Fog halts Houston Channel shipping - Coast Guard

HOUSTON, Dec 23 (Reuters) Dense sea fog that developed Tuesday morning halted ships from moving up and down the Houston Ship Channel to the busiest U.S. petrochemical port, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

Warming weather may allow the fog to dissipate by late afternoon, the Coast Guard added.

Ship pilots stopped moving vessels from the Gulf of Mexico to Houston at 10:15 a.m. local time (1615 GMT), when visibility fell below safe levels, according to the Coast Guard. (Reporting by Erwin Seba)