MSIB 17-19 Greenwich Terminal Crane Delivery

The Captain of the Port, Delaware Bay, is notifying mariners of two safety zones established on the Delaware Bay and River to facilitate safety during the transit and delivery of one post-Panamax crane to Greenwich Terminal in Philadelphia, PA.

Safety zone one includes all navigable waters within 200 yards of the M/V ZHEN HUA 26 from the time the vessel begins mooring operations within Big Stone Anchorage until the completion of mooring operations at Greenwich Terminal in Philadelphia, PA. Except as noted below, vessels may not enter this safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port or his designated representative via VHF-FM Channel 16. Requests to enter safety zone one will not be authorized for portions of the Delaware River north of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal for vessels with a beam greater than 90 feet.

Vessels may enter safety zone one without obtaining approval from the Captain of the Port if all of the following criteria are met:

• M/V ZHEN HUA 26 is anchored in a designated anchorage as defined in 33 CFR 110.157.
• Except towing vessels designated as assist tugs, and operating in such capacity, no vessel may meet, overtake or otherwise pass another unmoored or unanchored vessel within the safety zone.
• Vessel shall maintain the minimum safe speed to reduce wake and maintain steerage.

Safety zone two includes all navigable waters of the of the Delaware River bounded to the south by a line drawn from the southeast corner of Pier 124S at 39º53’41.751” N, 075º08’19.1419” W, thence east-southeast to the New Jersey Shoreline at 39º53’34” N, 075º07’49” W, and bounded to the north by the southernmost edge of the Walt Whitman Bridge (see figure 1 in attachment). Enforcement of safety zone two will begin when the M/V ZHEN HUA 26 arrives at berth. Except as noted below, vessels may not enter this safety zone unless authorized by the Captain of the Port or his designated representative via VHF-FM Channel 16.

Vessels may enter safety zone two without obtaining approval from the Captain of the Port if all of the following criteria are met:

• Regardless of travel direction, vessels shall remain east of the centerline of the main navigation channel.
• Except towing vessels designated as assist tugs, and operating in such capacity, no vessel may meet, overtake or otherwise pass another unmoored or unanchored vessel within the safety zone.
• Vessel shall maintain the minimum safe speed to reduce wake and maintain steerage.

Initiation of and transitions between enforcement of safety zone one and safety zone two will be communicated via Broadcast Notice to Mariners and/or Safety Marine Information Broadcast.

If you have any questions regarding the content of this bulletin, please contact the Waterways Management staff at (215) 271-4814 or the Command Center at (215) 271-4807.


J.D. Theel
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard
Acting Captain of the Port, Delaware Bay