Please accept this Update regarding an upcoming scheduled closure(s) of the Mississippi River Ship Channel.
The dredge contractors for the Coastal Restoration Protection Authority’s Spanish Pass Marsh and Ridge Creation project, Weeks Marine, LLC intend to install a submerged dredge pipeline across the Mississippi River Ship Channel at approximately Mile 9.8 Above Head of Passes (AHP). Weeks Marine has asked to delay the anticipated closure(s) by one week, the updated schedule is listed below.
A complete closure of the Ship Channel from approximately Mile 10.3 AHP to Mile 9.0 AHP is expected to be implemented for a 12-hour closure to be scheduled from 0600 hours to 1800 hours on Tuesday, July 27, 2021. The second closure date listed below (July 29) will only be used as a back-up closure and is not expected to be required if the pipeline is successfully installed during the first closure (July 27, 2021).
UPCOMING SCHEDULED CHANNEL CLOSURE(S):
TUESDAY, JULY 27, 2021:
0600 hours to 1800 hours: all vessels would be restricted from transiting between Mile 10.3 AHP and Mile 9.0 AHP on the Mississippi River Ship Channel, the submerged dredge pipeline will be inserted across the Ship Channel into a previously excavated area. The intent is to allow east west shallow-draft traffic to move across the area through Baptiste Collette and the Venice Jump, the closure would be specific to the Ship Channel.
THURSDAY, JULY 29, 2021:
0600 hours to 1800 hours: all vessels would be restricted from transiting between Mile 10.3 AHP and Mile 9.0 AHP on the Mississippi River Ship Channel, the submerged dredge pipeline will be inserted across the Ship Channel and a previously excavated area. The intent is to allow east west shallow-draft traffic to move across the area through Baptiste Collette and the Venice Jump, the closure would be specific to the Ship Channel.
Vessels needing to contact Weeks Marine during this time can reach the NOEL R (Crew Boat) on VHF Channel 67 or Channel 82.
Vessels intending to arrive or depart the Mississippi River on the day of a scheduled closure must arrive at Boothville (outbound) no later than 0500 hours or Southwest Pass Entrance Light (inbound) no later than 0330 hours on the morning of the scheduled closure(s).
The U.S. Coast Guard will soon issue a Marine Safety Information Bulletin (MSIB) detailing the official Ship Channel closure details related to this submerged dredge pipeline installation project.
