Port Update
Philadelphia / Delaware River & Bay
August 19, 2025
Notices
Moran Shipping Agencies at Port Philadelphia & Wilmington, DE.
Port Security - MARSEC Level 1
Local Time – GMT - 4
Bulk Carrier Explosion - Baltimore - 8/18/2025
Bulk Carrier Explosion - Baltimore - 8/18/2025
Vessel – MV Sapphire / 751-foot merchant vessel W-Sapphire in Baltimore
Currently known:
1) 1830/18th - Explosion on board vessel while in transit on Patapsco River main channel.
2) Hold #2 claimed to take on water.
3) Port closed, up to key bridge, only transit from C&D Canal to anchorage permitted until the hatch cover is located.
4) Vessel currently anchored north of Bay Bridge at anchorage.
5) No injuries have been reported at this time, and the cause of the explosion is under investigation.
6) The Coast Guard has established a 2,000-yard safety zone around the incident location, spanning from the Key Bridge to Brewerton Angle Channel LB “14”.
7) Reports state the fire has been extinguished and plans for the vessel are being formulated.
a) At approximately 6:30 p.m., Sector Maryland - National Capital Region watchstanders received a call over VHF channel 16 from the W-Sapphire sating their had been an explosion aboard the vessel. The W-Sapphire was outbound from Baltimore Harbor with 23 crewmembers and 2 pilots aboard and was south of Fort Carroll at the time of the explosion. The report stated the vessel was transporting coal.
Small Craft Advisory
URGENT - MARINE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Mount Holly NJ
425 AM EDT Tue Aug 19 2025
ANZ454-455-192130-
/O.CON.KPHI.SC.Y.0080.000000T0000Z-250822T2200Z/
Coastal waters from Cape May NJ to Cape Henlopen DE out 20 nm-
Coastal waters from Cape Henlopen to Fenwick Island DE out 20 nm-
425 AM EDT Tue Aug 19 2025
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM EDT FRIDAY...
* WHAT...Northeast winds 25 to 30 kt and seas 9 to 14 ft.
* WHERE...Coastal waters from Cape May NJ to Cape Henlopen DE
out 20 nm and Coastal waters from Cape Henlopen to Fenwick
Island DE out 20 nm.
* WHEN...Until 6 PM EDT Friday.
* IMPACTS...Conditions will be hazardous to small craft.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Inexperienced mariners, especially those operating smaller
vessels, should avoid navigating in hazardous conditions.
Weather / Marine Zone Forecast
Marine Weather
ANZ400-192100-
401 AM EDT Tue Aug 19 2025
.SYNOPSIS FOR THE COASTAL WATERS FROM SANDY HOOK NJ TO FENWICK
ISLAND DE AND FOR DELAWARE BAY...
High pressure sets up to the north while a boundary stalls out to
the south. A trough moves in during the middle of the week as
Hurricane Erin passes offshore. As Hurricane Erin moves away, high
pressure moves in for the end of the week and into the weekend
before a frontal system moves in for the back half of the
weekend.
ANZ454-192100-Coastal waters from Cape May NJ to Cape Henlopen DE out 20 nm-
401 AM EDT Tue Aug 19 2025
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON
TODAY
E winds 15 to 20 kt with gusts up to 25 kt. Seas 5 to
6 ft. Wave Detail: E 6 ft at 7 seconds and SE 4 ft at 17 seconds.
A chance of showers this morning, then a slight chance of showers
early this afternoon. A chance of showers late.
TONIGHT
E winds 10 to 15 kt with gusts up to 20 kt. Seas 5 to
7 ft. Wave Detail: SE 7 ft at 14 seconds and E 5 ft at 7 seconds.
WED
E winds around 15 kt with gusts up to 20 kt. Seas 5 to
7 ft. Wave Detail: SE 7 ft at 15 seconds.
WED NIGHT
E winds 15 to 20 kt, becoming NE 20 to 25 kt after
midnight. Seas 6 to 9 ft. Wave Detail: SE 9 ft at 16 seconds. A
chance of showers after midnight.
THU
NE winds 25 to 35 kt. Seas 9 to 12 ft, building to 10 to
14 ft in the afternoon. Wave Detail: SE 11 ft at 17 seconds,
becoming SE 13 ft at 17 seconds. A chance of showers.
THU NIGHT
NE winds 30 to 35 kt, becoming N 25 to 30 kt after
midnight. Seas 9 to 13 ft, subsiding to 8 to 11 ft after
midnight. Wave Detail: SE 13 ft at 17 seconds, becoming E 11 ft
at 16 seconds and SE 7 ft at 4 seconds. A chance of showers in
the evening.
FRI
N winds 25 to 30 kt, becoming NE 20 to 25 kt in the
afternoon. Seas 8 to 11 ft.
FRI NIGHT
E winds 15 to 20 kt, becoming SE 10 to 15 kt after
midnight. Seas 6 to 9 ft, subsiding to 5 to 7 ft after midnight.
SAT
SE winds 10 to 15 kt. Seas 4 to 6 ft.
SAT NIGHT
S winds 10 to 15 kt. Seas 4 to 6 ft.
Airport Code – Port Philadelphia, PA (PHL)
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