Daily Update

Philadelphia / Delaware River & Bay

May 20, 2024

Notices

Port MARSEC Level 1
 
Local Time – GMT -4
 
 
Good day,
 
 
Please see below updates on Key Bridge Incident as of 0630 hrs May 19th, 2024:
  • The Captain of the Port (COTP) has opened the Fort McHenry Limited Access Channel for commercial vessel traffic daily from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. as of Tuesday, May 14th. This channel has a controlling depth of 48 feet, 350-foot horizontal clearance, and vertical clearance of 214 feet due to the adjacent BG&E powerlines. Deep draft vessels utilizing this channel will require a Maryland State Pilot and two escort tugs. Since the Maryland Pilots impose a 3 foot under keel clearance (UKC) requirement, the maximum vessel draft is 45 feet. Transits will be limited to winds being less than 15 knots Weather Forecast for 39.22N 76.54W. The pilots will not impose any beam restrictions for RO-ROs, Con-ROs, and cruise ships; however, all other transits will be limited to vessels with a beam of 106 feet or less (e.g. container ships, freight ships, tankers, and bulk carriers). Vessel transits will remain at the discretion of the COTP, based on the prevailing weather conditions and salvage operations. Due to ongoing salvage operations in the area, all transits must be at the slowest safe speed but not to exceed 5 knots while the M/V DALI is in place and less than 10 knots following the M/V DALI’s refloat.
  • The refloat operation for the M/V Dali require Optimum conditions call for the transit of the M/V Dali to commence at high tide, predicted to be Monday at 5:24 a.m. The vessel will be prepared at 2 a.m., allowing the M/V Dali to catch the peak high tide for a controlled transit.
    • The entire refloat sequence (prior to high-tide transit) is estimated to begin roughly 18 hours beforehand, starting midday on Sunday.
    • Example checklist items in this 18-hour countdown include:
      • Release of some of the anchors and mooring lines currently attached to the M/V Dali (nearby tugboats on standby).
      • De-ballasting of part or all of the 1.25 million gallons of water pumped onto the M/V Dali, to compensate for the weight removed during the May 13 precision cutting.
      • Detailed inspections confirming all obstructions have been removed on the left (port) side of the M/V Dali by Unified Command dive survey teams.
 
  • Demolition to remove the piece of bridge from the bow of the Dali was successfully completed on May 13th.
  • USACE engineers are aiming to reopen the permanent, 700-foot-wide by 50-foot-deep federal navigation channel by the end of May, AGW.
  • The Captain of the Port (COTP) has established two temporary alternate channels for commercially essential vessels: the Sollers Point Temporary Alternate Channel is located on the northeast side of the main ship channel and the Hawkins Point Temporary Alternate Channel is located on the southwest side of the main ship channel. Both are in the vicinity of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. This action was part of a phased approach to opening the main federal channel. These temporary channels are marked with government lighted aids to navigation and will be limited to transit at the discretion of the COTP and during daylight hours only.
    • Due to updated surveys and waterway user feedback, these channels have had aids repositioned to facilitate transits through best water. The updated approximate locations of aids to navigation can be found in Broadcast Notice to Mariners, and in the near future found in the USCG Light List/Local Notice to Mariners.
    • The Sollers Point Temporary Channel has a controlling depth of 11 feet, a 264-foot horizontal clearance, and vertical clearance of 95 feet.
    • The Hawkins Point Temporary Channel has a controlling depth of 14 feet, a 280-foot horizontal clearance, and vertical clearance of 124 feet.
    • The Fort Carroll Temporary Channel has a controlling depth of 20 feet, a 300-foot horizontal clearance, and a vertical clearance of 135 feet.
    • The Fort McHenry Limited Access Channel will have a controlling depth of 48 feet, a 350-foot horizontal clearance, and vertical clearance of 214 feet
 
  • Local Pilots have advised that vessels currently anchored at Annapolis are not movement restricted and are able to sail, provided that USCG and USCBP formalities are completed with each respective agency.
  • Local Pilots have advised that Tradepoint Atlantic Terminal is currently not movement restricted. The channel to TPA berth(s) is outside of the USCG Safety Zone presently in effect, subject to change.
 
We will pass on information concerning resumption of vessel movements as soon as it’s provided to us by the U.S. Coast Guard, Maryland Pilots and port authorities. 
In the meantime, please find the below current Sector Maryland NCR port condition update:
 
Sector Maryland NCR: Port Condition: Closed
 
Effective immediately a safety zone is established for all navigable waters of the Chesapeake Bay within a 2000-yard radius of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The 948-foot Singapore-flagged vessel DALI struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, 2024.
 
Please also reference the below website with up-to-date information regarding the response efforts of the Key Bridge Incident:
 
As advised, the timeline for resuming regular port operations uncertain and determined basis the information available by local authorities, and we expect this incident will affect port traffic for some time. Therefore, prospective berthing for future vessels is very unclear.
Our team is closely monitoring this situation and are actively communicating with local authorities and port officials to ensure we are as updated as possible.
 
We will continue to provide updates as new information becomes available.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions concerning the situation and we will assist as best as possible.
 
 
 
2024 Ozone Action Days begin May 1, 2024
 
Just a reminder that during the following summer months DNREC measures the air quality forecast for pollution and may deem certain days Code Orange or Code Red. 
 
“Ozone Action Day” as defined by the Delaware Reg 1124: a day that is predicted, based on forecasted weather conditions, to reach unhealthy ozone concentrations.  Frequently called a Code Red Day, an Ozone Action Day is declared prior to 1430 hours (local time) for the following day.
 
Below are the Operations Standards regarding Ozone Action Days from the DNREC Title V Permit:
 
Condition 3 – Table 1(a)(1)(iii)(L)
Uncontrolled lightering operations shall not be carried out from 0230 hours until 1630 hours (local time) on any day that the Department declares an Ozone Action Day.  However, if uncontrolled lightering operations have begun prior to the declaration of the Ozone Action Day, those lightering operations may continue until 0230 hours (local time) or until the service vessel is fully loaded, whichever is later.
 
Condition 3 – Table 1(a)(1)(iii)(M)
If the Department declares consecutive Ozone Action Days, the owner or operator of a lightering service shall, to the greatest extent practicable, minimize uncontrolled lightering operations on the second and subsequent consecutively declared Ozone Actions Days as follows:
1) Carrying out controlled lightering operations, if vapor balancing compatible service vessels and   
     ships to be lightered are available.
2) Rescheduling the uncontrolled lightering operations to the periods of 1630 hours to 0230 hours
     (local time) of the second and subsequent consecutively declared Ozone Action Days.
 
With all of that being said, all of our Charterers have made great efforts to charter in vapor balance capable vessels and I don’t foresee any issues with lightering in the event there is a Code Red Day this summer.
 
Below received from DNREC:
 
With Spring just beginning, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) is preparing for its annual air quality forecasting season, which runs from May 1 - September 30.
 
Starting on May 1, you'll receive an email from this address if an air quality "action day” is anticipated the next day.  An action day is declared when the levels of ozone and/or particulate matter are predicted to be high and could therefore be unhealthy to sensitive groups and/or the general public.

Draft information
37’ - 40’ outbound from Packer Avenue including Beckett Street
- Use reference station Philadelphia.
- Vessels may sail 3 hours before low water and up until 1.5 hours after low water at Philadelphia.
37’ - 40’ outbound from Paulsboro
- Please use reference station Marcus Hook.
- Vessels may sail from Paulsboro 1 hour before low water up until 3 hours after low water at Marcus Hook.
37’ - 40’ outbound from Marcus Hook (anchorage or berth)
- Please use reference station Marcus Hook.
 

Weather / Marine Zone Forecast

For more information about the air quality alerts and what you can do to reduce air pollution, check out the following website: https://dnrec.alpha.delaware.gov/air/quality/forecast/ 
 
 
 
Philadelphia weather
 
Marine Weather
 
ANZ400-210000-
702 AM EDT Mon May 20 2024

 
 .SYNOPSIS FOR THE COASTAL WATERS FROM SANDY HOOK NJ TO FENWICK
ISLAND DE AND FOR DELAWARE BAY...
High pressure continues to build across the Mid Atlantic region
today, before shifting slightly to the south tomorrow through
Wednesday. A cold front will approach the area Wednesday night,
before slowly moving across the area on Thursday, and stalling to
our south through the weekend. High pressure builds across the
northeast states Friday into Saturday, before a couple of weather
disturbances affect the area Sunday into early next week.

 $$
 
 
 

 ANZ454-210000-
Coastal waters from Cape May NJ to Cape Henlopen DE out 20 nm-
702 AM EDT Mon May 20 2024

 DENSE FOG ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM EDT THIS MORNING

 
TODAY
NE winds around 10 kt. Seas 2 to 3 ft. Wave Detail: E
3 ft at 7 seconds and SE 1 foot at 11 seconds. Patchy fog this
morning with vsby 1 to 3 NM.
 
TONIGHT
E winds around 5 kt. Seas 2 to 3 ft. Wave Detail: E
3 ft at 7 seconds and SE 1 foot at 11 seconds. Patchy fog. Vsby
1 to 3 NM, decreasing to 1 NM or less after midnight.
 
TUE
SE winds 5 to 10 kt. Seas 2 to 3 ft. Wave Detail: E 3 ft
at 8 seconds. Patchy fog. Vsby 1 NM or less in the morning.
 
TUE NIGHT
S winds 5 to 10 kt. Seas 2 to 3 ft. Wave Detail: E
3 ft at 8 seconds.
 
WED
S winds 5 to 10 kt, increasing to 10 to 15 kt in the
afternoon. Seas 2 to 3 ft. Wave Detail: E 3 ft at 9 seconds and S
2 ft at 4 seconds.
 
WED NIGHT
S winds 10 to 15 kt. Seas around 3 ft. Wave Detail:
S 3 ft at 4 seconds and E 2 ft at 9 seconds.
 
THU
S winds 10 to 15 kt. Seas 2 to 3 ft.
 
THU NIGHT
SW winds 10 to 15 kt. Seas 2 to 3 ft. A chance of
showers and tstms.
 
FRI
NW winds 5 to 10 kt, becoming SW in the afternoon. Seas
2 to 3 ft. A chance of showers and tstms in the morning.
 
FRI NIGHT
SW winds 5 to 10 kt. Seas around 2 ft. A chance of
showers.

 Winds and seas higher in and near tstms.

 
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Disclaimer: For quality assurance purposes please note well that while the information contained in this website is regularly vetted for accuracy it is not intended to replace the local knowledge or expertise pertaining to port conditions of our marine operations personnel.

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