Narrative:

Here at phl; there is a procedure for maritime activity in the delaware river. The city of philadelphia is supposed to call and advise when there will be a ship in the channel; and a time when to suspend runway 35 arrs. This is rarely done correctly; and it is left to the local controller to determine whether the aircraft will clear the obstruction (tall ship) or not. This is contrary to the agreed upon order. This specific incident occurred when the city notified phl tower of a ten minute heads up on the ship traffic. The supervisor said the ship was already here and instructed myself; that if in my opinion (local controller) it was safe; allow the aircraft to land; or I could send him around. The ship was running completely dark; except with one visible bow light; so in my opinion an unsafe condition existed amd I sent the E170 around. Untimely coordination between the city of philadelphia and FAA management at phl occurred. This late coordination was relayed to myself when the aircraft was on short final; causing the E170 to go around and over fly the ship. I believe that if coordination cannot be accomplished in a timely manner; and agreements cannot be adhered to; then runway 35 arrs should be suspended until such time that safe and effective procedures can be developed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TWR CTLR AT PHL RPTS THAT THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA IS NOT NOTIFYING THE TWR OF SHIPS IN THE RIVER IN A TIMELY MANNER.

Narrative: HERE AT PHL; THERE IS A PROC FOR MARITIME ACTIVITY IN THE DELAWARE RIVER. THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA IS SUPPOSED TO CALL AND ADVISE WHEN THERE WILL BE A SHIP IN THE CHANNEL; AND A TIME WHEN TO SUSPEND RWY 35 ARRS. THIS IS RARELY DONE CORRECTLY; AND IT IS LEFT TO THE LOCAL CTLR TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE ACFT WILL CLEAR THE OBSTRUCTION (TALL SHIP) OR NOT. THIS IS CONTRARY TO THE AGREED UPON ORDER. THIS SPECIFIC INCIDENT OCCURRED WHEN THE CITY NOTIFIED PHL TWR OF A TEN MINUTE HEADS UP ON THE SHIP TFC. THE SUPVR SAID THE SHIP WAS ALREADY HERE AND INSTRUCTED MYSELF; THAT IF IN MY OPINION (LOCAL CTLR) IT WAS SAFE; ALLOW THE ACFT TO LAND; OR I COULD SEND HIM AROUND. THE SHIP WAS RUNNING COMPLETELY DARK; EXCEPT WITH ONE VISIBLE BOW LIGHT; SO IN MY OPINION AN UNSAFE CONDITION EXISTED AMD I SENT THE E170 AROUND. UNTIMELY COORDINATION BETWEEN THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA AND FAA MANAGEMENT AT PHL OCCURRED. THIS LATE COORDINATION WAS RELAYED TO MYSELF WHEN THE ACFT WAS ON SHORT FINAL; CAUSING THE E170 TO GO AROUND AND OVER FLY THE SHIP. I BELIEVE THAT IF COORDINATION CANNOT BE ACCOMPLISHED IN A TIMELY MANNER; AND AGREEMENTS CANNOT BE ADHERED TO; THEN RWY 35 ARRS SHOULD BE SUSPENDED UNTIL SUCH TIME THAT SAFE AND EFFECTIVE PROCS CAN BE DEVELOPED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.