PORT GUIDE · FOR OFFICERS, MASTERS AND SHORE TEAMS
Port of South Louisiana
Pilot
updated Oct 2016Associated Branch Pilots' station is located at Venice, approx 10nm above Pilottown; pilotage is provided 24 hours a day. Vessels should send an ETA with draught, DWT and available speed 24 hours prior to arrival off Southwest Pass Entrance Bell buoy SW. If the original ETA changes by more than 2 hours, an amended ETA is required 12 hours in advance of arrival, or if the arrival time is later than the original ETA, 12 hours prior to original ETA. Associated Branch Pilots' boats have white superstructure with either red or black hulls.
The Crescent River Port Pilots have an office in New Orleans that is manned 24 hours a day, year round. Vessels requiring a Crescent River Port Pilot shall provide an ETA at least 24 hours prior to arrival off Southwest Pass. If the original ETA changes by more than 2 hours, an amended ETA is required 12 hours in advance of arrival, or if the arrival time is later than the original ETA, 12 hours prior to original ETA. Vessels arriving without the required notice may be delayed if a pilot is not available in addition to the penalties specified in the tariff. Vessels may notify the Crescent pilots, 24 hours a day: Tel: +1 504 392 7598 or Telex: 673 7841. The river pilots board vessels off Pilottown about 2.3 miles above Head of Passes Light. The pilot station, on the E side of the river at Pilottown, maintains a lookout and is equipped to handle radio traffic on VHF Ch 09 and 67. The Crescent River Port Pilots have fast white motorboats with the names "Pilot, River Pilot, Port Pilot or Crespilot" in red on the sides. The Crescent River Port Pilots take vessels from Pilottown upriver to New Orleans.
(Note - The Crescent River Port Pilots would normally take vessels from Pilottown upriver to New Orleans and from Light 78 on the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet Canal to New Orleans. However, the Gulf Outlet Canal is now closed to maritime shipping following flooding caused by Hurricane Katrina and a permanent storm surge barrier has been built across it).
New Orleans-Baton Rouge Steamship Pilots are located in Metairie and available 24 hours. Vessels requiring a pilot shall provide an ETA at least 24 hours prior to arrival off Southwest Pass. If the original ETA changes by more than 2 hours, an amended ETA is required 12 hours in advance of arrival, or if the arrival time is later than the original ETA, 12 hours prior to original ETA.
Associated Federal Pilots and Docking Masters of Louisiana LLC are located at Metairie and available 24 hours. Vessels are requested to send ETA 12 hours prior to arrival off Southwest Pass.
Key data
updated Jul 2019Size limits
Harbour: Draught 14.3m, LOA 304.8m, beam 50.0m, 180,265DWT. Beam unrestricted at certain docks.
Offshore: Draught 14.2m, LOA 260.37m, 119, 363DWT.
Water density
1000
Max draft per terminal
| Terminal | Max draught | Max LOA | Berths |
|---|---|---|---|
| Occidental Chemical Terminal, Convent | — | 192 m | 1 |
| Valero St. Charles Refinery | — | 274 m | 4 |
| ADM/Growmark Terminal, Reserve | — | 240 m | 1 |
| Dow St. Charles Operations (SCO) | — | 183 m | 1 |
| Petroleum Fuel and Terminal, Mount Airy, St John the Baptist | — | 229 m | 1 |
| Convent Marine Terminal (SunCoke Energy) | 14.32 m | 289 m | 2 |
| Nucor Steel Louisiana LLC | 14.30 m | 254 m | 1 |
| Associated Terminals - Convent Lighterage Buoys | 14.20 m | 260 m | 3 |
| Globalplex Bulk Terminal, Reserve | — | — | 1 |
| Cargill Terminal, Reserve | 13.72 m | 235 m | 2 |
| Equilon (Shell) Sugarland Terminal, St James | 13.72 m | 305 m | 4 |
| ADM/Growmark Terminal, Paulina | — | — | 1 |
| Louisiana Sugar Refinery, Gramercy | — | — | 2 |
| IMTT, St Rose | 13.70 m | 275 m | 4 |
| NuStar Terminal, St James | 13.70 m | 290 m | 2 |
All 39 terminals
| Terminal | Max draught | Max LOA | Berths |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bunge Grain Terminal, Destrehan | 13.30 m | 240 m | 2 |
| Marathon Ashland Petroleum Terminal, Garyville | 13.20 m | 259 m | 3 |
| St John Fleeting, Garyville | 12.60 m | 200 m | 1 |
| Zen-Noh Grain Terminal, Convent | 12.40 m | 240 m | 1 |
| ADM/Growmark Elevator, Destrehan | — | 240 m | 3 |
| Globalplex General Cargo Terminal | 12.20 m | 225 m | 2 |
| Occidental Chemical Terminal, Taft | 12.19 m | 247 m | 2 |
| Shell Refining Terminal, Norco | 12.19 m | 274 m | 2 |
| Noranda Aluminium Terminal, Gramercy | — | 225 m | 1 |
| Mosaic (Phosphates) Terminal, Faustina Plant, St James. | — | 190 m | 1 |
| Mosaic Phosphates (Uncle Sam, Convent) | — | 213 m | 1 |
| Shell Convent Terminal | 11.70 m | 277 m | 2 |
| Rain CII Carbon LLC, Gramercy | — | 200 m | 1 |
| Monsanto Terminal, Luling | — | — | 3 |
| ADM/Growmark Terminal, Ama | — | 237 m | 1 |
| Ergon/Sun Fuel Midstream Terminal (St James) | 8.50 m | 274 m | 1 |
| Momentive Speciality Chemicals Terminal, Norco | — | — | 1 |
| Associated Terminals - Reserve Lighterage Buoys | — | — | 2 |
| CTLC Terminal, LaPlace | — | 255 m | 3 |
| Vulcan Marterials Terminal, St Rose | — | — | 1 |
| Yara North America Terminal, Union | — | 190 m | 1 |
| Americas Styrenics Terminal, Lauderdale | — | 186 m | 1 |
| MPLX Mt. Airy Terminal | — | 275 m | 2 |
| Plains All American Sugarland Terminal, St James | — | 250 m | 1 |
Deepest first. The draught is the largest any of the terminal's berths states; a dash means the source gives none.
Approach
updated Jul 2019Approach
From the E boundary of St Charles Parish at 115M AHP, to the W boundary of St James Parish at 168M AHP, the vessel track follows the line of the river where the banks are a sufficient guide. The channel is marked at low river stages by buoys, light buoys and beacons at bends and other critical places. Shoaling areas of the river bed are dredged and the resulting channels are marked by leading lights: Fairview at 115M AHP and Lower Belmont at 152M AHP.
The Federal project depth is 13.7m to 181M AHP and then 12.2m up to Baton Rouge. Constant dredging is required to maintain these depths and advice should be sought from The District Office, Corps of Engineers, Pritanya Street, New Orleans for the latest controlling depths. Some individual berths may have deeper alongside depths, where owners have carried out dredging. The annual rise and fall of the river is heavily influenced by floods, the highest levels being seen between April and July. The highest average level is in April and the average lowest in October. The maximum difference between highest and lowest levels at Baton Rouge is 12.2m, the mean difference being 6.4m. There is a bulletin board at College Point, 157M AHP, indicating the current level above normal low river. There is also a river gauge maintained at Reserve, 138M AHP.
Navigation rules for US inland waters must be observed N of a line drawn between the heads of the Southwest Pass breakwaters.
Cautions: There is a ferry crossing route at Reserve, 138M AHP.
Hazardous floating debris including logs may be encountered at all times along the river.
Note: Water depths in the Mississippi River are continually subject to change. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) operate their Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System (PORTS) service for calculating max real time draught. In an effort to prevent collisions and groundings, the waters from South Pass and Southwest Pass up to 233.9M AHP (the N boundary of Baton Rouge) have been designated a Regulated Navigation Area under US Department of Commerce, Code of Federal Regulations - Title 33.
Port limits
Mississippi River miles 115 AHP to 169.2 AHP.
Traffic schemes and VTS
VTS Monitoring Areas.
Restrictions
The minimum vertical clearance under these bridges is 40m.
Airdraught is further restricted at Montz, 129 miles AHP, due to two cables located 0.5nm apart.
Caution: USCG advises mariners to keep mast height data under constant review to take into account the changing river stages. It is recommended that bridge clearance data be ascertained and kept available on the bridge of the vessel. Such data can be obtained from USCG for the various river stages.
The PORTS program for calculating max draught is in use along the Lower Mississippi.
In an effort to prevent collisions and groundings, the waters from South Pass and Southwest Pass up to 233.9M AHP (the N boundary of Baton Rouge) have been designated a Regulated Navigation Area under US Department of Commerce, Code of Federal Regulations - Title 33.
The Bonnet Carre Spillway is on the E bank of the river 127.9 miles AHP. When the spillway is in operation due to high stages of the river, all vessels and particularly heavily loaded tows passing the site, are directed to steer a course sufficiently close to the S bank to avoid possible crosscurrents or draw resulting from water being diverted through the spillway and flowing toward and into Lake Pontchartrain.
Charts and publications
BA 3384. Admiralty Pilot NP69A, NP286(5).
US 11369, 11370. US Coast Pilot 5.
Reporting before arrival
updated Oct 2016ETA and pre-arrival notices
Vessels arriving in first US port: Please see country information.
Communications
Port:
Tel: +1 985 6529278. Fax: +1 985 6529518.
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.portsl.com
Associated Branch Pilots:
VHF: Ch 16, 06, 09, 67
Tel: +1 504 831 6615 (Metairie office) +1 504 524 0844 (Pilottown office)
Fax: +1 504 831 4536 (Metairie office) +1 504 522 7929 (Pilottown office)
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.barpilot.com
Crescent River Port Pilots' Association:
Tel: +1 504 392 8001, Fax: +1 504 392 7598, Email: [email protected].
Website: www.crescentpilots.com
New Orleans-Baton Rouge Steamship Pilots Association:
Tel: +1 504 219 2611, Fax: +1 504 455 2942.
Website: www.neworleansbatonrougepilots.com
Associated Federal Pilots & Docking Masters of Louisiana LLC:
VHF: Ch 09
Tel: +1 504 456 0787, Fax: +1 504 456 0987, Email: [email protected].
Website: www.federalpilot.com
For individual port contacts of other organisations please refer to the respective port entries.
New Orleans Traffic:
VHF Ch 05A, 11, 12
Tel: +1 504 589 2780
Email: [email protected]
Documents
Please see country information for details of documentation requirements.
The agent will advise SW pass pilots of vessel's ETA.
Cargo documentation: Ocean borne/domestic Bill of Lading; Cargo Manifest and Letter of Credit (where applicable).
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 vessel, all crew members must have a visa in their passport or Seaman's Book.
Notices and regulations
Navigation Rules for the US Inland Waters must be followed inside a line drawn between the heads of the Mississippi entrance breakwaters at Southwest Pass.
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 Jul 2019Repairs
There are a number of facilities along the River for repairs both above and below the waterline.
Dry docks
See New Orleans, Donaldsonville or Baton Rouge for nearest facilities.
Bunkers, water and stores
Bunkers: Available.
Fresh Water: Available.
Medical
The River Parish Hospital at La Place, Tel: +1 985 652 7000. 2.7km N of 135.6 miles AHP, serves the whole stretch of the river covered by this port entry. There are a number of other hospitals available throughout the surrounding area.
Transport
Nearest airport: There are international flight services from Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY). Please refer to individual port entry for New Orleans.
(The port owns a local airfield, Port of South Louisiana Executive Regional Airport, where small aircraft on charter can fly in to. Some port related businesses also operate here such as helicopter transfer of special cargo).
Railways: Kansas City Southern, Canadian National, Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Santa Fe all run services to various stations within the region.
About Port of South Louisiana
updated Mar 2024Where it is
Port of South Louisiana stretches along a section of the Mississippi River above New Orleans from 114.9 miles Above Head of Passes (AHP) to 169.2 miles AHP.
Traffic
Approx. 225,000,000t of cargo (of which approx. 7,500,000t is coal) and 3,600 vessels handled annually.
Questions about Port of South Louisiana
What are the pilot arrangements at Port of South Louisiana?
Associated Branch Pilots' station is located at Venice, approx 10nm above Pilottown; pilotage is provided 24 hours a day.
What time zone is Port of South Louisiana in?
Local time at Port of South Louisiana 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 Port of South Louisiana?
The deepest berth listed is at Convent Marine Terminal (SunCoke Energy): 14.32 m maximum draught. The "Max draft per terminal" table gives each terminal's figure.
What is the water density at Port of South Louisiana?
1000
Who carries out Port State Control at Port of South Louisiana?
Port State Control at Port of South Louisiana: US Coast Guard.
What is the UN/LOCODE of Port of South Louisiana?
The UN/LOCODE of Port of South Louisiana is USLU8.
Tips from seafarers
What crews who called at Port of South Louisiana 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.
Plan a route to Port of South Louisiana →
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.