Tuxpan (2019)

Vessel Type: Oil tanker, 52,000 d.w.t., LOA 183 m., draft 13.31 m. Period of stay approx. 25 days October 2019 to November 2019.

Location:  Lat. 20° 57′ N, Long. 097° 21′ W. Fiscal Berth.

Density: At berth, brackish with density 1015.

Immigration, port authorities and Agent boarded the vessel as soon as vessel dropped anchor.

Approaches: Tuxpan, situated 6 n.m. above the mouth of river Tuxpan, is a commercial, fishing and naval harbour. There is an offshore oil terminal close north of the port entrance with four SBMs. Vessels approaching from the NE and south should be especially vigilant as there are uncharted, or incorrectly charted, oil rigs/platforms; some of these installations were not contained in navigational warnings or T&P notices at the time. They are however well illuminated. Furthermore, ENE of the breakwater there is an ATBA around Arrecife Tuxpan, Arrecife Enmedio and Arrecife Tanguijo. The ATBA is charted and the reefs are marked with lights.

Anchorages: There is no designated anchorage area, and vessel was instructed to drop anchor 2-4 n.m. SE of the breakwater. Depth of water in this area varies from 15-30 m., bottom is mud with good holding capacity. This area is however exposed to wind and swell and, as such, caused the vessel to roll at anchor.

There are lots of conspicuous landmarks in the area for position fixing, including Rio Tuxpan lighthouse, three chimneys of the Tuxpan power plant, and the light situated on Arrecife Tuxpan. Anchoring is prohibited in the vicinity of submarine cables and the SBMs north of the breakwater.

Pilotage: Compulsory. Pilot boarded in the vicinity of the fairway buoy, 2.5 n.m. NE of the river mouth. Passage under pilotage commenced on a course of 240°(T) following the entrance leading lights, then following subsequent leading lights on courses 254, 246, 240 and 231°(T) to approach the berth. Distance from sea to berth approx. 3 n.m.

The channel from the breakwaters has been dredged to 15 m. until the turning basin by just east of the container terminal (approx. Lat. 20° 58′ N, Long. 097° 19′ W), reducing to 13 m. until just in front of the container terminal (approx. Lat. 20° 58′ N, Long. 097° 20′ W) where the depth then reduces to 11 m. It is worth noting that neither BA Sailing Directions nor local Agent provided vessel with the correct water depths, and the aforementioned depths were received from the pilot and confirmed by vessel during the approach by calculating UKC at various points.

All buoys/leading lights on the river channel were operational.

Height of tides on the river varied from 0.1 to 0.6 m., currents are weak (not exceeding 0.3 knots) as observed during the vessel’s stay at the berth. The channel was free of obstructions and relatively wide except close to the berth where four naval vessels were moored, reducing the width of the channel significantly.

VHF: Port Authority listens/works on Channels 16/12 and pilots on Channels 16/71. Vessel was required to maintain a listening watch on these channels during time at anchor. As per instructions received by Agent, vessel was required to call Tuxpan pilots on Channel 71 upon arrival and in case of no reply to contact the Harbour Master on Channels 16/12.

 Berths: 

Berth	Length	Depth	Height2	LOA
	(m.)	(m.)	(m.)	(m.)
Fiscal	150	11.01	2.5	190
1 depth stated by Agent was 9.75 m.
2 height of berth above MLT

 

Mooring/Unmooring: For arrival, vessel was met by two tugs (50-75 tons BP) which were made fast in front of the accommodation and forward starboard side. Tugs’ lines used. The same tug arrangement was followed for unmooring.

Berth is multipurpose, and spacing between vessels on adjacent berths is limited. The vessel’s mooring arrangement was 4–2–2 forward and aft, port side alongside.

During the outbound passage the vessel was turned in the turning basin situated about 600 m. downstream of the berth. Vessel’s max. draft was requested to be no more than 8 m. as per pilot’s requirements. Tugs were released after vessel had completed its turn. At the turning basin, maximum width of the channel was approx. 300 m.

Cargo Operations: Discharge via flexible hose. Manifold connection is 2×10 in.; however, only one line was used. Maximum discharging pressure requested throughout cargo operations was 4 Bar. Discharge rate 121 tonnes/hour, with discharging to trucks.

Loading Master and surveyor boarded vessel on arrival at the berth. During discharge operations, instructions were received from the Loading Master(s) via VHF Channel 17, and numerous stoppages were requested by the terminal.

Fuel: Available.

Gangway: Vessel’s gangway used.

6 Cargo Manifests

5 Cargo Manifests (in transit)

1 Certificates of Competency (only copies of page(s) showing crew member’s photo and qualification/rank)

4 Crew Effects Declarations

8 Crew Lists

4 General Declarations (IMO FAL form)

4 Last Port Clearance (original and three copies)

5 Maritime Declarations of Health

5 Narcotic Lists

8 Nil Lists

Passports/Seaman’s Books/Vaccination Cards

8 Ports of Call Lists

1 Stability Calculation (for inbound)

1 Stability Calculation (for outbound)

5 Stores Lists

5 Vaccination Lists.