Piloting vessels on the Chesapeake Bay and the Impact of Weather on Commercial Traffic in Coastal Areas.

The daily movements of vessels on the Chesapeake Bay require close attention to the weather. The Maryland Pilots handle many different classes of ships: Ultra Large Container Vessels, Car Ships, Cape Class Bulk Carriers, and Cruise Ships, to name a few. We face infrastructure challenges in Baltimore and out on the bay. The air draft of some of the Container Vessels requires an Air Gap at our bridges that reach a clearance of less than a meter. The vessel loaded with coal can be over 47' draft with the channel depth at 50'. We must monitor our real-time sensors in these two scenarios to ensure a safe passage. The winter weather, with strong NW'ly winds causing a lower-than-expected tide, can be challenging and cause delays to the ship. In the summer, the fast-moving Thunderstorms make docking and undocking vessels with a large sail area difficult. The Chesapeake Bay from sea to Baltimore is 150 nautical miles. The Weather below the Potomac River is different than the more protected waters of the Upper Bay. When Piloting in on these waters, you must be prepared for various conditions on one trip up or down the bay.