State of the Waterway 2017 Steven W. Nerheim Director, VTS Houston/Galveston Lone Star Harbor Safety Committee 10 th February 2017
U.S. Port Rankings - 2014 (Millions of short tons) 1 Port of S Louisiana, LA 267.3 15 Texas City, TX 47.8 2 Houston, TX 234.3 16 Huntington Tristate 46.4 3 New York, NY and NJ 126.1 17 St. Louis, MO and IL 38.8 4 Beaumont, TX 87.2 18 Duluth-Superior, MN and WI 37.3 5 Long Beach, CA 85.0 19 Baltimore, MD 34.7 6 Corpus Christi, TX 84.9 20 Port Arthur, TX 36.6 7 New Orleans, LA 84.4 21 Tampa, FL 35.1 8 Baton Rouge, LA 69.1 22 Savannah, GA 34.3 9 Mobile, AL 64.2 23 Pittsburg, PA 31.4 10 Los Angeles, CA 61.0 24 Pascagoula, MS 27.8 11 Lake Charles, LA 56.8 25 Valdez, AK 26.5 12 Plaquemines, LA, Port of 55.4 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 13 Cincinnati-Northern KY 49.9 32 Freeport, TX 22.3 14 Norfolk Harbor, VA 47.9 52 Galveston, TX 10.6 2
U.S. Port Rankings 2015 1 South Louisiana, LA, Port of 259.1-3.07% 15 Texas City, TX 42.9-10.25% 2 Houston, TX 240.9 +2.8% 16 Huntington-Tristate 42.7-7.97% 3 New York, NY and NJ 126.6 +0.40% 17 Baltimore, MD 39.4 +6.20% 4 New Orleans, LA 87.8 +4.03% 18 Tampa, FL 35.9 +2.28% 5 Beaumont, TX 87.1-0.11% 19 Port Arthur, TX 35.7-2.46% 6 Corpus Christi, TX 85.6 +0.82% 20 Savannah, GA 35.2 +2.62% 7 Long Beach, CA 78.1-8.12% 21 St Louis, MO and IL 34.9-10.05% 8 Baton Rouge, LA 68.7-0.58% 22 Duluth-Superior, MN and WI 33.3-10.72% 9 Los Angeles, CA 60.1 +0.16% 23 Richmond CA 28.5 +9.62% 10 Mobile, AL 58.5-8.88% 24 Valdez, AK 26.7 +0.75% 11 Virginia, VA Port of 57.7 +0.0% 25 Pascagoula, MS 26.5-4.68% 12 Lake Charles, LA 56.6-0.35% ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 13 Plaquemines, LA Port of 53.5-3.43% 32 Freeport, TX 21.1-5.38% 14 (Millions of short tons and % of change from 2014 to 2015.) Cincinnati-Northern, KY Ports of 44.9-10.02% 51 Galveston, TX 10.3-2.83% 3
VTS Movements - 2016 Tug/Tow 139,271 0.81% Ships 22,354-3.42% Other 5,229-23.03% Public 2,384 17.94% Total Users 169,708-7.07% Ferries 107,967 Total 277,205 4
Transit Demographics 2016 5
Typical Day in the VTSA - 2016 Average High 39 Tanker Transits 56 23 Freighter Transits 51 2 Cruise Ship Transits 8 378 Tow Transits 493 7 Public Vessel Transits 30 298 Ferry Transits 489 18 79 OSV / Other Transits Ships in Port 49 111 6
Monthly Transits 2016 18000 16000 14000 15341 13364 13730 14030 15073 14572 14354 14054 13410 14418 14283 13245 12000 10000 8000 6000 4000 2000 0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 7
Monthly Comparison: 2013-2016 18000 16000 14000 12000 10000 8000 6000 4000 2013 2014 2015 2016 2000 0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 8
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2002 2016 Transit Trends 175000 Total Transits per Year 170000 165000 160000 155000 150000 145000 140000 135000 130000 125000 Trend line represents 5 year moving average. 9
Incident Summary - 2016 252 Incidents (317 for 2015) down 22.84% 171 Vessel Casualties -6.7% 21 Groundings -9.1% 12 Collisions -15.3% 6 Allisions -28.5% 89 Other -71.7% Broken Face wires / coupling, Person in Water, Barges adrift, Pollution / Spill. 10
Incident to Transits Ratio 2016 1 Incidents per 1000 Transits 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 11
Vessel Casualties - Year to Year 1.6 Vessel Casualties per 1000 Transits 153 Total Vessel Casualties 85 Ship 56 Tow 12 Other 1.4 1.2 1 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 12
140 Ship Casualties 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Other 0 0 3 1 48 44 25 14 Generator 0 3 1 1 0 3 2 2 Steer 1 5 5 5 3 5 7 11 Propulsion 42 33 28 40 68 68 68 58 13
100 Tow Casualties 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Other 2 3 3 4 21 16 13 15 Generator 1 0 4 1 0 6 2 1 Steer 11 6 12 8 25 13 7 5 Propulsion 6 11 7 12 41 16 29 35 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 14
Groundings Year to Year Reported causal factors: Current Wind Operator Error Surge by another vessel Weather Tide Unknown 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 Other Ship Tow 0 15
Allisions 14 6 Allisions 1 involving a tow 4 involving a ship 1 involving an other 12 10 8 6 4 Other Ship Tow 2 0 16
Collisions 20 13 Collisions 3 ship/tow 2 ship/other 4 tow/tow 3 tow/ other 1 tow/dredge 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 17
700 Channel Closure Hours 600 500 400 300 200 100 Fog Dredge Ops Incident Heavy Wx Other Anc Vsls 0 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Fog 265 351.5 389.55 319.96 384.1 680.2 379 Dredge Ops 39.5 70.5 94.15 57.36 48.33 99.2 137.26 Incident 152.5 157.2 5.5 26 83.88 91.5 221.75 Heavy Wx 104.5 36.8 28.1 33.1 20 75.5 88.6 Other 0 17.5 111.35 33.83 59.26 70.5 84.25 Anc Vsls 25.75 Vessels anchored in the channel due to reduced visibility. 18
Houston Ship Channel Greater Galveston Port Complex ~$500/day Economic Impact - Ports of National Significance Over 12.5% of U.S. Waterborne Commerce (2013) Over 52 miles, Sea Buoy to Buffalo Bayou Turning Basin VTSA Monitors over 75 miles of Waterway Main Channel is 530 x 45 deep Barge Lanes Barge Lanes 235 x 12 deep on both sides of the main channel from the ICW (LT 25/26) to Morgan s Point Barge Lanes
Hotspots 2015 Grounding Allision Collision 20
Hotspots 2016 Grounding Allision Collision 21
Reports of Unsafe Moorings (Slack Lines) 180 Decrease of -36.42% Average speed of vessel reported causing damage or parted lines 6.15 kts 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 with no vessel speed greater than 7.0 kts 20 0 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Slack 129 113 110 153 155 127 129 138 95 Parted 9 4 8 14 18 13 16 20 6 Damage 9 1 8 5 4 6 5 4 2 22
2016 High Water Events MARCH, APRIL, MAY 2016 HEAVY RAINS - HIGH WATER STRONG CURRENTS TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SCHEMES - IMPLEMENTED - REFINED VTS HIGH WATER ACTION PLAN WWM WATERWAYS ACTION PLAN 23
Sector Houston-Galveston Aids to Navigation (AToN) RESOURCES 2016 ACTIVITY/RESPONSIBILITIES CGC HARRY CLAIBORNE Maintain 1,156 Aids CGC CLAMP CGC HATCHET ANT Galveston ANT Sabine Responded to 683 AToN Discrepancies 423 AtoN Knockdowns (227 Self-Reports) 3500+ Hours Underway 98% Aid Availability Rate 24
AToN Activity for 2016 Major Projects New Bayport Ranges HSC Inner Range RFL Rebuild AToN Relocation Projects due to Dredging 25
Maritime Traffic and Projects Beyond the VTSA Galveston Causeway Debris Removal Project 6 Month Project (Frequent GIWW Closures) Expanded the channel from prev 90 chokepoint to full 125 x12 GIWW Project Dimensions 26
Maritime Traffic and Projects Beyond the VTSA Mitigating Congestion in the San Jacinto River Teamed with Port Partners to Address Concern Waterways Management Division Released Marine Safety Information Bulletin 09-16 Reduced Hazards to Navigation Alleviated Congestion 27
NAVIGATION OPERATIONS INDUSTRY ENGAGEMENT LSHSC SUBCOMMITTEES WATERWAY SAFETY AND UTILIZATION DREDGING AND MARINE CONSTRUCTION EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND OUTREACH PLACES OF REFUGE WORKING GROUPS BARGE MOORING, FLEETING, PUSH-IN DISCUSSIONS CAUSALITY MENHADEN AWARENESS CHEMICAL TANKER SCHEDULING OPTIMIZATION GREATER HOUSTON PORT BUREAU TRAFFIC EFFICIENCY COMMITTEE PCT / NRT-TJHRT / GIWW JOINT HURRICANE PROTOCOLS VTS ADVISORY ANCHORAGE WORKING GROUP
COLLABORATIVE OUTCOMES Anchorage Working Group Barge Lanes Barge Fleeting, Mooring, Push-In Discussions Bayport Turning Basin (Tow Container Ship) Coordination Bluewater - Brownwater Interaction Engagements Bolivar Roads Inbound Alternate Route Brownwater University Cat I / Cat II Channel Obstruction Requests & Non-VTSA Obstruction Requests Dredge and Marine Construction Coordination GHPB Traffic Efficiency Working Group (Downs Committee) Harbor of Safe Refuge Handbook Gantry Crane Awareness No Meeting/Overtaking in Bolivar Buoy Line Port Coordination Team San Jacinto River Mud Banks Push-in Enforcement Slack Line Reporting Sharing Our Bay Publication Special Traffic Management Places of Refuge (Awkward Ships Longer/Wider Tows Upper HSC) Using the Houston Ship Channel Publication Tank Vessel Efficiency Working Group (Pontikos Committee) VTS Advisory Working Group VTSA Expansion Proposals VTSA Redesign VTS Restricted Moorings Policy VTS Townhall and other Outreach
On the Horizon Expanding traffic (both size and volume) Refined Waterway Action Plan VTSA / VTS Adaptations Changing workforce demographics VTMIS Upgrades 30
Houston Traffic / Sector WWM Contacts VTS Houston/Galveston www.uscg.mil/vtshouston Vessel Traffic Center Watch Supervisor (24 hrs) 281.464.4837 houstontraffic@uscg.mil Director: Steve Nerheim 281.464.4826 steven.w.nerheim@uscg.mil Ops Mgr/ Trng Mgr: Brian Smith 281.464.4827 Brian.Smith1@uscg.mil Ops Officer: LT Cortland Gazda 281.464.4829 Cortland.C.Gazda@uscg.mil Sector WWM D08-DG-SECHouston-WWM@uscg.mil WWM Div Chief: LCDR Navin Griffin 281.464.4736 Tel (24/7 Sector Command Center) 281.464.4855 Navin.L.Griffin@uscg.mil 31
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