MARINE SAFETY OFFICE NEW ORLEANS IS NOW OPERATING AT CONDITION TWO AS A PRECAUTION THAT TROPICAL STORMS BONNIE AND CHARLEY CHANGE COURSE OR BECOME HURRICANES.

MARINE SAFETY OFFICE NEW ORLEANS DOES NOT ANTICIPATE ANY OPERATIONAL DELAYS OR NAVIGATIONAL CLOSURES/RESTRICTIONS WITHIN THE CAPTAIN OF THEPORT NEW ORLEANS ZONE AS A RESULT OF THE STORM SYSTEMS.

INDUSTRY SHOULD CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE PATH OF THE TROPICAL STORMSAND MAINTAIN ACCOUNTABILITY OF PERSONNEL.

BARGE FLEET, VESSEL, AND FACILITY OPERATORS ARE ENCOURAGED TO ENSURE THE INTEGRITY OF BARGE AND VESSEL MOORINGS WITHIN FLEETING AND WATERFRONT FACILITIES AS BOTH STORM SYSTEMS ARE EXPECTED TO BRING RAIN AND WIND INTO THE NEW ORLEANS AREA.

DEEP-DRAFT VESSELS, TUGBOATS, EXCURSION VESSELS, AND OFFSHORE SUPPLY VESSELS SHOULD PLAN THEIR TRANSITS ACCORDINGLY TO AVOID HEAVY WEATHER ASSOCIATED WITH THE TROPICAL STORMS.

WE WANT TO REMIND THE MARITIME COMMUNITY THAT BRIDGE CLOSURES ON THE INNER HARBOR NAVIGATIONAL CANAL MAY BEGIN 36 TO 48 HOURS BEFORE AHURRICANE MAKES LANDFALL.

THE CLOSURE OF THESE BRIDGES IS TRIGGERED BY THE SPEED OF ADVANCE OF AN APPROACHING HURRICANE AND THE CLOSURE OF THE FLOODGATES WHICH PROTECT THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS FROM RISING STORM SURGE.

UPON THE APPROACH OF A HURRICANE, MARINE SAFETY OFFICE NEW ORLEANS WILL STAY IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH THE ARMY CORP OF ENGINEERS, ORLEANSLEVEE DISTRICT, AND THE BRIDGES THEMSELVES TO DETERMINE TO THE BESTPOSSIBLE INFORMATION ON BRIDGE CLOSURE PLANS. THIS INFORMATION WILL BERELAYED TO THE MARITIME COMMUNITY VIA BULLETIN AND UMIB IMMEDIATELY.

The Vessel Traffic Center can be contacted at 504-589-2780 or on VHF-FM channels 16 or 67 for additional information. All recipients of this bulletin are encouraged to report information concerning suspicious orcriminal activity to local law enforcement and the Marine Safety Office at (504) 589-6261 or the NationalResponse center via the 24-hour telephone number at 1-800-424-8802.

F.M. Paskewich

Captain of the Port