To ensure safe mooring at the Total Petrochemicals and Refining USA, Inc.’s Cos-Mar Styrene Plant Marine Dock during low and high water conditions on the Mississippi River (river stage of 12 ft. and below and 30 ft. and above on the Baton Rouge gauge), the following steps will be taken. This procedure is to be sent to the various barge companies, fleeting services, tankering companies, inspectors, mooring companies, and ships agents, in addition to the personnel responsible for scheduling marine shipments for TOTAL and SABIC.

Under no circumstances should any barge be moored with less than 7 mooring lines which are in good condition, regardless of the river stage, and if necessary, more lines are to be added if deemed necessary to safely moor the barge. Towboats are required to supply and use their own mooring ropes (industry standard as a minimum).

Under no circumstances should any ship or oceangoing barge 600’ and greater in length be moored with less than 16 mooring lines which are in good condition, regardless of the river stage, and if necessary, more lines are to be added if deemed necessary to safely moor the ship or oceangoing barge. Under no circumstances should any ship or oceangoing barge less than 600’ in length be moored with less than 14 mooring lines which are in good condition, regardless of the river stage, and if necessary, more lines are to be added if deemed necessary to safely moor the ship or oceangoing barge.

Standby towboats are required to have qualified personnel in the wheel house and the towboat maintained in a manner so that it can be mobile on an emergency basis, if required, at all times.

Ships and oceangoing barges are required to be assisted by 2 harbour tugboats when docking to or sailing from the marine dock, regardless of the river stage.
Procedure:

PHASE I:
At 12 ft. and below on the Baton Rouge gauge:

  1. At least 1 standby towboat will be required when any barge is moored on the river side or
    outside of the marine dock.
  2. No standby towboat will be required for barges moored on the levee side or inside of the
    marine dock.

PHASE II:
At 30 ft. and above on the Baton Rouge gauge:

  1. At least 1 standby towboat will be required when any barge is moored on the river side or
    outside of the marine dock.
  2. No standby towboat will be required for barges moored on the levee side or inside of the
    marine dock.
  3. All barges must be moored with the bow rake in the upstream position.
  4. The use of “box barges” is prohibited.
  5. All ships and oceangoing barges will require 1 standby harbour tugboat to be in attendance
    during the entire time the ship or oceangoing barge is moored at the dock.
  6. At times of high Mississippi River water level (typically 32.5’-33’ on the Baton Rouge
    gauge) when the water crosses the access road to the dock parking lot, parking to access the dock is restricted to the turnaround area near the end of the Gate 2 entrance road at River Road. At this time, life jackets must be worn when accessing the dock walkway at the top of the levee and the dock stairs by the gate can no longer be used and should be barricaded off.

PHASE III:
At 35 ft. (flood stage) and above on the Baton Rouge gauge:

  1. At least 1 standby towboat will be required at all times there is a barge moored at the marine
    dock, regardless of where the barge is moored.
  2. All barges must be moored with the bow rake in the upstream position.
  3. The use of “box barges” is prohibited.
  4. All ships and oceangoing barges must have a minimum of 2 harbour tugboats in attendance
    when docking, during the time the ship is moored to the marine dock for loading and discharging, and when sailing from the marine dock. Ships and oceangoing barges should only be scheduled if absolutely necessary. Ships and oceangoing barges will be evaluated on a case by case basis depending on active river conditions and the expected duration of the ship at the marine dock.
  5. River conditions and incidents such as collisions, break a ways, docking problems, and delays in getting barges to the dock in a timely manner, will be monitored to provide data which will be used to determine the need for a chartered towboat to stand by at the dock on a 24 hour a day basis. This towboat would be in dedicated service to handle Cos-Mar’s needs.

PHASE IV:
At 40 ft. and above on the Baton Rouge gauge:

  1. If not already accomplished, a towboat will be chartered to stand by Cos-Mar’s dock on
    a 24 hour a day basis to assist in the marine activities and provide protection for the marine
    dock structure.
  2. Only 1 barge on the river side and 1 barge on the levee side of the marine dock will be
    allowed at the same time. At 42 ft and above, any barge rake that is above the Dolphin #6 structure on the levee side, will not be allowed to moor. In this case, the barge must be relocated to the river side.
  3. All barges must be moored with the bow rake in the upstream position.
  4. The use of “box barges” is prohibited.
  5. A standby towboat will be required for each barge which is moored at Total’s Cos-Mar
    Styrene Plant Marine Dock.
  6. Ships and oceangoing barges will not be serviced at Total’s Cos-Mar Styrene Plant Marine
    Dock.
  7. High Water Reading Sheet, SF 01:24, to be completed every day.