Regulations last checked for updates: May 03, 2025

Title 33 - Navigation and Navigable Waters last revised: Apr 29, 2025
All TitlesTitle 33Chapter IPart 161Subpart C - Subpart C—Vessel Traffic Service and Vessel Movement Reporting System Areas and Reporting Points
View all text of Subpart C [§ 161.25 - § 161.70]
§ 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 Roads400029°20.9′ N94°47.0′ W
Red Fish Bar400029°29.8′ N94°51.9′ W
Bayport Channel400029°36.7′ N94°57.2′ W
Morgans Point200029°41.0′ N94°59.0′ W
Upper San Jacinto Bay100029°42.3′ N95°01.1′ W
Baytown100029°43.6′ N95°01.4′ W
Lynchburg100029°45.8′ N95°04.8′ W
Carpenters Bayou100029°45.3′ N95°05.6′ W
Jacintoport100029°44.8′ N95°06.0′ W
Greens Bayou100029°44.8′ N95°10.2′ W
Hunting Bayou100029°44.3′ N95°12.1′ W
Sims Bayou100029°43.2′ N95°14.4′ W
Brady Island100029°43.5′ N95°16.4′ W
Buffalo Bayou100029°45.0′ N95°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
1Galveston Bay Entrance ChannelGalveston Bay Entrance CH Lighted Buoy (LB) “1C”29°18.2′ N; 94°37.6′ W
2Galveston Bay Entrance ChannelGalveston Bay Entrance Channel LB 11 and 1229°20.6′ N; 94°44.6′ W
EBolivar Land CutMile 349 Intracoastal Waterway (ICW)29°22.5′ N; 94°46.9′ WTows entering HSC also report at HSC LB 25 & 26.
WPelican CutMile 351 ICW29°21.4′ N; 94°48.5′ WTows entering HSC also report at HSC LB 25 & 26.
GGalveston HarborGalveston Channel Lt. 229°20.2′ N; 94°46.6′ WCoast Guard Base.
TTexas City ChannelTexas City Channel Lt. 1229°22.4′ N; 94°50.9′ W
XHouston Ship Channel ICW IntersectionHouston Ship Channel (HSC) LB 25 and 2629°22.2′ N; 94°48.1′ WTow entering HSC from ICW or Texas Cut Only.
3Lower Galveston BayHSC Lt. 31 and LB 3229°23.8′ N; 94°48.9′ W
4Red Fish BarHSC Lt. 53 & 5429°30.3′ N; 94°52.4′ W
PBayport Ship ChannelBayport Ship Channel Lt. 8 and 929°36.8′ N; 94°59.5′ WBayport Land Cut.
4AUpper Galveston BayHSC Lt. 69 and 7029°34.7′ N; 94°55.8′ WTows only.
5Morgan's PointHSC Lt. 9129°41.0′ N; 94°59.0′ W
6ExxonHSC Lt. 109A29°43.5′ N; 95°01.4′ W
7LynchburgFerry crossing29°45.8′ N; 95°04.8′ W
8Shell OilBoggy Bayou29°44.1′ N; 95°08.0′ W
9Greens BayouHSC Lt. 15229°44.8′ N; 95°10.1′ W
10Hunting BayouHunting Bayou Turning Basin.29°44.4′ N; 95°12.1′ W
11LyondellSims Bayou Turning Basin.29°43.2′ N; 95°14.4′ W
12I-610 BridgeI-610 Bridge29°43.5′ N; 95°16.0′ W
13Buffalo BayouHouston Turning Basin29°45.0′ N; 95° 17.4′ W
[CGD 90-020, 59 FR 36324, July 15, 1994, as amended by CGD 95-033, 60 FR 28331, May 31, 1995; USCG-2000-7223, 65 FR 40058, June 29, 2000; USCG-2007-27887, 72 FR 45904, Aug. 16, 2007]
authority: 46 U.S.C. 70001,70002,70003,70034,70114,70119; Pub. L. 107-295, 116 Stat. 2064; DHS Delegation No. 00170.1, Revision No. 01.3
source: CGD 90-020, 59 FR 36324, July 15, 1994, unless otherwise noted.
cite as: 33 CFR 161.35
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