This safety zone is established for the move of equipment barges up the Cape Fear River to Wilmington as announced earlier, see One-Day Closure. The closure will effectively shut down the AICW from Southport to Snows Cut.

Coast Guard to establish safety zone on Cape Fear River, NC

WILMINGTON, N.C. — A temporary safety zone is scheduled to be enforced on the Cape Fear River, April 8, for the transit of the 776-foot motor vessel Zhen Hua 25.

The temporary safety zone will close a large portion of the Cape Fear River to vessel traffic for approximately five to seven hours, affecting all navigable waters about 26 miles south of the Cape Fear Memorial Bridge, until the ship is safely moored at the North Carolina State Ports Authority.

Commercial vessels moored at facilities within the safety zone must depart prior to midnight, April 7, and no vessel is authorized to moor, transit, or remain within the river while the safety zone is in effect.

A second safety zone will be enforced for approximately two to four hours on separate days for the offload of a Neo-Panamax crane. The zone will include all of the waters within a 200-yard radius around the motor vessel Zhen Hua 25 while moored at NCSPA Berth Eight.

Vessel traffic south of NCSPA will not be impacted during the second safety zone.

If you have any questions concerning the closure of the Cape Fear River, please contact the

Waterways Management Division at NCmarineevents@uscg.mil or Coast Guard personnel at 910-772-2230.

For media inquiries, please contact Lt. Cmdr. Elizabeth Buendia at 252-241-6042.