The US Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston’s Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) held a Port Coordination Team (PCT) conference call this morning at 0900 hours to update all concerned about the situation with the dense fog and its effects on vessel/ship traffic in Houston Galveston Sector. Your WGMA Maritime Affairs team participated on the call and has the following report for our membership:

 

National Weather Service:

·     Effecting Galveston Bay, Matagorda Bay and nearshore Gulf waters with marine visibility being 1/4 to 1 nautical mile for next 24 hours

·     Water temperature currently (62° Beaches & 64° Upper Bay)

·     Daytime visibility a possibility in the bay

·     Redevelopment again this evening going into over night hours

·     Weak front penciled in for this Sunday night into Monday is really the best long-term solution should water temperatures not climb much

 

 

Other Weather Commentary:

We’re seeing additional areas of patchy fog this morning, due to warm air moving over coastal waters and this pattern is likely to continue through at least Sunday morning. Once the fog dissipates Sunday night into Monday morning, we’ll experience mostly sunny skies as cooler temperatures approaches highs in the 50’s.

 

Vessel Traffic Service:

Will continue 2000 yard spacing and when string of longer ships come in there will be

a break.

 

Various industry representatives discussed their priorities; little was noted.

 

Port Houston:

Priorities provided to VTS by email

 

Port Freeport:

No priorities mentioned

 

Port of Galveston:

Cruise ship & Ro/Ro vessel tomorrow

 

Port of Texas City:

No priorities mentioned

 

Brazos Pilots:

·     5 arrivals

·     3 sailings

·     1 shift

 

Galveston-Texas City Pilots:

·     7 inbound

·     5 outbound

 

 

Houston Pilots:

·     48 arrivals (8 arrivals starting within the next hour)

·     11 sailings

 

 

VTS Port Arthur: Reports of very dense fog and shut down this morning. Seeing some rapid clearing in Sabine Pass.

 

Harbor tugs: 21 in Houston, 6 in Galveston & 6 in Freeport

Standing by for operations to start when conditions permit.

 

Another PCT conference call has been scheduled for 0900 hours tomorrow Wednesday, December 24th, to provide updates on this situation. Your WGMA Maritime Affairs team will participate on tomorrow’s call and report to our membership.