WATERWAY CLOSURE NOTICE
August 26th, 2009
The Coast Guard Captain of the Port has issued a Safety Zone closing the Chicago Sanitary Ship Canal in the
vicinity of mile marker 296 near Romeoville, IL. This document describes the conditions under which non-
metallic hull vessels and all vessels under 20 feet in length must meet to transit through this area.
Safety Zone
Romeo Rd Bridge
Pipeline
Arch
296.0
CITGO Barge
Barrier I Power XFR cell
house
WATERWAY CLOSURE NOTICE
August 26th, 2009
To prevent the invasive Asian Carp from entering Lake Michigan, the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers has increased the voltage of
the Electric Fish Dispersal Barrier. Contact with the water in this area could result in serious injury or death. This electrical field
may also be dangerous to vessels with non-metallic hulls crossing the barrier, and to the persons in them. As a result, the Coast
Guard Captain of the Port has issued the following guidance to permit the safe passage of vessels less than 20 feet in length
and all vessels regardless of length with hulls constructed of wood, fiberglass, or other non-metallic material.
You must contact the Coast Guard Captain of the Port On-Scene Representative at (630) 336-0296 to obtain permission to
transit the Safety Zone. If you want to transit through this safety zone, you must obtain the services of a commercial towing
operator. This towing vessel must meet the following requirements:
(1) Be a vessel of at least twenty (20) feet in length with sufficient horsepower and an entirely metallic hull;
(2) Have a valid Certificate of Documentation with the appropriate endorsement or State Registration and be under the
direction of a properly licensed operator;
(3) Be powered solely by diesel fuel;
(4) Use non-metallic line to secure the towed vessel to the towing vessel. There should not be any bonding straps,
metallic lines or electrical connections between the towed vessel and the vessel conducting the dead-ship tow;
(5) All crewmen on the vessel conducting the dead-ship tow must remain inside a deck house or superstructure during
the transit through the electric fish barrier and should not make contact with the towed vessel;
(6) All tows must be made up and broken down outside of the Safety Zone in a location that does not block the channel
or impact other vessels transiting the area.
Your vessel must be completely dead ship, with no electronic or electrical equipment powered up, and the vessel’s batteries
should be physically disconnected at the battery terminals. Alternatively, all circuit breakers and battery selector switches may
be shifted to the “open” position. No persons may be on board your vessel during the transit through the safety zone.
NOTE: The vessel operator is responsible for all costs incurred in obtaining a tow.
Questions regarding the enforcement of this safety zone and the waterway
closure should be directed to the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Lake Michigan
Command Center at (414) 747-7182.
http://www.d9publicaffairs.com/go/site/1295/
The following is a list of towing companies from the Inland River Guide that may be able to
provide dead ship tow services:
American Commercial Barge Lines
800-457-6377 Great Lakes Towing
(630) 257-2317ext 22 800-321-3663
216-337-8470
ARTCO - Lemont
217-424-5555 Hanson Material Services Corp
630-918-2918 815-838-3420
630-739-2161 312- 372-3600
ARTCO –Ottawa Illinois Marine Towing
815-712-2525 630-257-3400
630-846-3401
Calumet River Fleeting
773-721-1600 Kindra Lake Towing
773-721-1600 773-721-1180
Canal Barge Co. Kirby Marine
504-581-2424 713-435-1000
Chicago Marine Towing/ Luhr Bros. Inc.
Tow Boat U.S. 618-281-4106
312-243-2229
Osage Marine Services
Egan Marine Corp. 314-421-3575
630-739-0947 815-878-3411
630-975-6901
Florida Marine Transporters River Docks Inc
985-629-2082 815-223-0468
815-488-1620