Due to a recent grounding and emergency survey that identified previously unreported shoaling, the
Captain of the Port (COTP) Houston-Galveston is advising mariners to proceed with caution in the
vicinity of Lighted Buoys 11 and 12 in the Galveston Bay Entrance Channel (GBEC).
Shoaling is reported to be approximately 200 feet long on the green side of the channel reducing
depths to approximately 43 feet. This report has has been correlated with US Army Corps of
Engineers (USACE) dredging stations 12+200 to 12+400.
Vessel Traffic Service Houston-Galveston directs:
(1) Vessels with 40 feet or greater draft to avoid the green side of the channel in this area;
(2) No meeting or overtaking of any vessel with draft of 40 feet or greater in vicinity of this
area.
The USACE is working on an emergency dredging project to resolve this hazard to navigation.
Detailed dredging stations depicting this location can be found on the USACE Operations
Dashboard at: https://www.swg.usace.army.mil/Missions/Navigation/Navigation-Projects-Contracts
Additional guidance regarding this hazard may be issued in the form of further Marine Safety
Information Bulletins, Broadcast Notice to Mariners, or other forms as necessary. For additional
questions or concerns regarding transits in this area, please contact VTS Houston-Galveston at 281-
464-4837 or HoustonTraffic@uscg.mil .
