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Houston Pilots News

16 Jan 2023

Video: Injured Crewman Airlifted from Containership Near Galveston

(Photo: U.S. Coast Guard)

An injured crewman was airlifted from a containership in the Houston Ship Channel near Galveston, Texas, on Friday.The U.S. Coast Guard said its watchstanders at Sector Houston-Galveston received a notification at 1 p.m. from the Houston Pilots aboard the 1,099-foot, Malta-registered containership CMA CGA Samson, stating a crew member had fallen and sustained a severe lower leg injury. Watchstanders consulted with the duty flight surgeon, who recommended a medevac.A Coast Guard Air Station Houston MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew launched to conduct the medevac.Once on scene…

22 Jun 2022

Port Houston Awards $450 Million in Contracts for Channel Expansion

(Photo: Port Houston)

The Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority met in a special session and awarded two of the largest contracts in the organization’s history. The Commission approved the staff’s recommendation to award Weeks Marine and Curtin Maritime Corporation contracts totaling $430 million to complete the remaining Galveston Bay segments of the Houston Ship Channel expansion project.“It’s an exciting day for Port Houston and the entire region and the millions of people who rely on the Houston Ship Channel for their livelihood and to bring them essential goods,” Chairman Ric Campo said.

30 Mar 2021

Excessive Speed a Factor in 2019 Houston Ship Channel Collision -NTSB

A screen capture from wheelhouse video on board the towing vessel Voyager shows the moment when the LPG tanker Genesis River struck barge 30015T, March 10, 2019. (Source: Kirby Inland Marine / NTSB)

Excessive vessel speed contributed to a 2019 collision between a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanker and a barge in the Houston Ship Channel that resulted in the release of 11,000 barrels of petrochemicals, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said Tuesday.The 754-foot-long tanker Genesis River collided with the 297-foot-long tank barge 30015T on the Houston Ship Channel May 10, 2019, in Texas’ Upper Galveston Bay. The collision breached two cargo tanks in the barge, spilling approximately 473,600 gallons of reformate, a gasoline blending stock.

16 Feb 2021

Cold Snap Shuts Houston Ship Channel

Illustration only - Credit:wifesun/AdobeStock

A deep freeze that hit Texas over the weekend wrought more havoc on the U.S. energy sector on Tuesday, curbing output in the largest U.S. oil field, knocking out a fifth of the nation's refining capacity, and shutting a key shipping channel in Houston.Historic cold has knocked out roughly 4 million barrels per day of refining capacity, more than one-fifth of national capacity, according to Reuters calculations. About 500,000 to 1.2 million bpd of crude production has also been affected…

27 Aug 2020

US Energy Exports Severely Disrupted by Hurricane Laura

File photo (Credit: Andrew Kendrick, U.S. Coast Guard)

Oil and gas exports from the United States have been severely disrupted by Hurricane Laura, with nearly a million barrels per day (bpd) of crude exports likely reduced this week by closures of U.S. Gulf Coast terminals and disruptions at ports.The hurricane also temporarily suspended operations at several liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities in the world’s third largest exporter of the super-cooled gas, with shipments on track to fall to their lowest in 18 months.Laura made landfall early Thursday near the Texas-Louisiana border…

27 Aug 2020

Port of Houston Reopens as Hurricane Closure Lifted

(File photo courtesy U.S. Coast Guard)

The Port of Houston, the United States' largest energy export port, began reopening to commercial shipping on Thursday after a day-long closure due to Hurricane Laura, the U.S. Coast Guard said.Ports along the Texas and Louisiana coasts were closed as the Category 4 hurricane churned up the Gulf of Mexico and went ashore in Cameron, Louisiana, early Thursday. The storm brought hurricane winds and high seas to the region.The Port of Houston, a major import and export hub for fuel, chemicals and consumer goods, closed on Wednesday.

28 Jan 2020

Houston Ship Channel Reopens After 7-hour Closure

The stern of the 81-foot fishing vessel Pappy's Pride appears above the waterline beside the vessel's inflatable life raft after a collision near the Galveston jetties in Galveston, Texas, Jan 15, 2020. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Station Galveston)

The Houston Ship Channel reopened on Tuesday morning after a seven-hour closure to raise a fishing vessel that sank in mid-January near the waterway's entrance in the Gulf of Mexico, according to the Houston ship pilots association.The ship channel, a 53-mile waterway connecting the busiest U.S. petrochemical port with the Gulf of Mexico, reopened at 10:15 a.m. local time on Tuesday, according to the Houston Pilots, the ship pilots association.Two people aboard the 81-foot (25…

28 Jan 2020

Houston Ship Channel Shut on Tuesday Morning for Salvage

The Houston Ship Channel was shut on Tuesday morning to raise a fishing vessel that sank in mid-January near the waterway's entrance in the Gulf of Mexico, according to the Houston ship pilots association.The ship channel, a 53-mile (85 km) waterway connecting the busiest U.S. petrochemical port with the Gulf of Mexico, is scheduled to reopen at 10 a.m. local time (1600 GMT) on Tuesday, according to Houston Pilots, the ship pilots association.Two people aboard the 81-foot (25-meter) fishing vessel Pappy's Pride remain missing following the collision with the 600-foot (183-meter) tanker Bow Fortune on Jan. 14, according to the U.S. Coast Guard. (Reporting by Erwin Seba Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

14 May 2019

Houston Ship Channel Bottleneck Finally Eases

AdobeStock / © Irina K

A bottleneck of inbound traffic on the Houston Ship Channel eased on Tuesday though one-way travel restrictions remained following a weekend collision between a deep-draft ship and a barge, officials said on Tuesday.About 9,000 barrels of gasoline spilled into the channel near Bayport, Texas, when a 755-foot (230-meter) tanker collided over the weekend with a Kirby Inland Marine tugboat towing two barges containing the fuel.West Texas Intermediate crude at the Magellan East Houston (MEH) terminal on the ship channel traded at an $8.10 a barrel premium to U.S.

14 May 2019

Houston Port Restrictions Could Last All Week

A file image of a typical Kirby pushboat and barge. CREDIT: Kirby Corporation

The Houston Ship Channel could remain under one-way travel restrictions all week following a collision between a deep-draft ship and a barge that spilled petrochemicals into the waterway, according to an official.About 9,000 barrels of gasoline spilled into the channel near Bayport, Texas, when a 755-foot (230-m) tanker collided with a Kirby Inland Marine tugboat towing two barges containing the fuel. One barge ruptured and the other capsized.The U.S. Coast Guard limited travel to one-way traffic because barges blocked part of the channel.

13 May 2019

USCG: Houston Ship Channel Moving Inbound Only

An aerial image of the houston Ship Channel and adjacent refining complex (AdobeStock / ©  Irina K

Shipping along the Houston Ship Channel was limited to one-way traffic on Monday after a barge collided with a deep-draft ship that spilled petrochemicals into the waterway over the weekend, officials said.About 9,000 barrels of gasoline spilled into the channel near Bayport, Texas, when a 755-foot (230-m) tanker collided with a Kirby Inland Marine tugboat towing two barges containing the fuel. One barge ruptured and the other capsized. The one-way traffic limitation is due to the barges blocking part of the channel.

25 Mar 2019

TX Refineries Cut Output as Spill Curbs Shipping

Royal Dutch Shell Plc and LyondellBasell Industries cut production on Monday at their Houston-area oil refineries because of shipping disruptions along a waterway affected by a petrochemical fire and spill, according to people familiar with the matter.A fire and fuel leak at Mitsui & Co Inc's Intercontinental Terminals Co (ITC) storage facility in Deer Park, Texas, last week sent gasoline, water and fire suppressant foam into the Houston Ship Channel, which connects Houston to the Gulf of Mexico, and is home to nine oil refineries.The U.S. Coast Guard said it was reopening portions of the channel to daytime travel and requiring vessels moving out of the area nearest ITC to be inspected for chemical contaminates.Houston Pilots…

18 Mar 2019

Houston Terminal Fire May Last Two More days

File Image: AdobeStock / © Irina K

A massive fire at a fuels storage company along the Houston Ship Channel may burn for two more days, an official said on Monday as the blaze spread a plume of black smoke across the city, shutting schools in two nearby communities.The fire began Sunday morning in a giant storage tank containing naphtha, a volatile substance used to create octane-boosting components of gasoline.No injuries were reported from the fire but nearby residents were encouraged to remain indoors. The entire city of Deer Park, Texas, a Houston suburb, was told to shelter in doors all day Sunday.

19 Oct 2018

Houston Pilots Withdraw Tariff Adjustment Application

© Oleksii Fadieiev / Adobe Stock

In an unexpected reversal, it has been reported that the Houston Pilots yesterday notified Chairman Janiece Longoria of the Port of Houston Authority that they had withdrawn their latest application for a change in pilotage rates. Beyond this, the pilots requested in their letter dated October 18 that the application be removed from the agenda for the upcoming October 30 Board of Commissioners meeting.Upon being notified of the rate change application in September, no less than 15 shipping companies…

01 Aug 2017

2017 IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea

Two members of the Houston Pilots in the United States are to receive the 2017 International Maritime Organization (IMO)  Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea. The pair will be recognized for their role in averting a major tragedy when the ship they were piloting broke down and burst into flames after colliding with mooring dolphins. Despite being surrounded by a towering wall of burning fuel for nearly 90 minutes, pilots Captain Michael G. McGee and Captain Michael C. Phillips showed decisiveness, dedication and ship-handling expertise. As a result of their courageous actions, no lives were lost, serious damage to pier structures and petro-chemical facilities were prevented and a major marine pollution incident was avoided.

24 Jul 2017

Houston Pilots Train for Post-Panamax Vessels

Captain Arbogast, Houston Pilots, maneuvering a Z-Drive tug at MSRC (Photo: Pascal Rhéaume)

Members of the Houston Pilots recently participated in two custom-built simulation courses vital to their Pilotage duties in the Houston Ship Channel and the Port of Houston, the largest landlocked Port in America. Each course was two days long, and was provided by the Maritime Simulation Resource Center (MSRC), at their Quebec City, Canada-based facility. The Houston Pilots face a multitude of factors when piloting ships in their waterways, including weather and wind, particularly with large ships, a very small turning basin, as well as intricate 24/7 traffic management.

31 Mar 2017

Op/Ed: Shiphandlers Beware

Chemical tanker Carla Maersk and bulk carrier Conti Peridot off Morgan's Point, Texas, March 10, 2015, after being involved in a collision March 9, 2015. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Dustin R. Williams)

Was the closing of the Houston Ship Channel for over three days in March 2015 due to the use of Ultra Low Sulphur Fuel Oil (ULSFO)? After reviewing the testimony, and evidentiary material presented by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) regarding the 2015 Conti Peridot’s collision with the Carla Maersk, it is the authors' opinion the report fails to address significant contributing factors. The NTSB has overlooked a serious threat to vessel operations throughout the world.

14 Feb 2017

USCG Recognizes Houston Pilots

RADM David Callahan for the US Coast Guard (USCG) 8th District presented Meritorious Public Service Awards to two Houston Pilots - Captains Michael McGee and Michael Phiilips - for their bravery last September aboard the crippled and burning tanker AFRAMAX RIVER. The USCG ceremony highlighted the fifth annual meeting of the Lone Star Harbor Safety Committee, announced Captain Robert M. Shearon, presiding officer -- Houston Pilots. Captain McGee and Captain Phillips were dispatched September 6 to the M/T AFRAMAX RIVER at Houston Fuel Oil Berth 3. Due to its large size, this massive tanker required two pilots. Capt. McGee was conning the…

08 Jun 2016

Lack of Communication Led to Houston Ship Collision -NTSB

The probable cause of the 2015 collision of the Conti Peridot and the Carla Maersk in the Houston Ship Channel was the inability of the pilot on the Conti Peridot to respond appropriately to hydrodynamic forces after meeting another vessel during restricted visibility, and his lack of communication with other vessels about this handling difficulty controlling his vessel, said the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) during a public meeting on Tuesday. Contributing to the circumstances that resulted in the collision was the inadequate bridge resource management between the master and the pilot on the Conti Peridot. The collision of the 623-foot long…

24 Feb 2016

Texas Ranks Third for U.S. Maritime Jobs, Houston No. 2

Photo courtesy of AMP

Texas ranks third among all states for domestic maritime jobs with Houston ranked second among all U.S. cities for its contribution to the U.S. maritime industry, according to a new study PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) for the Transportation Institute and released by the American Maritime Partnership (AMP), the voice of the U.S. domestic maritime industry. The domestic maritime industry, comprised of the vessels which move cargoes between American ports, pumps $8 billion annually into the Texas economy, and provides 39,190 Texas maritime jobs, with $2.3 billion in worker income.

29 Jan 2016

Maritime Training: Keeping it Close to Home

On the U.S. Gulf Coast, two well-regarded maritime education providers are expanding to meet growing local demand, while satisfying local employers with quality graduates. The sense of ‘community’ that they project is both real, and intentional. Less than 350 miles apart, the ports of Houston and New Orleans handle all manners of marine commerce and cargoes, employ tens of thousands on the waterfront and collectively service an increasingly large percentage of the nation’s domestic and international marine traffic. As both ports deepen their channels and grow their facilities, the need for qualified mariners, dock workers and marine professionals has become more acute.

26 Jan 2016

San Jacinto Maritime Technology and Training Center Now Open

Photo courtesy of The San Jacinto College

The San Jacinto College Maritime Technology and Training Center on the Maritime Campus is now open for maritime training along the Port of Houston. Located at 3700 Old State Highway 146 in La Porte, Texas, the 45,000-square-foot Maritime Technology and Training Center sits 14 feet above ground and is home to more than 40 maritime courses. The ground level of the Maritime Technology and Training Center showcases a training dock with lifeboats, davits, and fast rescue craft, and coming soon, a separate industry dock for crew changes.

20 Nov 2015

Final Phase of Maritime Technology & Training Center Underway

Photo courtesy of San Jacinto College

The San Jacinto College Maritime Technology and Training Center is in its final phase of construction before its January 2016 debut. Construction has been ongoing since last Fall. The facility will serve as the site for certificate and associate degree maritime training delivered through U.S. Coast Guard-required and approved course work. Relocation of the three full-mission ships bridge simulators has been completed. All maritime staff and faculty will begin moving from the maritime training facility in Pasadena…

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