All –

Houston Pilots, at our meeting on 4/3/24, approved Navigation Safety Guideline Interim Rule 01-2024.  This interim rule provided for incrementally moving the daylight restriction reference point up the channel as Project 11 dredging is completed.  A summary of changes is below; see the Houston Pilots website for the most recent version of the Houston Pilots Navigation Safety Guidelines.

 

  • VT-1:  LPG Tankers proceeding with cargo greater than or equal to 600 ft will be daylight restricted above B-61/62.  If no trim, daylight restricted above B-18.
  • WB-2:  Any widebody tanker proceeding with cargo will be daylight restricted above B-61/62.
  • WB-6:  Two widebody vessels meeting in the Houston Ship Channel between B-18 and B-61/62 shall be restricted to a combined beam of 340’during the day and 310’ at night. Combined draft shall be limited to 85’.  Two widebody vessels meeting in the Houston Ship Channel between B-51/52 and B-75/76 shall be restricted to a combined beam of 310’ and shall be limited to a combined draft of 85’.    
  • WB-7:  Two widebody vessels meeting in the Houston Ship Channel between B-61/62 and Boggy Bayou shall be restricted to a combined beam of 272 ft and shall be limited to a combined draft of 77 ft.
  • WB-9:  Any widebody tanker or bulker over 150 ft in beam and/or over 900 ft in LOA will be daylight restricted above B-61/62 at all times.
  • WB-11:  Two vessels with a combined LOA of 2080 ft or greater will not be permitted to meet above B-61/62. 
  • CT-1:  For the purpose of this guideline, “daylight restricted” means boarding 2 hours before sunrise.  This boarding time will allow a typical container vessel to reach B-51/52 at the beginning of civil twilight. 

 

In effect, this change moves the daylight restriction to buoys 61/62, allowing vessels affected by the above guidelines to arrive approximately 30 minutes earlier and to sail 30 minutes later.  Based on the pace of dredging, it is expected that the next segment of channel will be ready for acceptance prior to the end of the year.

 

Thanks to the Coast Guard, Port of Houston Authority, and Army Corps of Engineers for their hard work and diligence in making the timely acceptance of this segment possible.

 

 

Captain Clint Winegar | Presiding Officer

Office: 281-476-8204

24/7 Dispatch: 713-645-9620, ext.3