Port Update
Port Arthur, TX / Sabine / Neches
January 11, 2024
Notices
Channel drafts are back to 40ft fw.
Attached, 3 months helicopter trial starting January 2024 by Sabine Bank Pilots.
Weather / Marine Zone Forecast
Today A slight chance of showers between 1pm and 3pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 73. South wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Tonight A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 4am, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 4am and 5am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 5am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 53. Windy, with a south wind 15 to 20 mph becoming west 25 to 30 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 45 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Friday Partly sunny through mid morning, then becoming sunny, with a temperature rising to near 61 by 9am, then falling to around 48 during the remainder of the day. Windy, with a northwest wind 25 to 30 mph decreasing to 15 to 20 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 45 mph.
Friday Night Patchy frost after 2am. Otherwise, mostly clear, with a low around 33. Northwest wind 10 to 15 mph becoming light and variable after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.
Saturday Areas of frost before 8am. Otherwise, sunny, with a high near 59. Light southeast wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the morning.
Saturday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 41. East wind 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday Mostly sunny, with a high near 63. Southeast wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
Sunday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35. East wind around 10 mph becoming north after midnight.
M.L. King Day A 30 percent chance of rain, mainly after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 46. North wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
Monday Night Mostly cloudy, with a low around 24.
Tuesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 40.
Tuesday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 23.
Wednesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 49.
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ATTACHED LATEST WEATHER REPORTS.
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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.
