Daily Update

Sabine / Neches

September 18, 2024

Notices

Sabine Pilot Proposed Rate Adjustment

Attached is a meeting notice and agenda for a hearing of the Jefferson and Orange County Board of Pilot Commissioners to consider an application for pilotage rate adjustment submitted by the Sabine Pilots Association. The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, September 24, 2024 at 2:00 PM (1400 hours) as reflected on the notice.
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2024 Channel Closures

Jan 05th – 0905 Pilot service suspended due to high winds / rough seas
Jan 05th – 1630 Pilot service resumed
Jan 12th – 0230  Pilot service suspended due to poor visibility
Jan 12th – 0900 Pilot service resumed
Jan 12th – 1030 Pilot service suspended  offshore due to high winds
Jan 12th – 2000 Pilot service resumed
Jan 15th – 1600 Pilot service suspended due to freezing temps and icy road conditions
Jan 16th – 1400 Pilot service resumed
Jan 18th – 0430 Pilot service suspended due to fog
Jan 19th – 0600 Pilot service resumed
Jan 22nd – 1904 Pilot service suspended due to fog
Jan 24th – 1000 Pilot service resumed
Feb 02nd – 0900 Channel closed above Port Arthur turning basin to remove sunken vehicle
Feb 02nd – 1600 Channel open
Feb 10th – 0445 Pilot service suspended due to fog
Feb 10th – 1030 Pilot service resumed
Feb 10th – 2100 Pilot service suspended due to fog
Feb 10th – 1530 Pilot service resumed
Feb 11th – 1900 Pilot service suspended due to fog
Feb 11th – 2330 Pilot service resumed
Feb 22nd – 2310 Pilot service suspended due to fog
Feb 23rd – 0600 Pilot service resumed
Feb 27th – 0145 Pilot service suspended due to fog
Feb 27th – 0900 Pilot service resumed
Feb 27th – 2130 Pilot service limited to one way traffic due to fog
Feb 28th – 0300 Pilot service resumed two way traffic
Mar 02nd – 1730 Pilot service suspended due to fog
Mar 03rd – 1000 Pilot service resumed
Mar 03rd – 1740 Pilot service suspended due to fog
Mar 05th – 1200 Pilot service resumed
Mar 08th – 0550 Pilot service suspended due to fog
Mar 08th – 2200 Pilot service resumed
Mar 14th – 0245 Pilot service suspended due to fog
Mar 14th – 1100 Pilot service resumed
Mar 14th – 2130 Pilot service suspended due to fog
Mar 15th – 1100 Pilot service resumed
Mar 21st – 1145 Pilot service suspended due to high winds/seas
Mar 22nd – 0600 Pilot service resumed
Apr 09th – 2035 Pilot service suspended due to high winds/seas
Apr 10th – 1030 Pilot service resumed
Apr 27th - 0500 Pilot service suspended due to high winds/seas
Apr 28th - 0900 Pilot service resumed
Apr 28th - 2200 Pilot service suspended due to high winds/seas
Apr 29th - 1030 Pilot service resumed
May 18th – 0045 Pilot service suspended due to fog
May 18th – 0230 Pilot service resumed
May 18th – 0440 Pilot service suspended due to fog
May 18th – 1130 Pilot service resumed
Jun 18th – 1905 Pilot service suspended due to high winds/seas
Jun 19th – 0600 Pilot service resumed
Jun 19th – 1430 Pilot service suspended due to high winds/seas
Jun 20th – 1100 Pilot service resumed
Jul 08th – 0050 Pilot service suspended due to high winds/seas
Jul 08th – 1830 Pilot service resumed
Sep 06th – 1500 Pilot service suspended due to dredge stuck in the channel
Sep 07th – 1000 Pilot service resumed
Sep 09th – 1200 TS Francine / USCG set Port Condition X-RAY
Sep 10th – 0800 USCG set Port Condition YANKEE
Sep 10th – 2000 USCG set Port Condition ZULU
Sep 11th – 1000 USCG set Port Condition RECOVERY
Sep 11th – 1530 Pilot service resumed
Sep 16th – 2045 Channel closed from 709 due to vehicle in the water
Sep 17th – 1900 Channel open

Weather / Marine Zone Forecast

Today: A 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Sunny, with a high near 91. Heat index values as high as 100. Calm wind.

Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 75. Calm wind.

Thursday: Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 92. Heat index values as high as 100. Calm wind.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 73. Calm wind.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 93. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph.

Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 73. Calm wind.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 72. South wind around 5 mph becoming calm.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 73.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 90.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 72.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 90.


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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
Sun Terminal                      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
Sun Terminal                      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

  • JOCPC - Meeting Notice and Agenda - Rate Adjustment Application (2).pdf(95.2 KB )
  • Gulf of Mexico Planner - 091824.pdf(1.43 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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