Members,
The quoted message below was provided by Weeks Marine as an industry update on the Hopper Dredge Disposal Area dredge project and the operations to insert a submerged dredge pipeline across the Mississippi River Ship Channel. The Ship Channel should be reopened by 1900 hours, today’s dredging assignment is done and the dredge and equipment are being moved out of the channel.
The all clear notice from Weeks will be distributed upon receipt.
“The dredge “EW Ellefsen” Completed dredging the East side of the HDDA Mississippi River pipeline channel crossing between Mile 1.2 to 1.4 AHP. We are currently setting up to move the dredge out of the channel and are still on course to reopened the river for 1900 hrs. I will send out another update when we are out of the channel.
There will be no channel restriction on Wednesday (October 5, 2022) followed by a 12-hour Complete Channel Closure (Mile 2.0 AHP to Mile 0.0 [Head of Passes]) from 0600 hours and to 1800 hours on Thursday (October 6, 2022).
The Dredge “EW Ellefsen” is monitoring VHF channels 67 & 71, the dredge phone number is 985-237-5027.
The FIRST COMPLETE CHANNEL CLOSURE will soon be completed:
- TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2022: ONGOING Complete Channel Closure from 0600 hours to 1800 hours for all vessel traffic from Mile 2 AHP to Mile 0 (Head of Passes). This closure will be utilize by Weeks Marine to have the E.W. ELLEFSEN dredge on the eastern side of the Ship Channel that will be utilized to insert the dredge pipeline sufficiently deep enough to ensure the top of the pipeline is installed at or below 59.5 feet Mean Lower Low Water in the trench.
- WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2022: NO CHANNEL RESTRICTIONS (expected).
- THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2022: Complete Channel Closure from 0600 hours to 1800 hours for all vessel traffic from Mile 2 AHP to Mile 0 (Head of Passes). This closure will be utilized to install the submerged dredge pipeline into the cross-channel trench.
Vessels intending to arrive or depart the Mississippi River on the day of a closure must arrive at Pilottown (outbound) no later than 0530 hours or Southwest Pass Entrance Light (inbound) no later than 0400 hours on the morning of the closure.
Weeks advises that there will be no transit restrictions tomorrow (as detailed above) and that they will be ready to insert the submerged dredge pipeline on Thursday with the closure set to start at 0600 hours and be completed by 1800 hours.
With You,
Sean
Sean M. Duffy, Sr.
Executive Director
Standing By Channel: (504) 338-3165
Big River Coalition
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