Dredging Programme

Theodore Holds a 37-Foot Draught Limit

Published 30 October 2026 Publisher IMWO Region Americas Confidence Confirmed
IMWO Theodore diagram:37-foot vessel transit restriction from the26 October notice, with dredging expected in January 2027.

IMWO original engineering diagram; source: USACE Mobile District

A 37-foot transit-draught restriction applies at Theodore Ship Channel following recent soundings. USACE expects dredging in January 2027, leaving cargo planning dependent on the restriction and current channel conditions.

Reduced depths constrain the next loaded transit

A 37-foot draught limitation is in effect for vessels transiting Theodore Ship Channel, according to Mobile District bulletin 26-130 issued on 26 October. Recent USACE soundings identified areas of reduced depth. Dredging to address the shoaling is expected to begin in January 2027. [1] The bulletin directs users to the district's hydrographic survey dashboard. Its effective-period header ends on 11 January at 06:00, while its body describes a January dredging start. The stated restriction therefore remains the immediate basis for a voyage plan pending subsequent navigation instructions. [1]

Cargo exposure precedes the dredging campaign

The commercial constraint applies when the vessel loads and transits. Cargo booked for a deeper sailing condition may require a revised loading plan, a different vessel or a changed sailing date. The effect depends on the vessel's tonnes-per-unit-draught characteristics and the operating margins required for that passage. The dredging quantity uses the surveyed bed, a defined channel prism and the relevant vertical reference. USACE's eHydro guidance describes surveys and channel-quarter minimum-depth reports as inputs to identifying shoals and dredging requirements. [2]

Evidence conclusion

Plan the interim passage and the work separately

The notice leaves a period of restricted transit before the expected campaign. A terminal handling cargo in that interval needs to reconcile the loaded vessel's draught with current passage instructions before fixing its sailing commitment. The expected January start belongs in the maintenance programme; release of a deeper transit condition depends on later survey results and navigation instructions. Mobile District advises waterway users to consult the latest dredging schedule when planning around operations. [3] For the dredging team, the corresponding preparation is a dated controlling-shoal survey, the required cut and the material route. Those establish the plant and duration needed to restore the intended geometry. The October bulletin specifies the operating restriction and expected start month; it leaves the campaign quantity and production programme to the subsequent work records.

Outstanding evidence

  • Later transit-draught instructions and controlling-shoal surveys
  • January dredging start, work area and production programme
  • Loaded-vessel plan and the margins required for passage

Related records 1

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