PORT GUIDE · FOR OFFICERS, MASTERS AND SHORE TEAMS
Port Isabel
Pilot
updated Sep 2015Pilotage is compulsory and available day and night. Pilots board in position 26°03.8'N 097°06.5'W. Pilotage serves by the Brazos Santiago Pilots Association.
Key data
updated May 2010Load line zone
Summer.
Tides
Range 0.3m.
Max draft per terminal
| Terminal | Max draught | Max LOA | Berths |
|---|---|---|---|
| Port Isabel Terminal | — | — | 2 |
| Port Isabel Terminal | — | — | 1 |
Deepest first. The draught is the largest any of the terminal's berths states; a dash means the source gives none.
Approach
updated Sep 2015Anchorages
Good anchorages may be obtained, with soft bottom, at the following locations:
S anchorage in position 26°01'N 097°01'W
N anchorage in position 26°'N 097°03'W.
There are no satisfactory anchorages for deep draught vessels inside Brazos Santiago Pass.
Charts and publications
BA 3184, 3849. Admiralty Pilot NP69A, NP286(5).
Reporting before arrival
updated Sep 2015ETA and pre-arrival notices
Vessels arriving in first US port: Please see country information.
Communications
VHF: Ch 16, 12
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.
Customs and immigration
For crew not to be detained onboard, each crew member must have a visa in their passport or Seaman's Book.
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 Sep 2015Repairs
Available.
Bunkers, water and stores
Fresh water: Available.
Bunkering: By pipeline or road tanker.
Fuel: Available.
Medical
Valley Regional Medical Center, 37.5km and Solara Hospital, 39.1km.
Transport
Nearest airport: Port Isabel-Cameron County Airport located at Los Fresnos, 19km and Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport at Brownsville, 33.6km.
About Port Isabel
updated Sep 2015Where it is
Port Isabel is located 13km N of the Rio Grande River which forms the boundary between the US (Texas) and Mexico.
The port
Port Isabel is one of important point for the shipping of petroleum products by barge. Other than that, the port handles dry bulk, general cargo, seafood products, sand and gravel. The town is widely patronized as a resort for sport fishing and recreation.
Traffic
Approx 500,000t of cargo and 100 vessels handled annually.
Questions about Port Isabel
What are the pilot arrangements at Port Isabel?
Pilotage is compulsory and available day and night.
What time zone is Port Isabel in?
Local time at Port Isabel is UTC−6. Clocks go to UTC−5 on 14 Mar 2027. Back to UTC−6 on 7 Nov 2027.
Which load line zone is Port Isabel in?
Summer.
Who carries out Port State Control at Port Isabel?
Port State Control at Port Isabel: US Coast Guard.
What is the UN/LOCODE of Port Isabel?
The UN/LOCODE of Port Isabel is USPIS.
Tips from seafarers
What crews who called at Port Isabel 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.
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.