Draft cut in Lower Mississippi after grounding

   Pilots are recommending the maximum draft of ships on the Mississippi River be reduced to 42 feet Wednesday morning following the grounding of a vessel at 7:30 a.m. Tuesday at Cubits Gap.
   The Rondeau went aground with an outbound draft of 44 feet. The vessel was refloated at about noon. Normally the channel is maintained to a depth so that ships can load to 45 feet, but draft has been limited to 44 feet because of silting in the channels.
   The vessel went aground in the reach of the lower Mississippi River piloted by the Crescent River Pilots.
   “Due to deteriorating channel conditions in the Pilottown area,” the Crescent River Port Pilots are reducing the recommended draft to 42 feet, effective 6 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18, said a statement from Mark Nelson, chief operating officer for the Crescent River Port Pilots’ Association (CRPPA).
   Sean M. Duffy Sr., executive director of the Big River Coalition, suggested that agents representing vessels with drafts deeper than 42 feet expecting to enter or sail the lower Mississippi River over the next few weeks should make sure the CRPPA have the latest arrival information specifying maximum freshwater drafts and correct arrival particulars.
   He said Bar Pilots are still limiting arriving vessels with a draft of 40 feet or greater to four hours before or after a high tide.
   Last week, the Big River Coalition unveiled a study detailing the affect a reduction in the draft to 38 feet would have to the economy. Duffy warned that because of a lack of dredging, conditions could quickly deteriorate on the river.
   Duffy said Tuesday that the Army Corps of Engineers’ New Orleans District (NOD) had approved using its hopper dredge Wheeler and that it was expected to be on the scene near the grounding site on Wednesday.
   “The Wheeler being sent down is a step in the right direction, but additional help is needed,” the Big River Coalition said. It added “the next step will be to finalize the remaining contract issues with the industry hopper dredge Stuyvesant so that it can begin dredging soon. If this contract is awarded the Stuyvesant‘s most likely assignment would be one of the deficient reaches in Southwest Pass. “
   Duffy said late Tuesday that he had spoken with Capt. A.J. Gibbs, president of the Crescent River Port Pilots Association, and he confirmed that the maximum draft restriction of 42 feet will be implemented from Pilottown at about Mile 2 above Head of Passes to Venice at about Mile 12. — Chris Dupin