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30 Mar 2019 / Houston, United States

Vessel decontamination after ITC Deer park chemical fire (Update 29 March)

The U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port has opened two-way traffic between Houston Ship Channel Light 116 and Tucker’s Bayou during daylight hours only, managed by Vessel Traffic Service.

All tows transiting the contaminated zone will be required to maintain a 30 minute spacing and will proceed at a slow bell. Carpenter’s Bayou and Old River remain closed until further notice.

All vessels will be inspected for contamination prior to their departure from the contaminated area. The decontamination sites are at: ITC Pasadena Dock 3, Shell Lay Berth, Southwest Shipyard in Channelview, Lynchburg Ferry Terminal (mobile team), Barbours Cut Lash Dock (mobile team), Enterprise Products Barbours Cut Dock 7 (mobile team), & LBC Dock 4 (mobile team).

All movements through the impacted area will cease at sunset, by which time transits through the affected areas must be complete.

Ships through the spill area are limited to one-way traffic, but tows are moving two-way. One-way traffic for ships will remain in place until there is no longer a need to inspect and/or decontaminate ships.

There is still significant spillage in Jacinto Port, Carpenters Bayou and Old River. Those areas remain boomed and all vessel traffic from/to those areas is currently restricted. The USCG Gulf Strike Team is working to setup a “locking system” of booms to begin allowing vessels out of Carpenters Bayou. Another team is working at Old River and another at Jacinto Port, where they plan to setup similar locking systems.

The CBP Houston Seaport has not rescinded the blanket extension to depart after clearance, and it remains for vessels detained in port by the ITC incident.

For information about operations in the United States contact GAC North America at [email protected]

If quoting any content from Hot Port News, please cite GAC Hot Port News as the source.

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