North Carolina plans restart by end of week after Florence damage assessment

Ports see toppled containers and damaged warehouses, but gantry cranes still functioning.

North Carolina Ports will reopen the state’s two main ports by the end of this week after a assessing the damage wrought by Hurricane Florence.

The Port of Wilmington and the Port of Morehead City both saw damage to warehouses and other structures, as well as a significant number of downed empty containers, NC Ports said.

But major infrastructure, including gantry cranes, at both locations have been assessed and weathered the storm with no damage.

NC Ports plans to resume full commercial truck operations in Wilmington and Morehead City on by next Monday, September 24, it said in a statement. Vessel operations are anticipated to commence by the end of this week in both locations and NC Ports will coordinate directly with vessel operators and agents.

The reopening comes nearly a week after Hurricane Florence hit North Carolina, with a total of 26 deaths in the state blamed on the storm. The city of Wilmington was practically cut off from the land due to the flooding that engulfed the city.