Houston vessel congestion cleared intermittently as fog holds up two-way channel traffic

Houston Ship Channel reopened to outbound vessel traffic only at 07.50 local time (13.50 GMT) today, to allow some pent-up vessel traffic to be cleared.

But by that time the number of vessels waiting to sail out of the Houston area had risen to 19, while 16 vessels were waiting to enter the channel inbound and two shifting vessels were pending, according to local agent Norton Lilly.

Thick sea fog and a high risk of visibility is forecast in ports along the US Gulf Coast until Friday.

Rough weather has also halted several bunker operations in locations off Gulf Coast this week. The Galveston Offshore Lightering Area (GOLA) has experienced strong winds and high swells, with conditions forecast to remain rough well into next week.