Who needs an anchorage when you have DP? The real solution is to create another pass north of flotation.
[QUOTE=Jemplayer;138832]You mean the type where we don’t need VTS or a pilot to hold our hand as we move through heavy traffic?
Monday night through Thursday morning is when it’s at it’s worst. Everybody coming in for crew change coupled with the Oil Companies using that time to resupply the boat.
It’s the Assholes who like to get in the middle of the channel and sit there while boats move around the dock. Even better when they don’t have their radio on 13.
“Hey they need to shuffle around MNI and Haliburton. I’m just going to sit out here in the middle of the bayou at the mouth of Haliburton slip for an hour while the Stim Boats move around.” Seen that one a few times.
Better a busy Ch13 then a dead one like 2010.[/QUOTE]
The only thing I think you have EVER posted that I disagree with. If the person driving the boat thinks he or she needs to hold up then that is what they need to do. I have turned the helm over twice because the guy over me thought I should proceed. I said you have the conn. Plain and simple. Did we crash ? NO, but with 3-4 boats moving around at haliburton slip and I want to hold up at the loop shed and you don’t want me to then by all means… Take the conn. My ego is not hurt. These guys and gals have a lot more experience then I on the helm running in fourchon. The have a lot more time on the boat then I do and know how to maneuver it better. I trust the boat believe me, I just don’t trust the other drivers. Everyone is in a hurry for some reason. NO DISPATCHER is gonna cause me to rush and injure my crew. I got enough of that Rush and Wait shit in the NAVY. That’s exactly what we do in fourchon.
I can hold a boat in the channel off to the side. I have no problem with you coming over the radio and letting me know you are the best boat handler in the bayou and want to pass on the 2. Go for it, I don’t give a crap. I will wait on you to pass in your 160’ boat and I will proceed with the 300’ barge I have to deal with. Don’t be a HATER, BE A PLAYER.
I’m not driving a boat with a 8’ or 10’ draft. It takes a while for the vessel to respond and I sure don’t want to screw up the rudders by swinging WIDE…
(JemPlayer said: "You mean the type where we don’t need VTS or a pilot to hold our hand as we move through heavy traffic?)
No Sir, I mean the type that believe taking a compulsory pilot or operating under a Coast Guard mandated VTS somehow make a boatman less skilled than you. This emotional type of thinking has no place on watch in a crowded traffic zone. Intellect must rule in the wheelhouse.
I have not had the pleasure of operating a single-unit vessel equipped with 3, 4, 5, or even 6 propellers. I would consider myself fortunate for the opportunity to give the DP technology a spin around the block. However, I’m sure, even with this advanced technology, it’s still a challenge to operate in such overcrowded conditions such as Fourchon.
Prudent mariners will need to continue to operate as professionals, exercising their intellect with patience and caution until the boat-owners and Coast Guard use some intellect too.
How about no boats over 280’ in Halliburton, and no boats under 280 in flotation with seperate working channels. It would mean a lot of duplication of shoreside facilities and I know it will never happen, but a guy can dream.
Better yet, let’s have the pool rigs kicked out of the Halliburton slip, that derelict jack up kicked out of flotation, and it becomes a no no for crew boats over 150’ to stern up, especially near the corner in the back of the Halliburton slip. Also no going two wide in the first section of the Halliburton slip. Those few things alone would create a ton more room in the right places.
I dont post much on here. I thought it might be worth the trouble to
Re-submit and find what the hell my password and username was,
Just to say that traitor yankee has hit the nail on the head.
just those few simple things would make it soo much safer.
Also…the collision…was an allision…the barge was tied. The Condor
had a dent about the size of a fist. The CG inspector looked at it from
The inside of a void space and said that even if the vessel were already
On drydock, he wouldnt order it repaired. The stbd.fwd. bulworks had a
couple lil kinks in them where it pushed in slightly. After maybe a quart
of paint, the damage is almost all gone.
The barge may have had a lil more damage,especially since they wont
Be paying for repairs.
Are you under the impression DP vessels move around the port on DP?
[QUOTE=Number360;138862]Are you under the impression DP vessels move around the port on DP?[/QUOTE]
It’s amazing the number of people, even ones who work on smaller boats in Fourchon, think the big boats run around on DP.
Thanks Greenhorn.
I think we got off topic a little. LOL!!
[QUOTE=Number360;138862]Are you under the impression DP vessels move around the port on DP?[/QUOTE]
Nope. Not at all. You missed my point.
[QUOTE=Jemplayer;138832]You mean the type where we don’t need VTS or a pilot to hold our hand as we move through heavy traffic?
Monday night through Thursday morning is when it’s at it’s worst. Everybody coming in for crew change coupled with the Oil Companies using that time to resupply the boat.
It’s the Assholes who like to get in the middle of the channel and sit there while boats move around the dock. Even better when they don’t have their radio on 13.
“Hey they need to shuffle around MNI and Haliburton. I’m just going to sit out here in the middle of the bayou at the mouth of Haliburton slip for an hour while the Stim Boats move around.” Seen that one a few times.
Better a busy Ch13 then a dead one like 2010.[/QUOTE]
The vast majority of “hand holding” done by pilots in US ports, be it for US or foreign flag, is compulsory. There are plenty of C/Ms and Masters who hold first class pilotage for ports they frequent. By now, I’d bet good money every single permanent Master on the Valdez run has his PWS pilotage. Not all US ship masters can safely and efficiently con and dock vessels in pilotage waters (especially unfamiliar arenas), but I’m sure many can. Are they wimps for taking tugs as well?
We are talking about 700-1000 ft ships with one propeller and 40000+ HP 8-11 cylinder slow/medium speed diesel. And there are still many US flag ships w/o a bow thruster.
They can’t stop on a dime and they certainly can’t go from 0-5 kts at the drop of a hat either.
VTS these days is as much about security as it is about traffic mgmt and dissemination of information. I don’t ever recall thinking, ’ gee how would we ever manage to make arrival at port x and get to the dock if it weren’t for VTS…’ we simply make the calls when we have to and turn down the VHF volume to a tolerable level once we check in, etc.
Fourchon etiquette is pretty much its own VTS. And it serves its purpose b/c VTS would never work there. The dispacthers ultimately run the show w/o any regard for congestion.
There was a comment made earlier about no vessels over 280 in Haliburton and I’ve been kind of chewing it over. After Slip C and even D are completed, I think that would be pretty reasonable. A VTS would never work, but cutting down on the congestion in a slip built for 200’ vessels would help. Though I know it will never happen, the one way in, one way out idea would be nice. I know the traffic around the docks would be 2 way, but every little bit will help.
Any word on who will be moving into C-Port 3?
[QUOTE=KrustySalt;139021
Any word on who will be moving into C-Port 3?[/QUOTE]
Rumor is it was built for SHELL.
I’ve heard chevron, but that’s just the rumor mill.
Chevron and Exxon is what we’ve heard but Exxon wasn’t a deff
My understanding Is CHEVERON. Additionally BP will be taking a larger part of C - Port 1. I believe ExxonMobil will be taking C - Port 4 but again just rumors.
[QUOTE=Slowsailor45;138853]How about no boats over 280’ in Halliburton, and no boats under 280 in flotation with seperate working channels. It would mean a lot of duplication of shoreside facilities and I know it will never happen, but a guy can dream.[/QUOTE]
Right now there is a 500’ ship at the Heavy Lift dock, opposite the Pool rigs. At least it has less than a 75’ beam.
Heavy Lift dock gets monthly (or so) deliveries from ships. They can’t truck in the huge spools and other over-sized cargo that constitutes a “heavy lift”, so it has to come in by ship.
How about the new Chouest vessel Great Expectations? I haven’t seen any photos yet on here. She is a fueling vessel to my understanding.
1.5 million gallons, a nice replacement for the buccaneer