SITUATIONAL UPDATE:
Unified Command’s current timeline for the restoration for the Port of Baltimore and to reopen the permanent, 700-foot-wide, 50-foot-deep, and 214 feet air draft clearance federal navigation channel remains by June 8-10.
Navigation buoys for the 700-foot-wide by 50-foot-deep channel will be placed Saturday June 8th, USCG MSIB publication of transit operations and lifting of LAC associated restrictions is expected to follow shortly thereafter.
Prior MSIB publications regarding Limited Access Channel conditions of transit and requirements are still in effect.
All traffic must be one-way, restricted to less than 10 knots, and require two escort tugs. Deep draft vessels utilizing this channel will still require a Maryland State pilot and two escort tugs. The Maryland Pilots will impose a 3 foot under keel clearance (UKC). For container ships greater than a 1,000 ft in length and over 125 ft in beam, transits will be limited to winds being less than 15 knots; all other vessel transits will be limited to winds being less than 20 knots.
Deep draft traffic has priority use of this channel. Tug and barge traffic should make maximum use of the three Temporary Alternate Channels (the 20, 14, and 11-foot deep channels) that will remain available so as not to impede vessel traffic that must use the 50-foot deep channel. Any use of the Fort McHenry Limited Access Channel by non-deep draft commercial vessels should be deconflicted with the Maryland Pilots at (410) 342-6013.
Permission must be granted from the USCG to come to Baltimore before the channel is fully open. Pilot and tug scheduling will generally be coordinated on a first-come-first serve basis.
PORT CONDITION:
The Captain of the Port (COTP) has established a temporary alternate channel near Sollers Point for commercially essential vessels on the northeast side of the main ship channel in the vicinity of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. This temporary channel has a controlling depth of 11 feet, a 264-foot horizontal clearance, and vertical clearance of 95 feet. Open 24-hours daily to all traffic, to include recreational vessels.
The Captain of the Port (COTP) has established a second temporary alternate channel near Hawkins Point for commercially essential vessels on the southwest side of the main ship channel in the vicinity of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. This temporary channel has a controlling depth of 14 feet, a 280-foot horizontal clearance, and vertical clearance of 124 feet. Open 24-hours daily to non-deep draft commercial vessels
The Captain of the Port (COTP) established the third temporary alternate channel, Fort Carroll Temporary Alternate Channel, located just southwest of the Sollers Point Temporary Alternate Channel. The temporary channel has a controlling depth of 20 feet, 300 horizontal clearance, and vertical clearance of 135 feet. Open 24-hours daily to non-deep draft commercial vessels.
The Captain of the Port (COTP) established a fourth channel, the Fort McHenry Limited Access Channel, with a controlling depth 50 feet, 400-foot horizontal clearance, and vertical clearance of 214 feet. Additional restrictions for transits are outlined in MSIB 049-24, including weather limitations which may impact the transit window.
These temporary channels are marked with government lighted aids to navigation and will be limited to transit at the discretion of the COTP.
To obtain permission to enter the safety zone and transit through any of the established limited access channel or any temporary alternate channel, you must, as early as possible but no less than 4 hours prior to getting underway, contact the Marine Transportation System Recovery Branch (MTSRB) at (505) 203-8141 and MTSrecoveryMDNCR@uscg.mil These requests must be received between the hours of 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Movement requests before 10 a.m. must be received prior to 6 p.m. the previous day.