July 11, 2019 New Orleans Port Coordination Team (PCT) – Tropical Storm Barry – Conference Report

The USCG hosted a Port Coordination Team conference today. Here is a summary of that meeting.

NOAA/NWS Report (See 1400 Hrs Update Attached)

Possible Impacts:

Tropical Storm Barry.
Current landfall near Morgan City with sustained wind speed near 75 MPH.
Moving very slow at 4-5 MPH which increases threat of rainfall.
Rainfall totals of 10 to 20 inches are possible through Monday, with a high chance of locally higher amounts leading to life threatening flash flooding.
Higher than normal tides and gusty winds will also be possible depending on the eventual track, size and strength of the system.
Coastal Flooding will become an issue as storm surge is expected to develop with this system.
Storm surge values of 3 to 6 feet are possible in the warning area, 2 to 4 feet in the watch area, and 1 to 3 feet inside Lake Pontchartrain and Maurepas.
Additionally, a few weak/brief tornadoes may be possible, especially near coastal areas of southeastern Louisiana and southern Mississippi today and this threat will persist through Saturday.
New Orleans Carrollton Gage Forecast reduced to 19’ late Friday into Saturday.

SWP – (Source: WeatherOps)

Hurricane force winds will likely develop Friday into Friday night.
In response to this, seas across the north central Gulf will likely build in excess of 20 feet, especially for locations east and southeast of the center of the storm.

USACE:

Harvey lock closed.
Algiers lock is open and closure is not expected (will stop locking if/when Port Condition Zulu is set).
IHNC lock still open – expected to close this evening after vessels locked through. Locking one-way to the river.
- Possible overtopping at IHNC and Harvey locks. Steps being taken to protect structures.
Bonne Carre Spillway is open.
- No plan to open more gates at this time.

USCBP

Flood Protection Sectors

Pilots:

The following was reported by the various Pilot Presidents:

BAR –
- Operations have shutdown. Equipment (boats) has been evacuated.
- Oakville floodgate on HWY 23 to be closed at 2:00 pm closing vehicle traffic to Venice.
- Will move equipment and people back down after the storm as soon as they can.

CRPPA –
- Moving about 3 ships at this time in-harbor shifts.
- Very limited movement of ships, all within CRRPA zone, at this time.

NOBRA –
- In order to minimize the number of ships at anchorages which in-turn reduces the danger to the levees, the following applies:
  - NOBRA will swap a ship from an anchorage to a dock, with a ship from that dock to that anchorage (one-for-one) in NOBRA area of responsibility AOR only.
  - NOBRA will not move vessels up from the lower river to anchorages in their AOR.
  - NOBRA will not shift a vessel from a dock to an anchorage if there’s no vessel in that anchorage that’s moving to that dock.

Federal –
- Moving 4 vessels from anchorage to dock.
- Sailing 1 vessel for cross-out at 1500-1700 this evening.
- Will continue ops as normal until prohibited by weather of COTP Order (Zulu).
- SWP Ops will cease effective at 1700 this evening.

USCG:

- Remaining In Port Checklist DUE NOW!!! (Applies to all Ocean Going Vessels over 500 GT on the LMR from SWP to Baton Rouge) (See attached email)
- RNA has been enacted.
- Port Condition X-Ray set.
  - Expect rapid progression to Yankee (later today) and Port Conditions to Zulu (Friday AM).
  - Note: Port Condition Zulu will effectively shut down all vessel movements in the port.

Links:

Related Posts