Texas City Channel draft restrictions revised

The Galveston-Texas City Pilots has revised draft restrictions for vessels using the Texas City Channel in order to adjust to a month-long dredging along the Texas City Dike.

Beginning 3:30pm ET 19 March, the maximum allowable draft for vessels that are not Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCC) was returned to 45ft from 43ft. The VLCC maximum draft will remain at 41ft until the dredging is finished, when it will return to 43ft.

The dredging project, which will deepen the dike from 46ft to between 47ft and 48ft, is expected to be finished by mid-April, the US Army Corps of Engineers said. The deepening will provide safer passage for vessels.

The revised draft restrictions are not expected to have an impact on vessel traffic, according to the Galveston-Texas City Pilots, a private group that is authorized by the state to oversee the safety of the port.

The Seaway Terminal in Texas City is one of only two places VLCCs can partially load along the US Gulf Coast, the other being the Ingleside Terminal in Corpus Christi.