PORT GUIDE · FOR OFFICERS, MASTERS AND SHORE TEAMS
Morehead City
Pilot
updated May 2010- Morehead City 1 Pilot boards34°35.5′N 076°40.1′W
- Morehead City 2 Pilot boards34°37.5′N 076°39.4′W
Compulsory. Pilots obtained from Morehead City Pilots Association, Morehead City, North Carolina 28557. Tel: +1 919 726 4068.
Pilots board vessels in the vicinity of the outer lightbuoy off the entrance channel, from the pilot boat by day or night. Vessels should maintain a speed of about 5kts and provide a pilot ladder about 1m above the water. The pilot boat is white and equipped with a radio telephone. The pilot station is on the E side of Radio Island near its N end. Requests for pilots should be made well in advance through vessel's agents.
Key data
updated Aug 2020Size limits
LOA 213m, beam 32.26m, 61,358DWT.
Water density
1025.
Load line zone
Summer.
Tides
Mean tidal range 0.88m. Current velocities 2 - 3knts.
Max draft per terminal
| Terminal | Max draught | Max LOA | Berths |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Cargo Terminal | — | 200 m | 9 |
| NCSPA - Radio Island Terminal | — | 213 m | 1 |
| Phosphoric Acid Terminal | — | — | 2 |
Deepest first. The draught is the largest any of the terminal's berths states; a dash means the source gives none.
Approach
updated Aug 2020Approach
Morehead City is approached through Onslow Bay and entered through Beaufort Inlet (34°42'N 076°32'W), between Shackleford Pt, 8.3nm NW of Cape Lookout (34°35'N 076°32'W) and a point 1nm WNW.
Morehead City Channel leads to a turning basin off Morehead City wharves. The channel is marked by Morehead City channel leading light structure, the front (pile structure, white rectangular topmark with a black stripe) stands on Shackleford Point, and the rear (framework tower with a similar topmark to the front light structure) 0.3nm SE of the front light structure and in line astern bearing 127°, lead through Morehead City Channel.
Morehead City Channel is marked by lightbuoys. The S side of the turning basin is marked by a light beacon and a beacon.
Anchorages
Anchorage is available outside Morehead City Channel.
Outer Anchorages: Vessels required to await a pilot are advised to select an anchorage on a line E of 34°38.4'N 076°39.4'W. Good anchorage for large vessels may also be found towards Lookout Bight.
Generally the holding ground is good, sand-shell but the anchorages are exposed to SW winds.
Caution: A dangerous wreck lies approximately 3nm S of Shackleford point.
Tugs
There are 2 tugs available, 1 x 2,600hp, 1 x 2,400hp. Tugs are required to assist seagoing vessels to berth and depart. Contact Morehead City Towing, Tel: +1 919 726 8106.
Charts and publications
BA 3686, 2864. Admiralty Pilot NP69.
Reporting before arrival
updated Aug 2010ETA and pre-arrival notices
Vessels arriving in first US port: Please see country information.
Communications
VHF: Coast Guard Ch 16, 83, 81.
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 is enforced in accordance with the US Public Health Service regulations.
Customs and immigration
Morehead City is a Customs port of entry.
Notices and regulations
Coastguard Vessel Inspection: Please see country information.
Inspections
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.
Port services
updated May 2010Medical
Carteret County Hospital.
Transport
Nearest airport: Private and charter use (3.2km), Airline Service (128km).
Nearest railway: Beaufort/Morehead Railroad, Norfolk Southern Corp, Carolina Rail Services Inc.
Working hours
Normally 0700-2400hrs.
About Morehead City
updated Feb 2019Where it is
Morehead City is situated in North Carolina on the Newport River, 4nm along the Beaufort Inlet from the Atlantic Ocean.
The port
Morehead City is a deepwater port with 1,678m of continuous wharf. The port is operated by North Carolina State Ports Authority (NCSPA). In addition to facilities for general, bulk and breakbulk cargoes there are Ro-Ro and tanker berths.
Traffic
Approx 2,300,000t of cargo and 140 vessels handled annually.
Questions about Morehead City
Where does the pilot board at Morehead City?
The pilot boards at Morehead City 1, 34°35.5′N 076°40.1′W. Morehead City has 2 pilot boarding places.
What time zone is Morehead City in?
Local time at Morehead City 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 Morehead City?
1025.
Which load line zone is Morehead City in?
Summer.
Who carries out Port State Control at Morehead City?
Port State Control at Morehead City: US Coast Guard.
What is the UN/LOCODE of Morehead City?
The UN/LOCODE of Morehead City is USMRH.
Tips from seafarers
What crews who called at Morehead City 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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A planning aid, not for navigation. These facts come from public sources and each section shows how old it is. Check with the port, your agent, your ENCs and official publications. Spotted something wrong? Tell us on the feedback board.