Freeport

Good morning.  Here are the notes from the call this morning:

NWS:  Harvey finally inland over SW Louisiana, and will continue pushing NW in the coming days.  Improving conditions for us.  NW winds 20 to 30 knots on the bay, slightly higher inland.  Seas still 6’ to 8’, but should start seeing significant improvement overnight.  Same improvement with winds.  Seas should lay down, more like 2’ to 3’ by tomorrow (whoop!!!).  No significant rainfall expected – maybe a few light showers from the backside of the storm.  Main issue now is likely to be the water flow issues.  Corps of Engineers:  Will commence surveys today.  More vessels arriving to help support.  Will have a total of 9 vessels surveying the region.  NOAA:  One vessel in Houston, and another arriving today by end of the day.  USCG Waterway Mgmt:  They are already out doing facility surveys.  They are working on getting other assets such as vessels and/or choppers to help move their crews to the areas needed.  Terminals should be ready for visits.  It will help if you’ve already filled out the form and have it ready to go.  VTS:  Remain at Zulu, but will lower the Port Condition and allow movements as soon as possible based on the information coming in (i.e. channel surveys, etc.).  At this point, expect that first movements will be allowed from Bayport and south.  Anything north of Bayport is highly unlikely due to the high flows coming out of the San Jac and other outfalls.MSU Texas City:  Also going out to evaluate facilities and critical infrastructure.  Port of Texas City:  Port has already brought in a company to sound their facilities.  Coordinating with the Pilots.  Hopefully ready to go once things are opened up.Port Freeport:  Doing initial facility assessments.  Some vessels did divert elsewhere.  Pilots conducting an initial survey.Rec Boaters:  Weather is to look good this weekend.  A bit of a fear that rec boaters will take to the water.  There is a lot of debris in the water, so rec boaters are urged to avoid going out on the water.Houston Pilots:  Conditions starting to lay down on the bar.  One of their vessels is making a run from offshore into the port and back.  It went offshore this morning and found some buoys off-station offshore, and one other inshore.  Pilots want to start initially one-way traffic once surveys are completed and OK to move vessels are approved.  Current at Morgan’s Point was reported as 7 mph.  Once things settle, they might move to night moves.Gal-Tex Pilots:  Have done some initial surveys.  No major issues.  In looking at Tx City, one dayboard is missing, but very minor issue.Brazos Pilots:  Have conducted soundings, and found all at least 38’.  Also checked each of the docks and found at least 38’ at all of those.  All ATONs are in place and look OK.  Seas are 3 to 4’, so ready to open up once given the OK by USCG, starting with max 33’ draft until surveys are fully completed.  None of the facilities have been able to contract for external surveys, but the MTSRU can provide a few contacts.  Harbor Tugs:  Moved most of their fleet to Barbours Cut.  2 Tugs in Galveston for Freeport, and will see about getting permission to move them to Freeport so that they are ready when the port opens.  BNSF:  Still closed, but trying to get a list of folks who can get there this evening to get the bridge back in operation. 

 

Wrap up:  Expect that we will begin 2 calls/day starting tomorrow.  Slight chance we might have one this afternoon.  If you are ready to go back into business, please complete the attached form and send to the e-mail address on the form, and copy me as well.  I will be compiling these and getting them to the USCG periodically by other means.  They still have limited e-mail functionality at the USCG office in Houston, but are hoping to have full restoration later today.  In the meantime, I will help coordinate that effort.

For now, you should be getting things organized and get any urgent requests compiled and to me.  I’m providing a list each day to the USCG.

Thanks,

JAMES PRAZAK
PERFORMANCE DIRECTOR

T: +1-713-496-3690
F: +1-713-979-9112
M: +1-979-230-6785

TRICON INTERNATIONAL LTD.
777 POST OAK BLVD SUITE 550

HOUSTON, TEXAS 77056

<span-size:7.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:gray">
The information contained in this e-mail is confidential and may be privileged. It is intended solely for the addressee. If you are not the intended recipient please inform the sender of the error and delete this message. Tricon Energy Ltd. or any of its affiliates or subsidiaries ("Tricon") expressly prohibits any disclosure, copying, distribution, or any action or act of forbearance taken in reliance of a misdirected email or by an unintended recipient. Any views expressed in this e-mail are those of the individual sender, except where the sender specifically states them to be the views of Tricon.

Please note that Tricon does not provide bank account information via email. It does so only with encrypted messaging providing access to a secured payment portal website where Buyer can retrieve invoice and payment instructions. For payments to Tricon Dry Chemical and Tricon UK, the exclusively valid payment account information will be provided in the contract .Should you receive an email requesting payment with bank information please disregard the request and contact Tricon's accounting department immediately at +1 713 963-0066. Tricon will not accept, recognize or be responsible for any payments made to an unauthorized account in response to an email request, irrespective of who the sender is.

Unless duly authorized, Tricon does not engage in transactions with, or deal with products originating in, or ship or transship via or from, Cuba, Iran, Sudan, North Korea and Syria. Such transactions, deals and shipments, if not prohibited by law, may require a license, and will be void ab initio if negotiated and carried out without the express written approval of Tricon's Legal Department.