TRANSIT

Transit Advisories
The Mariners’ Advisory Committee for the Bay and River Delaware was established in October 1964. It’s
members and associate members are mainly comprised of master mariners, local pilots, shipping
agents and marine managers. Additional support and information is provided by representatives from the
U.S. Coast Guard, NOAA and the Army Corp. of Engineers.

Local safety concerns are brought to the attention of the committee, which in turn comes to a non-binding
recommendation through a consensus. Any recommendations contained in these advisories are just
that, non-binding. Using "normal" tidal and weather scenarios without regard to river traffic or other
variables have derived them.

Before any vessel movement, the master should take into consideration all of the prevailing
circumstances, including the advice of his local pilot.

Transit Advisories as of September 12, 2003

Delaware Bay Approaches and Entrance

1.        Vessels arriving at the Delaware Bay entrance are advised to use the Delaware sealane or the Five-fathom
sealane. It is recommended that vessels with a draft exceeding 34 feet use the Delaware sealane from the southeast.
Towing traffic transiting off the southeastern New Jersey coast is requested to use the inshore traffic sealane.
2.        Vessels arriving at the Delaware Bay entrance are advised to contact the voluntary vessel traffic information
service through the Delaware Pilot traffic tower on VHF Channel 14. Contact should be made upon a vessel=s entrance
into the appropriate sealane. Inbound towing traffic using the inshore sealane should contact the tower when off of
McCrie shoal buoy A2MS@.
3.        Vessels outbound are requested to contact the traffic tower when they are passing the Brown Shoal or the AA@
buoy if exiting Big Stone Beach Anchorage. Additionally, outbound towing traffic should report out of the entrance area
while passing the A8" buoy.

Anchorage Recommendations

KAIGHNS POINT ANCHORAGE
Vessels using anchorage #12 off of Kaighns Point in Philadelphia Harbor are recommended not to exceed 600 feet in
length LOA or to exceed 34 feet in draft. Vessels over 30 feet in draft should anchor between Pier 78 and the Walt
Whitman Bridge .

MANTUA CREEK ANCHORAGE
Vessels using anchorage #9 off of Mantua Creek are recommended not to exceed 700 feet in length LOA or to exceed 37
feet in draft. Vessels are requested to anchor in sections A or C, whenever there is sufficient room. Anchorage areas within
sections B and D are used for maneuvering when docking and undocking vessels at adjacent piers. Vessels are requested
to only anchor in sections B and D when there is insufficient space in sections A and C.

MARCUS HOOK ANCHORAGE
Vessels in excess of 700 feet in length LOA may anchor at anchorage #7 off of Marcus Hook, PA with a maximum draft of
40 feet. Vessels under 700 feet are requested to anchor in section A whenever there is sufficient room. Section B is
needed for vessels over 700 feet in length.

WILMINGTON ANCHORAGE
Vessels using anchorage #6 off of Wilmington, DE are recommended not to exceed 700 feet in length (LOA) or to exceed
35 feet in draft. It is also recommended that vessels with a LOA less than 350 feet to use the southern end of the
anchorage.

REEDY POINT ANCHORAGE
In the event that anchorage #3 (Reedy Point) is full, it is recommended that vessels waiting for clearance to use the C &
D Canal, use anchorage #3 (Artificial Island) or the upper end of Bombay Hook anchorage on Liston Range.
Vessel Reporting

Please remember to contact the Maritime Exchange over VHF channel 14 to report when you anchor, your anchoring
position, and when you get underway. It is important to stand by on channels 14 and 16 at all times. If your vessel is
equipped with AIS, please be sure that it is always turned on.

It is recommended that all vessels report their position and status to the Maritime Exchange over VHF
Channel 14 in the following situations:

1.        When anchoring.
2.        When getting underway.
3.        When passing through Marcus Hook.
4.        When entering or exiting the C & D Canal.
5.        When making fast to the dock.

Tugs operating without a barge are exempt from this recommendation.

Lower River and Bay

1.        The maximum fresh water draft for river transit from sea to Delair, NJ is 40 feet.
2.        All vessels arriving with a fresh water draft in excess of 37 feet are to transit during flood current only.
3.        All vessels over Panamax size beam (106 feet) having a fresh water draft in excess of 35'06" shall only transit
during flood current.
4.        All vessels up to and including Panamax size beam (106 feet) having a fresh water draft of 37 feet and under
should arrange their river transit to afford a minimum of three feet clearance in the Marcus Hook area. The clearance
should give dur consideration to vessel squat, predicted tide, and the wind effect on actual tide.
5.        Vessels outbound from Paulsboro, NJ and above, having a fresh water draft of 37 feet and up to 40 feet should
arrange to sail 2 hours after low water. Due to the extended time of transit for these particular deep draft vessels, two (2)
river pilots will be arranged for transit to sea.
6.        The maximum salt water draft for entrance into the Delaware Bay and Big Stone Beach Anchorage is 55 feet, as
per federal regulation. Qualified offshore advisors with portable DGPS units are available upon request from the Pilots=
Association for the Bay and River Delaware.

Chesapeake and Delaware Canal

1.        There is no recommended length limitation for vessels using the C & D Canal; however, the maximum draft
limitation is 33 feet.
2.        Vessels in excess of 800 feet are required to have an operational bow thruster for transit. These vessels may use a
tug assist instead of a working thruster.
3.        The maximum combined beam of vessels transiting the C & D Canal at the same time is 190 feet.
4.        Some vessels may be determined to maneuver poorly and need to meet other requirements such as tug
assistance, daylight passage or one-way traffic while transiting the canal, regardless of the vessel=s length. These
requirements will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

Upper Delaware River

The Upper Delaware River pertains to the area of navigation from Delair, New Jersey to the head of
navigation on the Delaware River at Trenton, NJ. The Maximum drafts referred to in these advisories
pertain to navigation within the Federal maintained 40 foot channel which ends off Newbold Island, NJ.
Vessel Particulars

1.        Any vessel whose beam exceeds 128 feet should transit through the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge during daylight only.
Vessels of greater beam and vessels known to be difficult to maneuver should be scheduled on a case by case basis after
consultation between the pilots and the operators prior to arrival and departure.
2.        Maximum air draft should not exceed 132 feet.
3.        Vessels of combined beam greater than 185 feet should not meet between the Delair Railroad Bridge and the
Burlington Bristol Bridge.
4.        Shipping traffic should avoid meeting above the Burlington Bristol Bridge.

Vessel Draft Inbound
1.        Vessels less than 32'06" FW may transit on any stage of the tide or current.
2.        Vessels 32'06" or greater up to 35'00" FW in draft should arrive in Philadelphia Harbor no later than 9 hours and 15
minutes, or earlier than 5 hours and 45 minutes from slack flood current at Cape Henlopen.
3.        Vessels 35'01" FW or greater up to 38'06" FW in draft should arrive in Philadelphia Harbor no later than 8 hours
and 15 minutes, or earlier than 5 hours and 45 minutes from slack flood current at Cape Henlopen.
4.        Vessels 32'06" FW or greater up to 38'06" FW in draft shall avoid meeting outbound shipping traffic above the
Delair Railroad Bridge.

Vessel Draft Outbound

1.        Vessels less than 32'06" FW may transit on any stage of the tide or current.
2.        Vessels 32'06" FW or greater up to 38'06" FW in draft, should sail from terminals above the Delair Railroad Bridge
between 1 hour before high water and 3 hours after high water at the dock at which it is sailing.
3.        Vessels 32'06" FW or greater up to 38'06" FW in draft shall avoid meeting inbound shipping traffic above the Delair
Railroad Bridge.

Tug Attendance

1.        Vessels in excess of 375 feet should have a tug in attendance during upper river transit