Weeks Marine confirmed the four white buoys have been installed – marking the alternate channel that is operational, with coordinated one-way traffic via traffic management with the Contact Pilot on the cutterhead dredge J.S. CHATRY. The one-way traffic extends from Mile 63.91 Above Head of Passes [AHP] to Mile 63.65 AHP (buoyed channel). Weeks and Pilots report no challenges with vessel transits to this point, which will be tested a little more during the active dredging this afternoon.

The J.S. CHATRY will begin dredging at approximately 1400 hour to test the systems and set-up and expect to cease dredging at approximately 1900 hours and then resume dredging operations at 0600 hours tomorrow, Wednesday, July 12, 2023.  Then dredging operations are expecting to work around the clock 24/7 until the sill is constructed to a target elevation of – 55 feet (with allowance of a few feet higher) this first phase of construction is expected to take two weeks, the USACE would continue monitoring to see if the sill has to be built higher off the bottom (draft restrictions could become necessary but will not be required if the sill stays at the first targeted elevation).

The following transit restrictions begin today at 1200 hours:

“All vessels are limited to one way traffic from MM 63.65 to 63.91 AHP confined to a channel 500’ wide. The channel follows the Left Descending Bank (LDB) and is marked on its West side by four white buoys with fixed white all-around lights.

• All vessels transiting this shall check-in with and take direction from the Contact Pilot onboard the J.S. CHATRY 30 minutes prior to arrival on Channel 67.