FOR VESSELS

SCHEDULING OF VESSELS AND AUTOMATICS

The scheduling and ordering of any vessel’s movements shall be the responsibility of each vessel’s agent or master.
Agents must give a minimum 4-hour notice.

AUTOMATICS
In the case of vessels exchanging berths, an agent or master may direct that his vessel’s movements be scheduled by the pilot office to occur automatically with the movement of the other vessel vacating the berth.

Orders for “Automatic” movements will not be accepted in cases where the vessel vacating the berth involved does not utilize the services of a Galveston-Texas City Pilot when moving from that berth.  Although the Pilots’ communication system is available and may be utilized to aid in scheduling a vessel’s movement in the above situation, the final responsibility for ordering the dispatch of a pilot must remain with the vessel’s agent or master.

NAVIGATIONAL SAFETY GUIDELINES
Nothing in these guidelines obligates an individual pilot to move a vessel when, in that pilot’s opinion, it is unsafe to do so.  Safety is always our number one concern.

PILOT BOARDING REQUIREMENTS
Please refer to 46 CFR 32.90.1 “Pilot Boarding Equipment” and 46 CFR 35.01-55 “Pilot Boarding Operation”.  These CFRs speak to the requirements of having the proper pilot boarding equipment as well as the requirements for conducting the pilot boarding operations in a safe manner.

For safety reasons, Galveston-Texas City Pilots require that pilot boarding of semi-submersible drilling rigs, jack-up rigs and any other type of MODU, and self-propelled diving rigs such as the Uncle John and the Q4000 be done by helicopter.

Tug with Barge:
Pilots will not transfer via the tug (when in the notch).  The potential risk involved to both pilot and pilot boat is not worth the little time saved by boarding via the tug.  A pilot ladder rigged on the barge is required for all pilot transfers.  Barges without a rigged pilot ladder will not be boarded.

LIMITATIONS AND RESTRICTIONS

Galveston Bar to Ports of Galveston County:

• Daylight hours only for arrivals and sailings, but may be shifted or turned at night within Galveston or Texas City.

• Daylight restricted vessels must commence at least two (2) hours before sunset, and not before sunrise.

• Vessels over 120,000 DWT:

  • May sail from Bolivar Roads at night.

  • LNG tankers shall be considered over 120,000 DWT.

• Vessels over 80,000 DWT:

  • A second pilot is required (Certain Bolivar Roads movements are exempt from this requirement).

• Vessels with LOA of 860 feet or more:

  • A second pilot is required (Certain Cruise Vessels are exempt from this requirement).

• Vessels with Draft over 40 feet:

  • Vessels over 40' draft daylight restricted regardless of DWT.

• Dead ships may be moved at night within Galveston and Texas City harbors only(not Bolivar Roads or over the bar).  Barges may be moved at any time.

• Dead ships or rigs with a draft of 30 feet or more require moving safety zone. Customer to make all arrangements, including USCG clearance.

Galveston Bar to Port of Galveston:

• Oil rigs are daylight only, unless self-propelled.

Galveston Bar to Port of Texas City:

• The maximum length limit of any vessel handled in the Texas City main basin shall be 1,000 feet unless by prior agreement.

• Ships, seagoing barges and other large vessels are restricted from passing each other in the Texas City Channel or the Carbide Canal