Category 1 channel closure for dead ship movement of the Battleship USS Texas From 06:00 / 31st until 21:00 / 31st August 2023. Details in attachment.
Timeline of planned events as per Port Coordination Team.
3. Battleship Texas dead ship movement Aug. 31:
a. PilotTracker will highlight the lead and tail tugs so that you can view the tow progress.
b. I sit on the Port Coordination Team, and we had a call to review the timeline this morning. You may have received this already from another PCT representative (or me!) this morning, but I wanted to share the timeline and MSIB just in case.
i. 0400 – Houston Pilots suspend boardings so traffic can clear the channel
ii. 0500 – attach stern tug
iii. 0600 – moving 1,000 yard Category 1 channel closure and 1,000 foot safety radius begin
iv. 0600 – pull out from slip
v. 0700 – attach bow tug, any additional hook ups
vi. 0800 – underway
vii. 1030 – expected to pass Morgan’s Point – expected earliest consideration for resuming Houston deepdraft transits
viii. 1300 – expected time Galveston-Texas City Pilots suspend boardings
ix. 1500 – expected to turn into Galveston
x. 2100 – channel closure and safety zone end
c. Timeline is subject to change as conditions require. If the tow is scrubbed for tomorrow, it will be rescheduled for Sept. 1.
d. Weather is not expected to impact the tow.
e. Note on resuming outbound traffic – while traffic could resume as early as 10:30, be aware that it may not be until much later in the day. This potentially means that daylight restricted traffic may not be able to move tomorrow. PilotTracker will be updated with new scheduled boarding times once more information is known.