Caribbean Princess unable to leave port today :(

[Cruzin-K]

Number of ships affected

 

While the remaining oil in the damaged barge is removed Sunday, the mouth of Houston ship channel is closed to all ships in either direction. It's not clear when it will reopen, Danus said. Twenty-seven vessels, including two cruise ships, are waiting to enter the channel from the Gulf of Mexico. Thirty-four vessels, including one cruise ship, are waiting to leave Galveston Bay.

 

there are LOT more showing up on vesselfinder.com. There's a huge cluster of all kinds of ships out there.

[Rancher Dave]

It's a tough situation. With limits on opening shops and the casino and full bar service being stuck at the dock is not quite like a sea day.

[Rancher Dave]

there are LOT more showing up on vesselfinder.com. There's a huge cluster of all kinds of ships out there.

 

 

There are always ship anchored to come in and others waiting to contract a load so they go anchor. It was a well lit up anchorage with all the ships when we sailed in on Friday night.

[dplusd]

We were stuck in Galveston for 2.5 days a few years back due to fog on the Voyager of the Seas. It was foggy, cold and not very pretty outdoors. But, we were on the ship and enjoyed relaxing indoors and saw a couple of shows.

 

We boarded on Sunday and on Monday night, passengers were offered a full cruise credit if they left the ship that night. About 900 guest took the offer and left the ship. We finally did leave port on Tuesday. Only missed one port of call and enjoyed the rest of the cruise. What I will always remember about that cruise is how UNCROWDED all the venues were!

 

Wishing all those on the Caribbean Princess a wonderful time...both in port and on the high seas!

[Loonbeam]

It is very unlikely the CB will sail today, as even once the port is cleared, it will be a logistical nightmare clearing the ship backup outside the port, and cargo ships may be given priority for departure and arrival (there are only so many ships that can transit, and limited open berths).

 

In addition, the oil leaking is a particularly nasty variety, requiring extra caution and urgency in cleanup. Sadly, I think it may be even Monday or Tuesday until that is resolved, but traffic may open before then depending on steps needing to be taken.

 

 

As disappointing as this is for the folks on the CB I feel much more for those on the ships waiting to dock, many of whom have already missed flights home and are expected at work tomorrow. At least the CB was able to changeover. I see the Carnival Magic and one of the RCCL ships out there now (Navigator) both were due in to port today and I think the Triumph on Monday.

 

It does look like the CB is the only cruise ship in port, so I suspect they will move her out into the channel at some point to allow other ships in.

[vols_159]

are they letting people off the ship ? If shes not gonna leave tonight that should be a option

[bellebaby]

Authorities headed up in a helicopter Sunday morning to see the extent of the spill for the first time, said Greg Pollock, deputy commissioner of the oil spill prevention response program of the Texas General Land Office. Fog and other weather had limited the line-of-sight for platform lookouts Saturday, he said.

 

"We're going to get a much better picture of where the oil has been and where it is going," he said.

 

With better information about the location of the sheen, officials will be able to tailor their response and more accurately set a time frame for reopening the ship channel, Pollock said. He expects details of the flight to be shared at a 2 p.m. press conference.

 

Maybe more will be known after the press conference at 2 p.m.

 

This was in the same article:

 

Harris County Commissioner Jack Morman, whose Precinct 2 encompasses a large portion of the Houston Ship Channel, said a closure lasting a day or two - common during foggy weather - is not a big deal, but that he was told by port officials that this one could last longer.

 

B

Edited March 23, 2014 by bellebaby

[DrSch]

[Amtrack Springfield]

Any update dates from CP?

[wegoswimcoach]

@bellebaby, can you post the link to that article please??

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[bellebaby]

@bellebaby, can you post the link to that article please??

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Per your request:

 

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Texas-City-dike-closed-after-barge-and-ship-5341213.php?cmpid=hpfc

 

Hoping you get underway soon.

 

B

[bellebaby]

Via click2houston.com - KPRC

 

The USCG says it has arranged access for one cruise ship -- the Carnival Magic -- to pass through the restricted cleanup area and into port. Further arrangements for other cruise ships to pass through may be made.

 

B

[mjrich73]

Time is 2:38 and we are still awaiting an update!

[mek]

Via click2houston.com - KPRC

 

The USCG says it has arranged access for one cruise ship -- the Carnival Magic -- to pass through the restricted cleanup area and into port. Further arrangements for other cruise ships to pass through may be made.

 

B

 

Well, that's good news!

[Aplmac]

The barge

 

Oh dear that's a sorry sight!

 

 

 

Here's a little something from better (more mobile) times

showing Caribbean Princess actually moving at around 15 knots, in the Caribbean Sea.

 

 

 

 

.

Edited March 23, 2014 by Aplmac

[caribill]

It does look like the CB is the only cruise ship in port, so I suspect they will move her out into the channel at some point to allow other ships in.

 

The CB is the only cruise ship that uses Bayport the first half of this year, so no other ship is waiting to get in there.

Edited March 23, 2014 by caribill

[wegoswimcoach]

http://m.chron.com/news/texas/article/Crews-mopping-up-oil-spill-in-Texas-Galveston-Bay-5341716.php

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[caribill]

Some progress:

 

It's still unknown just how much oil has spilled, but only one of the barge's four tanks was leaking.

 

During a press conference Sunday afternoon, the Coast Guard says all 900,000 or so gallons were removed from the barge, including the 168,000 gallons that was remaining in the damaged cargo tank.

[Colo Cruiser]

Any update dates from CP?

 

You mean the CB? ;)

[wegoswimcoach]

Cap'n gave an update at approx. 2:50 pm. Doesn't look like they will let us out to sail today. He's got a conference call with Princess and he'll update us when he knows more.

 

He reminded us there are ships on the other side waiting to get in that are missing disembarkment and new passengers unable to board. At least we are comfortable and not having any real trouble. Glass is always half full, right?

 

Speaking of that... I could use one right about now.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[jagoffee]

The CB is the only cruise ship that uses Bayport the first half of this year, so no other ship is waiting to get in there.

 

Actually there are two that have been reported. It would appear you have some bad information.

[Amtrack Springfield]

Yep sorry CB.

[Cruzin-K]

Actually there are two that have been reported. It would appear you have some bad information.

 

Not passenger cruise ships. The other two cruise ships waiting to come into the channel are the Carnival Magic and the Navigator of the Seas, both going to Galveston, not Houston, where the CB is docked.

[Loonbeam]

Not going to Bayport, true, but still blocked. And if necessary, Bayport could be used for debarkation for one of them if they needed to get other ships into Galveston once the blockage clears.

The CB is the only cruise ship that uses Bayport the first half of this year, so no other ship is waiting to get in there.

[pablo222]

Cap'n gave an update at approx. 2:50 pm. Doesn't look like they will let us out to sail today.

 

After all the fog delays this year, I didn't think I could be

any less interested in sailing from Houston.

 

I was wrong.