Brunswick

Size limits

LOA 265.0m, beam 38.0m, and 63,424 DWT.

Water density

1025.

Load line zone

Summer.

Tides

The mean range of tide is about 3.0m on the bar and 2.2m at Brunswick. Tidal currents normally follow the general direction of the dredged channel across the bar with a velocity of 2kts.

Outer approaches: Tidal streams at "2B" Lightbuoy (31°00'N 081°10'W) are rotary, turning clockwise. The maximum rate of the ingoing stream occurs about 2.5 hours before HW at Charleston, when it sets about 295° at a rate of about 0.5kt. The maximum rate of the outgoing stream occurs about 3.5 hours after HW at Charleston, when it sets about 115°at a rate of about 0.5kt.

Approaches: Tidal streams follow general direction of the dredged channel across the bar at an estimated rate of about 1-2kts, but it should be remembered, that with the N or S winds, a current sets with the wind across the channel. The streams set diagonally across the leading line through the entrance to Saint Simons Sound at an average rate of about 2kts, and turn 5.5 hours before HW at Charleston.

Deepest first. The draught is the largest any of the terminal's berths states; a dash means the source gives none.

Approach

Brunswick is approached through Bar Channel and entered through Saint Simons Sound, between Saint Simon Island and Jekyll Island. Brunswick River enters the sound from SW just inside the entrance and provides access for ocean going vessels to Brunswick Port. For a distance of 3.2nm above its mouth, the river has an average width of 1.5nm. The deepwater channel averages 641m in width. Above Brunswick Point the river has an average width of 1,282m to Andrews Island, which divides it into two branches. The southern branch is known as Turtle River and the northern branch, on which the city of Brunswick is situated, is known as East River to the mouth of Academy Creek.

Lighted whistle buoys are about 14.5nm and 7.5nm off the entrance to St Simons Sound. The channel through the bar is marked by 303° direction lights, a 285° lighted range, and lighted and unlighted buoys, and the channels inside the sound are marked with lighted ranges, lights and lighted and unlighted buoys.

Recent dredging provides maintained depth at the Outer Bar to 11.6m below MLW and the Inner Harbour to 11.0m below MLW.

East River turning basin 317m x 370m.

South Brunswick River turning basin 365m diameter.

Caution: An unmarked wreck, reported covered depth of 7.3m, is in position 31°03'10"N 081°13'45"W, about 1.6nm E of the entrance to the bar channel.

Port limits

The harbour of Brunswick comprises the channel across the bar at the entrance to Saint Simons Sound, Saint Simons Sound, Brunswick River and Turtle River.

Anchorages

There is good anchorage anywhere along the sides of the channel off the range lines in St. Simons Sound or Brunswick River. Depths of 7.6 to 24.0m may be found in the sound between Jekyll Island and St. Simons Island, and depths of 5.1 to 11.0m in the Brunswick River directly westward of Jekyll Island.

Restrictions

Bridges: The only bridge crossing the main channel is the Sidney Lanier (US route 17) highway bridge at Brunswick, 6.2nm above the river mouth, which has fixed span with an authorized vertical clearance of 56.4m and a horizontal clearance of 316.4m.

Tugs

Tugs up to 4,000bhp are available on a 24 hours basis and are required for docking and undocking ocean going vessels. Arrangements should be made in advance through the ship's agent.

Charts and publications

BA 2810, 3691, 8262. Admiralty Pilot NP69, NP286(5).

ETA and pre-arrival notices

Vessels arriving in first US port: Please see country information.

Further ETA should be sent to agent 72, 48 and 24 hours prior to arrival. Message should include vessel's draught.

Communications

VHF: Bar Pilots: Ch 16, 11, 12, callsign "Brunswick Pilots" or Tel: + 1 912 638 2380.

Pilot vessel: Ch 16, 11, 12, 13.

Port: Tel: +1 912 2647295, Fax: +1 912 2623367.

Documents

Please see country information for details of documentation requirements.

Health

No action initiated unless there is illness onboard.

Ship Sanitation Control Certificates: Please see country information.

Quarantine: Enforced through US Public Health service.

Customs and immigration

Brunswick is a Customs port of entry; vessels are boarded at their berths.

Flags

The following flags are considered restricted. There are certain requirements for these vessels in controlled ports. Brunswick is not a controlled port, there are not additional requirements for these flags:

Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Cambodia, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam.

The following flags are considered non-entrant and are not permitted to enter the territorial sea, ports or internal waters of the United States except under conditions of force majeure or distress, situations involving approved humanitarian, medical emergencies or innocent passage:

Cuba, Iraq, North Korea, Iran, Libya, Syria.

Notices and regulations

Harbour regulations are under the control of the GPA and Brunswick Port Authority and are enforced by the Harbour Master.

Coastguard Vessel Inspection: Please see country information.

Port State Control here: US Coast Guard.

Foreign ships are examined by the US Coast Guard. File the Advance Notice of Arrival 96 hours ahead (33 CFR 160).

ISPS

ISPS Designated Authority: United States Coast Guard, Office of Compliance. Address: 2100 Second St, SW, Washington DC, 20593, USA. Tel: +1 202 267 2978. Fax: +1 202 267 4858. Email: [email protected]. For further ISPS information see IMO website http://www2.imo.org/ISPSCode.

Repairs

Machine, welding, and electrical shops off the waterfront can make limited above the waterline repairs.

Dry docks

There are no drydocking or major repair facilities for ocean going vessels in the port; the nearest such facilities are at Jacksonville or Savannah.

Two marine railways, about 935m N of the Brunswick Port Authority Lanier Dock, can handle vessels up to 100t or 22m for repairs to wooden hulls and other minor repairs.

Bunkers, water and stores

Bunkers: Diesel and fuel oil by barge or tanker.

Fresh water: Available.

Medical

There are good medical facilities in Brunswick.

Transport

Nearest airport: Brunswick (National), Savannah International, 150km.

Nearest railway: Brunswick and Savannah.

Nearest highway: Interstate 85 N/S.

Working hours

Normally 0800-1700hrs, other working hours available with prior arrangement.

Where it is

Brunswick is situated on the Eastern seaboard, 131km N of Jacksonville and 150km S of Savannah in the state of Georgia.

The port

Entry to the port is via the main ship channel which runs between the islands of St Simons and Jekyll. The port comprises three deepwater terminal areas, Colonel's Island Terminal, Mayor's Point Terminal and Marine Port Terminal, and has facilities for handling Ro-Ro, general cargo, vehicles, bulk, break bulk and liquid cargoes. Each terminal area has several berths for large ocean going vessels.

The principal commodities handled in the port are seafood, woodpulp, salt, gypsum rock, petroleum products, fertiliser, and chemicals.

Traffic

Approx 38,700,000t of cargo (merged traffic figure with Savannah port) and 370 vessels handled annually.

What are the pilot arrangements at Brunswick?

Pilotage is available 24 hours and compulsory for foreign vessels and US vessels over 200GT.

What time zone is Brunswick in?

Local time at Brunswick is UTC−5. Clocks go to UTC−4 on 14 Mar 2027. Back to UTC−5 on 7 Nov 2027.

What is the water density at Brunswick?

1025.

Which load line zone is Brunswick in?

Summer.

Who carries out Port State Control at Brunswick?

Port State Control at Brunswick: US Coast Guard.

What is the UN/LOCODE of Brunswick?

The UN/LOCODE of Brunswick is USSSI.

What crews who called at Brunswick say: pilot boarding, the agent's papers, inspections, shore leave. Each tip is shown with the writer's rank and ship type, and an AI summary sits on top once there are three or more.

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