Free lighterage service within the limits prescribed by tariffs is granted by all railroads serving the Hampton Roads ports of Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Newport News, Va., except to and from consignees and shippers located on the tracks of the Belt Line and for less than carload shipments of certain commodities. Lighterage service, as a rule, is confined to carload shipments. However, cotton is delivered to cotton terminals in lots of 25 or more uncompressed bales or 50 compressed bales. Shipments of general cargo aggregating 20,000 pounds or more are delivered to wharves accessible to barges. Further information regarding lighterage will be found in the section of this report relating to communications, page 191. |