Narrative:

On oct/mon/06; I was assigned to work at phl tower as controller in charge. During my relief briefing; the supervisor stated that there were no tall ships in the channel (just prior to the approach end of runway 35). I pointed out a large ship that was northbound approximately 1/2 mi south of the runway 35 centerline. He stated that the ship must not have met the requirement to suspend arrival operations to runway 35. As the ship was directly under the runway 35 centerline; I received a call from the operations manager in the TRACON pertaining to a 10 min warning for an approaching vessel. I advised the OM that the ship was directly underneath the centerline of runway 35. I also observed that a CRJ2 had just flown directly above this ship on its approach to the runway. This is an ongoing problem and I believe it could be remedied by better communication between the city of philadelphia and the control tower; and by allowing the controller to determine when a ship is a factor for arriving aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PHL CTLR DESCRIBED INCIDENT WHEN ARPT FAILED TO PROVIDE TIMELY NOTIFICATION REGARDING SHIP MOVEMENTS THAT AFFECT ACFT OPS TO RWY 35.

Narrative: ON OCT/MON/06; I WAS ASSIGNED TO WORK AT PHL TWR AS CTLR IN CHARGE. DURING MY RELIEF BRIEFING; THE SUPVR STATED THAT THERE WERE NO TALL SHIPS IN THE CHANNEL (JUST PRIOR TO THE APCH END OF RWY 35). I POINTED OUT A LARGE SHIP THAT WAS NBOUND APPROX 1/2 MI S OF THE RWY 35 CTRLINE. HE STATED THAT THE SHIP MUST NOT HAVE MET THE REQUIREMENT TO SUSPEND ARR OPS TO RWY 35. AS THE SHIP WAS DIRECTLY UNDER THE RWY 35 CTRLINE; I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE OPS MGR IN THE TRACON PERTAINING TO A 10 MIN WARNING FOR AN APCHING VESSEL. I ADVISED THE OM THAT THE SHIP WAS DIRECTLY UNDERNEATH THE CTRLINE OF RWY 35. I ALSO OBSERVED THAT A CRJ2 HAD JUST FLOWN DIRECTLY ABOVE THIS SHIP ON ITS APCH TO THE RWY. THIS IS AN ONGOING PROB AND I BELIEVE IT COULD BE REMEDIED BY BETTER COM BTWN THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA AND THE CTL TWR; AND BY ALLOWING THE CTLR TO DETERMINE WHEN A SHIP IS A FACTOR FOR ARRIVING ACFT.

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.