BALTIMORE — The captain of the port of Baltimore reverted to a seasonal alert status Tuesday for the Baltimore COTP zone.
A seasonal alert status is the posture set from Dec. 1 to Mar. 31 to prepare for the potential presence of ice.
Within the Sector Baltimore COTP zone, navigable waters typically affected by early ice formation include the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal, upper Chesapeake Bay and upper Potomac River.
The COTP of Baltimore may establish additional requirements for specific geographical areas of the COTP zone if conditions warrant such restrictions.
Ice related vessel and/or waterway restrictions are announced via Coast Guard broadcast notices to mariners, five times daily at 3 a.m., 7:05 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 4 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. local time on marine band radio VHF-FM channel 22A.
The status for local waterways can also be found at http://www.uscg.mil/d5/ICE_REPORT/ or by calling the Sector Baltimore ice line at 410-576-2682.
The status and extent of these restrictions are continuously evaluated, as ice condition reports are received and assessed.
Mariners observing any ice conditions are asked to report this information to the Coast Guard via marine band radio VHF-FM channel 16 or by calling 410-576-2693.
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