Daily Update

Sabine / Neches

January 30, 2025

Notices

Sabine Pilots advise as of 2345/29th, pilot service has been suspended due to fog.  As per attached forecast, fog is expected throughout the week.

2025 Channel Closures

Jan 05th – 1900 Pilot service to/from SB Buoy suspended due to high winds/rough seas
Jan 06th – 0630 Pilot service resumed
Jan 09th – 1715 Pilot service suspended due to high winds/rough seas
Jan 10th – 1100 Pilot service resumed
Jan 11th – 0900 Channel draft reduced to 38’ 06” due to channel obstruction
Jan 14th – 0900 Channel draft returned to 40’
Jan 21st – 0001 Pilot service suspended due to weather / icy road conditions
Jan 23rd – 0930 Pilot service resumed

Weather / Marine Zone Forecast

Today: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Some of the storms could be severe. High near 74. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Tonight: A 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 7pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light west in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 68. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming northwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.

Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 44. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 69. Calm wind.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 47. Calm wind.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 72. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the afternoon.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 56. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 77. Calm wind becoming south around 5 mph in the morning.

Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 61.

Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 78.

Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 61.

Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 78.
 
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ATTACHED LATEST WEATHER REPORTS.
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Port / Terminal Restrictions

General Channel Restrictions/Info

*   Max Safe Draft 40ft FW
*   Air Draft above Valero Terminal – Less than 136ft for passing 3 fixed bridges
*   800ft wide channel from 29/30 Buoy to Texaco Island
*   400ft wide channel from Texas Island to Port of Beaumont
*   “SB” Buoy is located at Lat. 29-25N Lon. 93-40W
*   Navigational Charts NOAA 11341, 11342 & 11343 cover the entire waterway
*   Sabine Pilots www.sabinepilots.com

Sabine Pilot Restrictions

*   Vessels 85,000 DWT or over, 875 FT LOA or over or 125FT beam or over will transit during daylight hours only above Texaco Island. Only one (1) of the limitations has to be met to restrict a vessel.
*   Daylight Restriction times are based on the daylight hours and are adjusted according to sun rise/sun set. Current times as follows, the terminals shown are the ones that handle Aframax size vessels which are typically daylight restricted.

(INBOUND)

ExxonMobil                        0500-1030 Hrs   Approx Transit time “SB” Buoy to Berth – 8hrs
Jefferson Terminal          0500-1100 Hrs
Enterprise BMW               0500-1130 Hrs
Energy Transfer                0500-1200 Hrs
Phillips 66                            0500-1200 Hrs
Motiva PN                           0500-1330 Hrs
Total                                      0500-1400 Hrs   Approx Transit time “SB” Buoy to Berth – 5.5hrs

(OUTBOUND)

ExxonMobil                        0600-1400 Hrs
Jefferson Terminal          0600-1400 Hrs
Enterprise BMW               0600-1430 Hrs
Energy Transfer                0600-1500 Hrs
Phillips 66                            0600-1530 Hrs
Motiva PN                           0600-1530 Hrs
Total                                      0600-1430 Hrs

*   Vessels with the combined beam of one-half the width of the channel will not meet/pass day or night.
*   Any vessel that meets or exceeds either or both 860FT LOA or 120FT beam will require two pilots.

Vessels that do not exceed the above size restrictions can transit day or night consistent with other port traffic movements. Vessels that are daylight restricted will generally have priority to move before non-daylight restricted vessels.

Attachments

  • Gulf of Mexico Sea Fog Forecast_01302025.pdf(536 KB )
  • Gulf of Mexico Planner - 013025.pdf(1.37 MB )

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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