The US Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit (MSU) Port Arthur’s Vessel Traffic Service (VTS) held a Port Coordination Team (PCT) conference call at 1100 hours today to update industry partners on the impending arrival of Tropical Storm FRANCINE upon vessel traffic along the Sabine/Neches Waterway. Your WGMA Maritime Affairs team participated on the call and has the following report for our membership:

From the National Weather Service briefing, and other sources:

·     Tropical Storm Francine has formed in the southwest Gulf of Mexico this morning.

·     The storm continues to produce disorganized clusters of storms in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico.

·     The storm is expected to move northward, then northeastward across the northwestern Gulf of Mexico over the next few days, gradually strengthening as it does so.

·     Francine is expected to reach at least Category 1 hurricane strength before landfall. 

·     At 10AM CDT, the center of Tropical Storm Francine was located near latitude 23.0 North, longitude 94.9 West.

·     Francine is moving toward the north-northwest near 5 mph (7 km/h) and a slow north-northwestward motion is expected for the remainder of the day, followed by a faster motion to the northeast beginning on Tuesday.

·     On the forecast track, Francine is expected to be just offshore of the northern Gulf Coast of Mexico through Tuesday and approach the Louisiana and Upper Texas coastline on Wednesday.

·     The track continues to shift eastward; landfall now predicted to be around Intracoastal City, Louisiana, on Wednesday evening. 

·     Maximum sustained winds remain near 50 mph (85 km/h) with higher gusts.

·     Gradual intensification is expected over the next day with more significant intensification on Tuesday Night and Wednesday.

·     Francine is expected to become a hurricane before it reaches the northwestern U.S. Gulf Coast on Wednesday.

·     Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 160 miles (260 km) from the center. 

A Storm Surge Watch has been issued from east of High Island, Texas, eastward to the Mississippi/Alabama Border, including Vermilion Bay, Lake Maurepas, and Lake Pontchartrain.  

A Hurricane Watch has been issued from Cameron eastward to Grand Isle in Louisiana. 

A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued east of High Island, Texas, to Cameron, Louisiana, and from Grand Isle, Louisiana, to the Mouth of the Pearl River including Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas. 

A Storm Surge Watch is in effect for High Island Texas to the Mississippi/Alabama Border, Vermilion Bay, Lake Maurepas and Lake Pontchartrain. 

A Hurricane Watch in in effect for the Louisiana coast from Cameron eastward to Grand Isle. 

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for Barra del Tordo, Mexico, to the Mouth of the Rio Grande, from the Mouth of the Rio Grande to Port Mansfield, East of High Island Texas to Cameron Louisiana, West of Grand Isle to Mouth of the Pearl River, Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas. 

Satellite Loop: Potential Tropical Cyclone Six at 10:20AM

Remarks from Coast Guard MSU Port Arthur & Vessel Traffic Service Port Arthur:

·     MSIB 28-24 set Port Condition Whiskey yesterday afternoon

·     Expecting to set Port Condition X-Ray around noon today

·     Port Condition Yankee tomorrow morning

·     All “Requests to Remain in Port” must be completed and submitted ASAP today

·     MSU Lake Charles is tracking with MSU Port Arthur and is currently under the same conditions

·     MSU Lake Charles will host a PCT call today at 1PM

Sabine Pilots:

Standing by, will continue to move ships normally until conditions deteriorate to the point that pilot transfers are unsafe, probably sometime midday tomorrow. They will be making final traffic plans later this evening on what traffic will move tomorrow morning.

Agents are reminded to keep CBP and Sabine Pilots updated with your vessel's status for movement, and to make sure that the ship's eNOA/D are kept updated to avoid any problems. 

WGMA members are reminded that our partners DTN WeatherOps can provide customized weather reports for your specific area, and their seasonal Fog Forecast gives you a 7-day outlook of fog for every port on the US Gulf Coast. Contact WGMA Maritime Affairs to sign up to receive these reports. 

VTS Port Arthur has scheduled another PCT conference call for tomorrow morning at 1100. Your WGMA Maritime Affairs team will participate on all PCT calls and report updates to our membership.