Papal Visit to Impact Marine Transportation System
The Captain of the Port, Delaware Bay, is notifying mariners that vessel traffic transiting the Delaware River and Schuylkill River, in vicinity of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from September 25, 2015 to September 28, 2015 will likely experience delays.
As a preventative measure, we ask maritime stakeholders in the region, ranging from large vessels to uninspected passenger vessels, to provide advanced notification and to engage with our Papal Visit Maritime Operations Center’s (MOC) and the Marine Transportation System Recovery Unit (MTSRU), well in advance of anticipated vessel transits between September 25th and 28th. The MTSRU can be reached at secdelbaymtsru@uscg.mil or 267-515-7294 FREE.
It is likely that the influx of Papal visit attendees to the area will increase local traffic on both the roads and waterways in the area and may increase security concerns. Facility and vessel operators are requested to maintain proper vigilance, and report any suspicious activity to the Sector Intel Branch at (215) 271-4999 FREE.
Source: U.S. Coast Guard, Sector Delaware Bay, Marine Safety Information Bulletin [MSIB # 33-15] dated September 18, 2015