Ports resume operations in wake of Gordon

Gordon made landfall as a tropical storm near Pascagoula, Miss. late Tuesday.    The ports of New Orleans and Mobile resumed operations Wednesday after Gordon made landfall as a tropical storm near Pascagoula, Miss., late Tuesday.
   The Port of New Orleans issued an update at 8:15 a.m. Central Time Wednesday and said its administration building and all gate operations were open for normal business hours and that the Associate Branch pilots had resumed operations for inbound and outbound traffic at Southwest Pass.
   In the port’s most recent update issued late Wednesday morning, the port said its owned bridge resumed normal operations, opening to roadway, marine and rail traffic. The Inner Harbor Navigation Channel Lock reopened at 8:30 a.m. Central Time Wednesday and all floodgates at the bridge approaches are open.
   “The Almonaster Bridge remains closed to vehicular traffic due to the conditions of the approach roadways, as was the case prior to storm closures,” the port said.
    The Port of Mobile issued a notice at 4:45 p.m. Central Time Wednesday that said its facilities and equipment incurred very little damage from the tropical storm. It was able to open its facilities to cargo operations at 1 p.m. Central Time Wednesday.
   The port’s notice also said that at 3:45 p.m. Central Time Wednesday the U.S. Coast Guard captain of the port reopened the port to vessel traffic. Vessels with a draft of 38 feet or less can transit the channel, and the bar pilots are beginning to move ships in and out of the port.
   A Port of Mobile spokesperson told American Shipper at 10 a.m. Central Time Thursday, “The Corps of Engineers are surveying the Bar Channel at the Port of Mobile as we speak. As soon as that survey is completed, reviewed and forwarded to the USCG COTP, we should hear a change in status. My understanding is that could come as early as this afternoon, but could be later.”