Weekly News Summary For September 3-9, 2007:
Dangerous currents can set a tow down on the three unprotected piers of the Hwy. 190 Bridge in Baton Rouge and cause a lot of damage, said Arnie Rothstein, general manager of Ingram Barge Company Gulf Operations.
If fendering is installed, Rothstein said it could protect the concrete bridge piers from ripping open a steel barge carrying dangerous cargo and may keep an accident from becoming a headline-grabbing catastrophe.
Silting in the bend at Wilkerson Point, on the right descending bank (RDB) above the bridge, is also a serious problem and has not been addressed in several years. A fourth pier, on the Port Allen (RDB) bank used to stand at the water’s edge, said Capt. Ivy Dupre, but with the silting, that pier now is almost 150 feet from the water on the bank.
The main channel sailing line on charts shows the Port Allen span as the preferred span. Lights on the bridge also indicate it is the preferred channel. But when the river drops below 15 to 18 feet at Baton Rouge, experienced towboaters know there is not enough water in that span and use the eastern Baton Rouge span.
“There’s also a mud flat about one tow length (1,100 feet) below the bridge where the tow can run aground if the engines are powered up and the stern is sucking down,” Dupre said. “If someone does not know about the silting and relies on the bridge lights or charts, they can get into trouble.”…
The Gulf Intracoastal Canal Association (GICA) held its 102nd annual convention in New Orleans August 22-24, drawing more attendees and greater sponsorship than ever before.
Speaking at the awards banquet Wednesday night, Raymond Butler, the association’s executive director, announced that this year’s attendance set a record at 267 and benefited from more than $60,000 from convention sponsors.
Admiral Joel Whitehead, commander of the Coast Guard’s Eighth District, turned the tables on Butler, who usually is the one to hand out the awards. He presented him with the Meritorious Public Service Award, which is the highest honor the Coast Guard can give a civilian.
The award was for “Butler’s diligence, initiative and responsiveness” in mitigating the impact of the 2006 Citgo Refinery oil spill in Lake Charles, La. The spill closed the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. The vessel coordination center he established allowed traffic to begin moving a short 36 hours after the waterway was first closed. The center acted to quickly reduce the number of tows forced to wait and ensured the passage of a total of 250 vessels through the area without contaminating the environment.
“Once again, Mr. Butler demonstrated the extraordinary effectiveness of GICA, and he helped showcase the outstanding spirit of cooperation among the maritime industry and between them and the U.S. Coast Guard,” Adm. Whitehead said….
The 1,200-foot chamber at Ohio River Locks and Dam 52 re-opened to traffic August 29th following the second closure within three weeks. The main lock chamber was shut down August 22nd to repair and refurbish the lower miter gates in a repeat of an operation that closed the facility for a week earlier in the month, when similar work was done on the upper miter gates of the 38-year-old lock chamber. The lock chamber was designed to serve for 25 years but delayed funding for completion of the Olmstead Locks and Dam project down river, has kept the aging structure in use far past its designed life span.
Earning the dubious distinction of being the first tow to enter the re-opened lock was the Caroline N with a 15-barge tow. Head lock man, Floyd Westbrooks said there were more than fifty tows waiting when the facility finally opened to traffic. Traffic quickly backed up as most tows were “double-locked” through the dam’s original 600-foot chamber, which was not affected by the shut-down.
Westbrooks complimented several companies for their cooperation in providing assist boats to help tows in and out of the smaller chamber. “Some of the boats worked for 10 or 12 hours at a time,” he remarked, adding that only a few times was it necessary to call on the radio for another “volunteer.” Several companies called their boats with instructions to help when necessary, he added, naming those who provided the most assistance….
The final rule became effective August 30, 2007, for the Regulated Navigation Area (RNA) at “81-Mile Point” on the Lower Mississippi River (LMR).
The amended version establishes mandatory check-in procedures on VHF Channel 63A for vessels transiting on the Mississippi River between mile markers 167.5 LMR and 187.9 LMR. The regulations require the following.
- For upbound vessels, check in is at the Sunshine Bridge (MM 167) and provide tow configuration and destination.
- A second checkpoint for upbound traffic is Bringier Point Light (MM 173.1 RDB).
- For downbound vessels, check in is at Cosmar Lights (MM 187.9) and provide tow configuration and destination.
- Second checkpoint downbound is Wyandotte Chemical Dock Lights (MM 183.9 LDB).
Vessels transiting this area must provide name, destination, confirm proper operation of their automated identification system (AIS) if required under 33 CFR 164.46, and if applicable, size of tow and number of loaded or empty barges….
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