News Alert
All
April 22, 2024
Notices
Good day,
Please note below and attached received from our Baltimore Sub Agent, Capes Shipping:
day,
Please note below updates as of 2130 hrs April 22nd, 2024:
See below summary of newest Marine Safety Bulletin regarding 35ft limited access channel:
Summary:
- The Captain of the Port plans to establish the Fort McHenry Limited Access Channel for commercially essential vessels on Thursday, April 25th until 6 a.m. Monday, April 29th or Tuesday, April 30th if weather adversely impacts vessel transits. The Fort McHenry Limited Access Channel will have a controlling depth of 35 feet, a 300-foot horizontal clearance, and vertical clearance of 214 feet. The controlling depth and available width may increase based on pending survey analysis. Deep draft vessels utilizing this channel will require a Maryland State pilot and two escort tugs, ahead and astern on centerline. The Maryland Pilots will impose a 3 foot under keel clearance (UKC) requirement for all vessels and limit transits to winds being less than 15 knots Weather Forecast for 39.22N 76.54W (Elev. 3 ft).Due to this channel’s proximity to the grounded M/V DALI and effects of a passing vessel, all transits must be at or below 5 knots. Additionally, each vessel requesting to transit this channel must provide their length, breadth, drafts (fore and aft), and total displacement to be assessed for potential impacts to the M/V DALI. Due to critical and highly dynamic salvage operations to advance efforts to fully clear the channel commencing on Monday or Tuesday, April 29th or 30th, this channel will not be available again until approximately May 10th. The 2,000-yard safety zone around the Francis Scott Key remains in effect. You may not enter the safety zone described above unless authorized by the COTP or the COTP’s designated representative.
- Salvage and container removal operations are still in progress. Container transfer will continue in the coming days, weather permitting.
- USACE expects to open a limited access channel 280 feet wide and 35 feet deep, to the Port of Baltimore by the end of April.
- USCG has advised that the transit consideration process will be the same for all vessels.
- USACE is currently working on removing a major piece of the north support which is key to getting the 35 foot limited access channel open
- USACE engineers are aiming to reopen the permanent, 700-foot-wide by 50-foot-deep federal navigation channel by the end of May
- 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.
- Currently, it is uncertain how long port movements will be suspended. Prolonged delays are expected due to the magnitude of the situation.
- Local Pilots have advised that vessels currently anchored at Annapolis are notmovement 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.