48 ships wait for toppled electric tower to be removed so Houston waterway can reopen

48 ships wait for Houston Ship Channel to reopen

HOUSTON — The U.S. Coast Guard says it will take three days to clear a traffic jam of four dozen ships waiting for the Houston Ship Channel to reopen as crews clear a damaged electric tower leaning over the waterway.

Coast Guard Petty Officer Richard Brahm says the channel is expected to open late Tuesday.

Brahm says “Big John,” one of the largest cranes in the country, is holding the tower while CenterPoint Energy cuts 14 power lines. Meanwhile, 48 ships wait to cross the four-mile channel stretch closed early Sunday when a tug pushing three barges hit the tower.

The channel is the main artery serving the Port of Houston, which leads the nation in foreign waterborne tonnage and imports and ranks second in U.S. export tonnage and total tonnage.