The information below was originally posted in a news release issued by the Hurricane Harvey response. For breaking news about the Coast Guard’s overall response efforts, visit the incident news site.
As of 2:15 p.m., Thursday the Coast Guard opened ports and waterways, with some restrictions, in the Corpus Christi captain of the port zone.
The Port of Brownsville is open with no restrictions.
The Port of Corpus Christi is open, with the following restrictions:
• All vessels are restricted to a draft not to exceed 43-feet.
• All foreign registered vessels 100 gross registered tons or larger, all domestic tank vessels 10,000 gross registered tons or larger and all domestic non-tank vessels 1,600 gross registered tons or larger must:
1) conduct one-way transit only;
2) have a minimum of two pilots for each transit; and
3) transit during daylight hours only
• The Gulf Intracoastal Waterway between mile marker 540 (Corpus Christi) east to mile marker 668 (Brownsville)
Mariners are advised that although some channel surveys have been conducted, the Coast Guard has not completed channel surveys in all inlets, harbors, and channels to confirm safe transit. Mariners are to proceed with caution as navigational aids may be missing or off station and debris, shoaling, and hazardous substances may be present. All other waterways of the COTP zone remains closed.
Mariners are reminded the Corpus Christi Inner Harbor security zone, 33 CFR 165.809, remains in effect during severe weather. Recreational, commercial fishing and passenger vessels are not permitted to enter the security zone without permission from the COTP. Vessels must have prearranged agreements to enter the Inner Harbor as a safe refuge.
This post is for informational purposes only and does not replace official Captain of the Port or incident response communications or announcements. For the most up-to-date port information, go to http://www.homeport.uscg.mil.
This blog is not a replacement or substitute for the formal posting of regulations and updates or existing processes for receiving formal feedback of the same. Links provided on this blog will direct the reader to official source documents, such as the Federal Register, Homeport and the Code of Federal Regulations. These documents remain the official source for regulatory information published by the Coast Guard.