USCG Office of Port & Facilities – Domestic Ports Division (CG-5441)

PORTS WATERWAY STATUS UPDATE 18SEP2008 BRIEFING REPORT

COTP Zones Status

Mobile - Open, with restrictions  Pascagoula limiting 36’ draft tankers to occasional daylight transits while ACOE dredges shoal.

New Orleans - Open, with restrictions  Port Allen Alternate Route closure at Bayou Sorrel for bridge allision damage [repair expected by 19SEP08].

Morgan City - Open, with restrictions  Slow-speed zone on Vermillion River from GIWW intersection upriver to Perry, LA.

Lake Charles - Open, with restrictions  Daylight transits for vessels with drafts of 39’ or less.  Nighttime transits for shallow draft transits.

Sabine-Neches Waterway - Open, with restrictions:  Sabine & Neches Rivers restricted to daytime restrictions of drafts 36’ or less & nighttime restrictions of drafts 30’ or less.  GIWW remains closed from MM 289-350 [West PA Bridge to Bolivar] due to obstructions.

Houston - Open, with restrictions.  Open at all times to vessels with drafts of 16’ or less.  From Sea Buoy to Sims Bayou daylight transits up to project depth of 45’.  From Sims Bayou to HSC turning basin: open to daylight transits for vessels with drafts of 30’ or less.

Texas City - Open, with restrictions.  Open at all times to vessels with drafts of 16’ or less.  Open for daylight transit to project depth of channel.

Galveston - Open with restrictions.  Restricted to daylight transit for vessels with drafts of 30’ or less.  Open at all times to vessels with drafts of 16’ or less.

Freeport - Open, with restrictions.  Deep Draft Movements: Daylight transits for those vessels with drafts of 38’ or less.  Open at all times to vessels with drafts of 16’ or less.

GIWW MM350-Colorado Locks- Open

Corpus Christi - Open, with restrictions  Matagorda limited to drafts of 20’ or less. USCG Office of Port & Facilities – Domestic Ports Division (CG-5441)

Sector Houston-Galveston  Currently investigating numerous reports of oil and HAZMAT in the Houston Ship Channel to determine necessary response actions and impact on the MTS.  Multiple vessels are in the queue as waterways remain closed to deep draft vessel traffic. Port Coordination Teams jointly working queue and cargo management issues.  ACOE is in the midst of processing data from side-scan and centerline surveys and has also commenced more detailed cross-sectional surveying of critical channels. This, and the Coast Guard’s AtoN restoration efforts, will continue to drive the further opening of waterways.  Facility assessments will continue with emphasis on Freeport. Additionally, facilities are to notify their Port Coordination Team representative when ready to begin operations. Port Coordination Team will coordinate with CG facility inspectors to prioritize facility inspections and deep draft vessel movements consistent with terminal operating capabilities. Facility inspectors will maintain 2 -eight hour shifts to expedite facility inspections process.  GIWW: . Open except for the portion from the Houston Ship Channel to West Port Arthur Bridge. Closure is due to sunken vessels at MM 349, 346, and 329 West Harvey Locks (WHL). Salvage efforts continuing. . Due to the status of fendering and lack of any lighting at the Galveston Railroad Bridge, industry has instituted daylight-only transits.  Houston/Galveston AOR: . There are approximately 120 vessels anchored offshore awaiting entrance. . Only 4 of 122 Coast Guard regulated facilities in the Houston-Galveston area are fully available.  Port Arthur AOR: . Only 4 of 81 Coast Guard regulated facilities in the Port Arthur area are fully available.  Freeport AOR: . Freeport Facilities are relatively intact. USCG facility inspectors to continue inspections of Freeport facilities today. . Deep draft movements within Freeport are allowed for daylight transits for those vessels with drafts of 38’ or less. Open at all times to vessels with drafts of 16’ or less.  Sabine Neches Waterway (SNWW): . Open, with restrictions. . Sabine River, Neches River, and Sabine-Neches Waterway are open during daylight hours to vessels with drafts of 36’ and less. Those waterways are open 24/7 to vessels with drafts of 30’ and less . Pilots are not conducting nighttime transits. . The COTP will review ATON replacement progress tomorrow and go day-to-day with decisions on nighttime operations. . 100% of critical aids have been assessed. 100% of critical aids inshore of the seacoast corrected. 28% of critical offshore aids corrected. Completion of the repairs to the critical aids is anticipated by COB today. . No facilities are ready to receive deep draft tankers.  Calcasieu/Lake Charles AOR: . The Calcasieu River and Lake Charles waterways are open, with restrictions. COTP opened the waterway to vessels with drafts of 39’ or less for daytime transits and vessels with drafts of 16’ or less in the nighttime. Once AtoN lighting has been repaired, the COTP will be able to lift the nighttime draft restriction. USCG Office of Port & Facilities – Domestic Ports Division (CG-5441)

. The 4 critical tank ships scheduled for refineries in the area were able to transit yesterday. . Tows are moving through the Calcasieu Locks (GIWW MM 238) with minimal backup even though the locks are still experiencing locking difficulties due to electrical and mechanical issues. . 58% critical aids in the offshore approach of Calcasieu Pass and Calcasieu River have been restored to allow for daytime navigation. 100% of critical aids inshore have been repaired for daylight transits.

Sector New Orleans  A safety zone is in effect in the Inner Harbor Navigation Canal to protect vessels from the hazards associated with ongoing Hurricane GUSTAV salvage operations.  The Morgan City/Port Allen Alternate Route is closed at Bayou Sorrel Lock/Bridge due to allision. Repairs ongoing and should be completed by 19SEP08.