Corpus Christi

Size limits

Draught 15.2m, LOA 350.52m, beam 60.96m, 323,183DWT.

Beam unrestricted at certain docks.

Water density

1025.

Load line zone

Summer.

Tides

Range 0.45m neaps, 0.60m springs.

A normal tide is considered to be about 0.5m above MLT in the Inner Harbour. Tidal range at Aransas Pass is 0.45m. In the Inner Harbour the periodic tide is too small to be of any practical importance.

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

Approach

The chart and Port Authority should be consulted for the latest controlling depths.

Note - The La Quinta Ship Cannel has been extended by approximately 1.4nm at its NW end, with a continual depth of 13.7m along all of its length, rising to 14.3m towards the Outer Bar.

The project to increase the maintained depth of the Corpus Christi Ship Channel from 13.7m to 15.8m is going ahead.

Traffic schemes and VTS

Traffic Regulations:

Navigation rules for US inland waters must be followed inside a line between the breakwaters at each side of Jetty Channel (27°50.0'N 097°02.0'W).

Although not mandatory, the use of Safety Fairways is recommended.

Speed should be restricted to 4kts inside the harbours.

Anchorages

The limits of outer fairway anchorages are charted with the following mid positions:

North: 27°50.0'N 096°50.0'W, depth 16.4-23.8m.

South: 27°44.0'N 096°55.0'W, depth 22.0-23.0m.

EPIC Midstream Oil Export Terminal: There is anchorage available at the Aransas Pass Bar with permission of Aransas Corpus Christi Pilots' Association and the Corpus Christi Harbor Master.Â

Restrictions

Vertical clearance: Inner Harbour Bridge, a fixed highway bridge, with a vertical clearance of 42.1m, crosses the main harbour at the E entrance. A power transmission line has a least safe vertical clearance of 50.7m.

A new harbour bridge is planned which will accommodate a safer flow for traffic over the bridge, and provide approx. 62.4m of clearance for larger, more modern ocean going vessels to pass below.

The Tule Lake Lift Bridge midway up the harbour has been removed and there is now no road crossing.

Vessel movements: Vessels of 274m or greater and/or 130,000DWT or greater are limited to daylight transit only.

Two vessels may not meet in the ship channel if their combined beam exceeds 76.5m or if their combined draught exceeds 24.4m.

Speed should be restricted to 4kts inside the harbours.

Vessels loaded with LPG: A floating safety zone is established consisting of an area 457m fore and aft of a moving vessel and the width of the channel between the outer end of Aransas Pass and Corpus Christi Berth No 11.

Tugs

Available. Three tugs are required for a loaded vessel at Port Aransas.

Mooring

Vessels moored to any terminal facility shall use a sufficient number of lines in good condition and of adequate size and strength to assure that the vessel is properly and safely moored and the vessel shall be breasted against the breasting structure as closely as possible with mooring lines taut at all times.

Charts and publications

BA 3184, 3849, 8098. NOAA 11307, 11309, 11311, 1312, 11313. Admiralty Pilot NP69A, NP286(5).

ETA and pre-arrival notices

US Coast Guard (USCG) and INS require 96 hours Notice of Arrival/Departure (NOA/D) which should be copied to ship's agent, see Country Section.

Inbound vessels should give 6 hours advance notice of their ETA, through the Boston Marine Operator and notify ETA to pilot station 2 hours prior to arrival.

Notice of ETA should be sent, and a request for pilot, at least 2hrs in advance.

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

The Captain of the Port Corpus Christi has issued guidelines for the Notice of Arrival (NOA) for vessels at the port.

The Port Security Information Bulletin 01-11 dated Jan 11, 2011 states:

Quote Vessels intending to arrive at the sea buoy and proceed directly to a berth should list mooring time as the arrival time of the NOA/D. Vessels stopping at anchorage prior to mooring at a receiving facility should list time at anchorage as the arrival time.

Vessels not carrying Certain Dangerous Cargo (CDC) as defined in 33 CFR 160.204 at anchorage do not need to update their NOA/D prior to transiting to the berth. Once the vessel arrives at anchorage, the vessel is considered to have arrived in Corpus Christi COTP Zone and meets the exemption requirements in 33 CFR 160.203 for all future transits while they remain within the COTP Zone.

Vessels that are calling at more than one berth within the Port of Corpus Christi should list all berths on their NOA. However, with the exception of vessels carrying CDC, vessels shifting berths within the port need not file updates to the NOA for each shift.

Sector Corpus Christi publishes the Daily Vessels Entry Approved List as a service to reduce the number of vessels entering port without submitting the proper NOA/D's. Vessel representatives are highly encouraged to confirm that their vessel is on the List and that the approval has not expired. An approval to enter port from any agency other than the Coast Guard should not be construed as a Coast Guard approval. Unquote.

Oxy Ingleside Energy Center: Vessels shall promptly notify terminal operator in writing 96, 72, 48, 24, 12, 6 and 3hrs prior to arrival. Vessel shall immediately notify terminal operator in writing of any deviation in ETA greater than 2hrs.

Communications

Safety Information broadcasts provide notice of scheduled arrivals and departures of loaded LPG vessels.

Notice of readiness

Oxy Ingleside Energy Center: For any vessel scheduled to load product at the terminal, the master of the vessel or her agent shall tender a NOR to the terminal operator after the vessel has arrived at the anchorage area.

Documents

Please see country information for details of documentation requirements.

Health

Health officials usually inspect vessels at their berths.

No action initiated unless there is illness onboard.

Ship Sanitation Control Certificates: Please see country information

Customs and immigration

Immigration: For crew not to be detained onboard, each crew member must have a valid US visa in their passport or Seaman's Book.

Notices and regulations

Coastguard Vessel Inspection: Please see country information.

Berthing of Vessels Abreast:

Ships or Ocean Barges must not berth abreast of another vessel at any transfer facility or private port facility without written permission from the Harbour Master. Barges must not berth abreast in the canals in Rincon Industrial Park without written permission. Barges must berth in accordance with the Harbour Master's instructions.

Safety Zones:

Corpus Christi Ship Channel: These operate within 452m radius of an incoming tanker, loaded with LPG, while the vessel transits the Corpus Christi Ship Channel to their LPG receiving facility. The same applies for outgoing tankers loaded with LPG, while they are departing the LPG facility and transiting the Ship Channel. Masters must notify the relevant maritime organisations of these transit times by providing notice of scheduled arrivals and departures of LPG vessels.

Inner Harbour: All waters of the Inner harbour from the Harbor Bridge up to the Viola Turning Basin are designated as a Safety Zone. No recreational or fishing vessels may enter this area unless they have prior authorisation by a Port representative. Such vessels wishing to enter the Zone should contact the Captain of the Port or designated representative, such as the USCG. This may be done on VHF Ch 16 or via telephone (361) 888 3162.

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

Available.

Bunkers, water and stores

Fresh water: Available.

Bunkering: Available.

Stores: Available.

Medical

CHRISTUS Spohn Hospital Corpus Christi – Memorial. 8Km. Tel: (361) 902-4000. Website: www.christushealth.org/spohn/memorial

Transport

Nearest airport: Corpus Christi International, 12km.

Nearest railway: 26 miles of Terminal railroad provides connection with Union Pacific/Southern Pacific, Burlington Northern Santa Fe, and KCS.

Working hours

Normally 0800-1700hrs.

Where it is

The main port area of Corpus Christi is located on the W coast of the Gulf of Mexico, approx 18nm from open sea, in Corpus Christi Bay.

The port

The main area of the port includes the Harbor Island Oil Terminals, Ingleside, La Quinta, Aransas Pass and Inner Harbor. Corpus Christi specialises in handling bulk cargoes especially petroleum, chemicals, ores, containers, grain and fracturing sands. Oil still dominates as the main activity at the port. Latterly, Corpus Christi has seen rapid growth in crude and condensate shipments out of the port and a substantial programme for expansion of energy related businesses is being implemented with private and public projects to improve and construct dock facilities, refinery areas and factories.

Many berths cater specifically for very large, custom designed barges, separately propelled by push tugs.

Traffic

Approx 160,000,000t (of which approx. 2,800,000t of iron ore and 4,700,000t of coal) of cargo and 7,500 vessels handled annually.

What are the pilot arrangements at Corpus Christi?

Compulsory and available throughout 24 hours.

What time zone is Corpus Christi in?

Local time at Corpus Christi is UTC−6. Clocks go to UTC−5 on 14 Mar 2027. Back to UTC−6 on 7 Nov 2027.

What is the maximum draft at Corpus Christi?

The deepest berth listed is at Martin Midstream: 15.20 m maximum draught. The "Max draft per terminal" table gives each terminal's figure.

What is the water density at Corpus Christi?

1025.

Which load line zone is Corpus Christi in?

Summer.

Who carries out Port State Control at Corpus Christi?

Port State Control at Corpus Christi: US Coast Guard.

What is the UN/LOCODE of Corpus Christi?

The UN/LOCODE of Corpus Christi is USCRP.

What crews who called at Corpus Christi 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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