Federal regulations · Through 2026-08-25 · Newer source version available

33 CFR 161.35: Vessel Traffic Service Houston/Galveston.

(a) The VTS area consists of the following major waterways and portions of connecting waterways: Galveston Bay Entrance Channel; Outer Bar Channel; Inner Bar Channel; Bolivar Roads Channel; Galveston Channel; Gulf ICW and Galveston-Freeport Cut-Off from Mile 346 to Mile 352; Texas City Channel; Texas City Turning Basin; Texas City Canal Channel; Texas City Canal Turning Basin; Houston Ship Channel; Bayport Channel; Bayport Turning Basin; Houston Turning Basin; and the following precautionary areas associated with these waterways.
(b) Precautionary areas.
Table 161.35(b)—VTS Houston/Galveston Precautionary Areas
Precautionary area name Radius (yds.) Center point
Latitude Longitude
Bolivar Roads 4000 29°20.9′ N 94°47.0′ W
Red Fish Bar 4000 29°29.8′ N 94°51.9′ W
Bayport Channel 4000 29°36.7′ N 94°57.2′ W
Morgans Point 2000 29°41.0′ N 94°59.0′ W
Upper San Jacinto Bay 1000 29°42.3′ N 95°01.1′ W
Baytown 1000 29°43.6′ N 95°01.4′ W
Lynchburg 1000 29°45.8′ N 95°04.8′ W
Carpenters Bayou 1000 29°45.3′ N 95°05.6′ W
Jacintoport 1000 29°44.8′ N 95°06.0′ W
Greens Bayou 1000 29°44.8′ N 95°10.2′ W
Hunting Bayou 1000 29°44.3′ N 95°12.1′ W
Sims Bayou 1000 29°43.2′ N 95°14.4′ W
Brady Island 1000 29°43.5′ N 95°16.4′ W
Buffalo Bayou 1000 29°45.0′ N 95°17.3′ W
Note: Each Precautionary Area encompasses a circular area of the radius denoted.
(c) Reporting points.
Table 161.35(c)—VTS Houston/Galveston Reporting Points
Designator Geographic name Geographic description Latitude/ longitude Notes
1 Galveston Bay Entrance Channel Galveston Bay Entrance CH Lighted Buoy (LB) “1C” 29°18.2′ N; 94°37.6′ W
2 Galveston Bay Entrance Channel Galveston Bay Entrance Channel LB 11 and 12 29°20.6′ N; 94°44.6′ W
E Bolivar Land Cut Mile 349 Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) 29°22.5′ N; 94°46.9′ W Tows entering HSC also report at HSC LB 25 & 26.
W Pelican Cut Mile 351 ICW 29°21.4′ N; 94°48.5′ W Tows entering HSC also report at HSC LB 25 & 26.
G Galveston Harbor Galveston Channel Lt. 2 29°20.2′ N; 94°46.6′ W Coast Guard Base.
T Texas City Channel Texas City Channel Lt. 12 29°22.4′ N; 94°50.9′ W
X Houston Ship Channel ICW Intersection Houston Ship Channel (HSC) LB 25 and 26 29°22.2′ N; 94°48.1′ W Tow entering HSC from ICW or Texas Cut Only.
3 Lower Galveston Bay HSC Lt. 31 and LB 32 29°23.8′ N; 94°48.9′ W
4 Red Fish Bar HSC Lt. 53 & 54 29°30.3′ N; 94°52.4′ W
P Bayport Ship Channel Bayport Ship Channel Lt. 8 and 9 29°36.8′ N; 94°59.5′ W Bayport Land Cut.
4A Upper Galveston Bay HSC Lt. 69 and 70 29°34.7′ N; 94°55.8′ W Tows only.
5 Morgan's Point HSC Lt. 91 29°41.0′ N; 94°59.0′ W
6 Exxon HSC Lt. 109A 29°43.5′ N; 95°01.4′ W
7 Lynchburg Ferry crossing 29°45.8′ N; 95°04.8′ W
8 Shell Oil Boggy Bayou 29°44.1′ N; 95°08.0′ W
9 Greens Bayou HSC Lt. 152 29°44.8′ N; 95°10.1′ W
10 Hunting Bayou Hunting Bayou Turning Basin. 29°44.4′ N; 95°12.1′ W
11 Lyondell Sims Bayou Turning Basin. 29°43.2′ N; 95°14.4′ W
12 I-610 Bridge I-610 Bridge 29°43.5′ N; 95°16.0′ W
13 Buffalo Bayou Houston Turning Basin 29°45.0′ N; 95° 17.4′ W

Where this section sits in the code

Title 33—Navigation and Navigable Waters
CHAPTER I—COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
SUBCHAPTER P—PORTS AND WATERWAYS SAFETY
PART 161—VESSEL TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT
Subpart C—Vessel Traffic Service and Vessel Movement Reporting System Areas and Reporting Points

(b) Precautionary areas.

Table 161.35(b)—VTS Houston/Galveston Precautionary Areas

Precautionary area name Radius (yds.) Center point

Latitude Longitude

Bolivar Roads 4000 29°20.9′ N 94°47.0′ W

Red Fish Bar 4000 29°29.8′ N 94°51.9′ W

Bayport Channel 4000 29°36.7′ N 94°57.2′ W

Morgans Point 2000 29°41.0′ N 94°59.0′ W

Upper San Jacinto Bay 1000 29°42.3′ N 95°01.1′ W

Baytown 1000 29°43.6′ N 95°01.4′ W

Lynchburg 1000 29°45.8′ N 95°04.8′ W

Carpenters Bayou 1000 29°45.3′ N 95°05.6′ W

Jacintoport 1000 29°44.8′ N 95°06.0′ W

Greens Bayou 1000 29°44.8′ N 95°10.2′ W

Hunting Bayou 1000 29°44.3′ N 95°12.1′ W

Sims Bayou 1000 29°43.2′ N 95°14.4′ W

Brady Island 1000 29°43.5′ N 95°16.4′ W

Buffalo Bayou 1000 29°45.0′ N 95°17.3′ W

Note: Each Precautionary Area encompasses a circular area of the radius denoted.

Table 161.35(c)—VTS Houston/Galveston Reporting Points

Designator Geographic name Geographic description Latitude/ longitude Notes

1 Galveston Bay Entrance Channel Galveston Bay Entrance CH Lighted Buoy (LB) “1C” 29°18.2′ N; 94°37.6′ W

2 Galveston Bay Entrance Channel Galveston Bay Entrance Channel LB 11 and 12 29°20.6′ N; 94°44.6′ W

E Bolivar Land Cut Mile 349 Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) 29°22.5′ N; 94°46.9′ W Tows entering HSC also report at HSC LB 25 & 26.

W Pelican Cut Mile 351 ICW 29°21.4′ N; 94°48.5′ W Tows entering HSC also report at HSC LB 25 & 26.

G Galveston Harbor Galveston Channel Lt. 2 29°20.2′ N; 94°46.6′ W Coast Guard Base.

T Texas City Channel Texas City Channel Lt. 12 29°22.4′ N; 94°50.9′ W

X Houston Ship Channel ICW Intersection Houston Ship Channel (HSC) LB 25 and 26 29°22.2′ N; 94°48.1′ W Tow entering HSC from ICW or Texas Cut Only.

3 Lower Galveston Bay HSC Lt. 31 and LB 32 29°23.8′ N; 94°48.9′ W

4 Red Fish Bar HSC Lt. 53 & 54 29°30.3′ N; 94°52.4′ W

P Bayport Ship Channel Bayport Ship Channel Lt. 8 and 9 29°36.8′ N; 94°59.5′ W Bayport Land Cut.

4A Upper Galveston Bay HSC Lt. 69 and 70 29°34.7′ N; 94°55.8′ W Tows only.

5 Morgan's Point HSC Lt. 91 29°41.0′ N; 94°59.0′ W

6 Exxon HSC Lt. 109A 29°43.5′ N; 95°01.4′ W

7 Lynchburg Ferry crossing 29°45.8′ N; 95°04.8′ W

8 Shell Oil Boggy Bayou 29°44.1′ N; 95°08.0′ W

9 Greens Bayou HSC Lt. 152 29°44.8′ N; 95°10.1′ W

10 Hunting Bayou Hunting Bayou Turning Basin. 29°44.4′ N; 95°12.1′ W

11 Lyondell Sims Bayou Turning Basin. 29°43.2′ N; 95°14.4′ W

12 I-610 Bridge I-610 Bridge 29°43.5′ N; 95°16.0′ W

13 Buffalo Bayou Houston Turning Basin 29°45.0′ N; 95° 17.4′ W

Collected 2026-08-27T02:25:35Z. Source file · JSON

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