Port Update
Port Arthur, TX / Sabine / Neches
January 09, 2024
Notices
Sabine Pilots advise pilot service resumed with outbound traffic 1300/09th for vessels that elect to have pilots disembark via helicopter. If they elect for pilot to disembark via launch, boardings will be scheduled once offshore weather conditions improve.
As of 0745/09th, channel draft has been reduced to 38’ fw until further notice.
Weather / Marine Zone Forecast
Today: Sunny, with a high near 52. Windy, with a west wind 15 to 25 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph.
Tonight: Patchy frost after 5am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 33. West wind 10 to 15 mph becoming light and variable after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.
Wednesday: Patchy frost before 7am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 63. South wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.
Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 51. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light.
Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 72. South wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph.
Thursday Night: A slight chance of showers, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 9pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51. Windy, with a southeast wind 20 to 30 mph becoming southwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 64. Windy, with a west wind 25 to 30 mph, with gusts as high as 45 mph.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 31. Windy, with a northwest wind 20 to 25 mph decreasing to 10 to 15 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 35 mph.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 56. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 41.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 64.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37.
M.L.King Day: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 50.
Tonight: Patchy frost after 5am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 33. West wind 10 to 15 mph becoming light and variable after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.
Wednesday: Patchy frost before 7am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 63. South wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.
Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 51. South wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light.
Thursday: A 20 percent chance of showers after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 72. South wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph.
Thursday Night: A slight chance of showers, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 9pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51. Windy, with a southeast wind 20 to 30 mph becoming southwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 64. Windy, with a west wind 25 to 30 mph, with gusts as high as 45 mph.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 31. Windy, with a northwest wind 20 to 25 mph decreasing to 10 to 15 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 35 mph.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 56. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming south in the afternoon.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 41.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 64.
Sunday Night: A 20 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37.
M.L.King Day: A 20 percent chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 50.
Port / Terminal Restrictions
2024 Channel Closures
Jan 05th- 0905 Pilot service suspended due to high winds / rough seas
Jan 05th- 1630 Pilot service resumed
Jan 05th- 0905 Pilot service suspended due to high winds / rough seas
Jan 05th- 1630 Pilot service resumed
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
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
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.
* 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
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
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.
