San Jacinto River News

Severe rainfall and flooding from a tropical storm led to barges breaking away from their moorings and striking the Interstate 10 bridge in Channelview, Texas, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) said in a marine accident brief released Tuesday.On September 19, 2019, 11 barges broke free from a San Jacinto River barge fleeting area north of the I-10 bridge in Channelview during Tropical Storm Imelda, the fifth-wettest tropical cyclone on record in the continental United States.

Nashville-based Ingram Barge Company announced Tuesday that its wholly-owned subsidiary Houston Fleeting Services has reached a deal to acquire the business assets Houston-based Cheryl K and San Jacinto River Fleet. According to Ingram Barge, the purchase allows it to expand its footprint into the Houston area and along the Texas Gulf Coast while simultaneously growing its logistics, dry barge and liquid barge businesses by adding critical infrastructure, vessels and personnel.

The Coast Guard is responding after at least two barges struck the I-10 San Jacinto River Bridge near Channelview, Texas, Friday.At 12:05 a.m., Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders received a report that nine barges had broken away from their moorings at the San Jacinto River Fleet, north of the San Jacinto River bridge.An Air Station Houston MH-65 Dolphin helicopter aircrew and a Station Houston 29-foot Response Boat-Small boatcrew were diverted to the scene.Sector Houston-Galveston Vessel Traffic Service had already suspended vessel movement under the I-10 bridge at 7:20 p.m. Thursday due to strong currents. The suspension remains in effect.

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation (GLDD) announced the receipt of dredging awards totaling $91 million.The awarded work includes:the Virginia Beach project (Coastal Protection, Virginia, $22.6 million);the Sandbridge project (Coastal Protection, Virginia, $20.3 million);Galveston Ship Channel (Maintenance, Texas, $21.2 million);Freeport LNG Basin (Maintenance, Texas, $4.6 million)San Jacinto Variation Order (Rivers and Lakes, Texas, $17.1 million) andMissouri River 2019 Floods…

The USCG Captain of the Port has updated vessel traffic coordination directives. Facility cargo operations as of March 25, 2019 include Limited Opening of the San Jacinto River during Daylight Hours and Resumption of Cargo Operations.This MSIB is issued in regard to vessel traffic and facility cargo operations as a result of the chemical fire at ITC Deer Park in the Upper Houston Ship Channel (HSC).As of March 25th, 2019, the U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port (COTP) has opened the San Jacinto River to allow for vessel traffic during daylight hours only.

The U.S. Coast Guard and the Environmental Protection Agency are working with Texas state regulators to clean up oil and chemicals spilled from a dozen industrial facilities after flooding from Hurricane Harvey, authorities said. The spills came from oil refineries, fuel terminals and other businesses, but EPA spokeswoman Terri White said it was not possible to provide an estimate for the amounts spilled. "Initial reports were based on observation," White said. Refineries owned by Valero Energy Corp in Houston, Motiva Inc in Port Arthur, and Exxon Mobile Corp in Baytown, were among the facilities that had reported spills, according to White. Representatives for those companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The Houston Ship Channel re-opened to some vessel traffic on Tuesday afternoon, the U.S. Coast Guard said, after an early morning tanker fire prompted closure of the waterway. The U.S. Coast Guard Houston Vessel Traffic Service said it would commence with tow vessel transit outbound from Old River and San Jacinto River. That would be followed by inbound movements, it said. The Houston Ship Channel links the busiest U.S. petrochemical port to the Gulf of Mexico. Four Houston-area refineries were unable to receive crude oil from tankers on Tuesday after a portion of the channel was shut by an early-morning fire aboard an empty tanker. The fire began shortly after midnight CDT (0500 GMT) aboard the 810-foot (247-meter) tanker the Aframax River and was extinguished within a few hours.

A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crew located the body of the missing tug boat crewman from the capsized Ricky J Leboeuf near the location of the tug on the San Jacinto river Tuesday at 9:47 a.m. The Air Station Houston MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew located the man's body and directed rescue boats to his location, which was a few hundred feet downstream. They recovered the unresponsive man's body and transported him to EMS. Coast Guard Vessel Traffic Service Houston restricted waterway traffic on the San Jacinto at 8:42 a.m. Traffic is prohibited between the red #2 light and the I-10 bridge.

The U.S. Coast Guard and Harris County Sheriff Department responders are searching for a missing man after he and four others were sent into the water when their tug flipped over in the San Jacinto river about a half mile south of Interstate 10 in Houston. The missing man was described as being about 5-foot-10-inches tall, 325 pounds, wearing a red shirt, khaki pants and a buoyant work vest. Kirby Inland Marine personnel notified the Coast Guard at 8:11 a.m., just after the tug, Ricky J Leboeuf, capsized at 7:44 a.m. Coast Guard Sector Houston-Galveston watchstanders launched an Air Station Houston MH-65 Dolphin helicopter, a Station Houston response boat, coordinated a Harris County Sheriff Department boat and requested a dive team to assist in the search.

Cheryl K Marine LLC. announced that Captain Jake L. Kelly, Sr. was appointed as Vice President of Operations of Cheryl K Marine Companies. Captain Kelly began his maritime career at Hollywood Marine before earning his BS degree from Texas A&M. Kelly will aim to maximize CKI’s growth and profitability while leading and managing all company operations functions. He will continue to serve a duel role as Port Captain and Vice President of Operations of both Cheryl K Marine & San Jacinto River Fleet. cherylkmarinellc.com

The U.S. Coast Guard is searching for a crewman missing from a tugboat that was sucked under a barge earlier this morning on the San Jacinto River. According to reporting sources, the 55-ft. tugboat Thoroughbred was sucked under a barge near the Southwestern Ship Yard/Kirby Marine Fleeting area one mile south of the I-10 overpass. Three crewmembers have been reported safe, however the fourth remains missing. A Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin helicopter from Air Station Houston, and a rescue boat from Coast Guard Marine Safety Office Houston, are currently searching for the missing crewman. A second rescue boat from Station Galveston, Texas, as well as the Harris County Sheriff’s Department dive team have been asked to assist in the search.