Neches River News

A pilot's decision to reduce the speed of a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carrier resulted in reduced rudder effectiveness, ultimately leading to a collision with a moored tug on the Neches River, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found.In November 2021, a state licensed pilot from the Sabine Pilots took navigational control of the 754-foot-long Gas Ares as it was heading to load a cargo of propane and butane at the no. 1 loading dock at Sunoco Logistics, located in Nederland, Texas, on the Neches River.

Specialty construction company Orion Group Holdings, Inc. said it has been awarded an approximately $10 million dredging contractThe deal was awarded to company’s marine segment from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the dredging of the Sabine-Neches Waterway in Orange and Jefferson counties, Texas, including the lower reach of the Neches River, the Sabine-Neches Canal and Turning Basin and the Port Arthur Canal.The project is expected to begin late in the fourth quarter of 2018 with a duration of approximately six months.

Vessel traffic on the Neches River is restricted as a result of a shrimp boat that sank Monday morning. At approximately 3 a.m., the Captain Kevin sank in the Neches River, causing oil sheen and one minor injury. The vessel is currently located approximately 1500 feet from the end of the channel and 100 feet from the west side of the jetty. The Coast Guard has established a safety zone one-quarter mile north and one-quarter mile south of the sunken boat, spanning from jetty to jetty. Some deep draft vessels have been authorized to transit the area to determine what, if any, impacts vessel movement may have on the sunken boat. The Coast Guard is working with the Texas General Land Office, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, and vessel owners to recover the vessel and fuel.

The U.S. Coast Guard has lifted its safety zone on the Neches River Tuesday as oil spill cleanup activities near their conclusion. The response began after a pipeline at the Jefferson Energy Terminal released an estimated 880 gallons of Eagle Ford crude oil into the river Saturday afternoon, leading to the river’s closure from the Kansas City Southern Railroad Bridge to the north end of the Standolind Anchorage, near light151. With the safety zone lifted, all vessel traffic may now transit without restriction, but the Coast Guard has requested that mariners observe a minimal wake zone through the affected area. The Coast Guard, Texas General Land Office…

2016 marks the 100th anniversary of the Port of Beaumont, a major deepwater port in Southeast Texas. A series of celebrations and public events began October 20th, when the Greater Beaumont Chamber of Commerce presented the port with its Spindletop Award for outstanding corporate citizenship. A record crowd of 800 people were on hand for the 112th annual Chamber meeting, where keynote speaker, Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, saluted the port for 100 years of service. Port officials have planned a number of events over the next six months to commemorate the Centennial.

A towboat that sank in Texas' Neches River August 21, and caused a temporary closure of the waterway, was lifted out of the water Wednesday Evening. T&T Marine, a contractor hired by the towboat company, refloated and towed the vessel Louise to Bolivar Barge Cleaning Service. The vessel was dry-docked and is awaiting inspection and potential repairs. A small amount of residual oil on the water was removed by oil spill responders using oil spill containment and absorbent booms. According to the U.S.

The Coast Guard has reopened the Neches River with restrictions to all vessel traffic, Saturday. Vessel traffic is restricted from meeting or overtaking one another 1,000 feet up bound and 1,000 feet down bound near the capsized towing vessel Louise at mile marker 284. Additionally, mariners are cautioned to create a minimum wake for the safety of salvage and recovery crews. A minimal sheen is reported on scene; however hard boom, lined with absorbent boom is containing it. Salvage divers report all possible pollution sources are plugged to prevent additional leakage. A barge containing heavy equipment and a crane is in place to stabilize the sunken vessel. The Coast Guard is working with the vessel owners to devise an optimal plan for the its safe removal.

US Department of Defense, Army, has awarded a contract to Inland Dredging Co. for dredging of the of the Neches River Channel in Jefferson and Orange Counties, Texas. Inland Dredging Co., LLC, Dyersburg, Tenn., was awarded a firm-fixed-price, non-option, non-multi-year contract of $12,747,180 for the dredging of approximately 3,537,000 cubic yards from the federal channel and approximately 80,000 cubic yards from the non-federal channel of the Neches River Channel in Jefferson and Orange Counties, Texas. Performance location will be Port Arthur, Texas with funding from fiscal 2013 Operations and Maintenance Army funds. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Galveston District, Galveston, Texas is the contracting activity (W9126G-13-C-0042).

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) awarded a $34.6 million contract for the design and construction of a new facility for eight of the largest government ready reserve fleet cargo ships on the Neches River near Beaumont, Texas. “The Neches River facility means jobs for Beaumont and improved support for our ready reserve fleet,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. When completed in 2013, the new facility will include a mooring structure with fixed berths for the vessels, electrical service needed to meet vessel, shoreside lighting and communication requirements, and basic utility services, such as water, fire suppression system, and sewage connections.

The lower section of the Neches River from just north of DuPont plant to the Veteran’s Bridge remains closed as the oil spill clean up continues. "The safety of our responders, and the restoration and opening of the Neches River as quickly as possible are our main goals," said Capt. Sharon Richey, Commanding Officer of Marine Safety Officer Port Arthur and Captain of the Port. "We have more than 175 responders now on scene working to clean the river. The recovered oil is being taken to a holding tank at the local UNOCAL facility, where it will be recycled. The oiled snare boom and adsorbent pads are being stored in roll-off boxes to be disposed of later. Initial clean up costs are estimated to be $700,000. The costs will rise as clean up continues.

The Coast Guard established a safety zone on the Neches River from just north of the DuPont plant to the Veteran’s bridge. No recreational boaters will be allowed into the safety zone until more of the oil has been removed. Both the Coast Guard and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will be patrolling the area to ensure that recreational boaters observe the parameters set by the safety zone. Since the Neches River’s opening at approximately 11:44 a.m. Wednesday, a significant amount of ship and barge traffic has been allowed to move in and out of port. As of 4 p.m. today, ship and barge traffic is largely back to normal with the exception of nine ships and barges that must be washed down before heading into uncontaminated water.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said that port security grants for FY 2007 will total $201.2m. Eight ports qualified for Tier I and will receive a combined total of $120 million. The Tier I ports are: New York-New Jersey (27.1 million); New Orleans ($17.3 million); Houston-Galveston ($15.7 million); LA-LB ($14.7 million); Puget Sound (12.2 million); Delaware Bay ($11.3 million); San Francisco Bay ($11.2 million); and Sabine-Neches River ($10.9 million). The remaining ports will complete for the remaining $81.2 million. Source: HK Law

The U.S. Coast Guard announced that the Houston Ship Channel is open to vessels of less than 35 ft., daylight transit only. The Freeport Ship Channel is open to vessels of less than 40 ft. The Gulf Intracoastal Waterway is open for daylight transit from MM 317 to MM 242. The Neches River is open to daylight transit of tug and barge traffic from Beaumont to Sabine Pass. The Calcasieu River is open to daylight transit of tug and barge traffic from the I-10 Bridge to Cameron. A press release states that the daylight only restriction on the Houston Ship Channel has been lifted.

The U.S. Coast Guard issued a Press Release updating the status of waterways affected by Hurricane Rita. The port of Freeport is open for all vessel traffic. The Gulf Intracoastal Waterway is open to tug and barge traffic between the Colorado Locks and the Calcasieu Locks. The port of Galveston and the Galveston Channel are restricted to vessels with drafts of 35 feet or less and daylight transits only. The port of Texas City and the Texas City Channel are restricted to vessels with drafts of 35 feet or less and daylight transits only. Barbours Cut is restricted to vessels with drafts of 35 feet or less and daylight transits only. Bayport and the Bayport Channel are restricted to vessels with drafts of 35 feet or less and daylight transits only.