Coast Guard continues tropical storm assessment at Port Canaveral
The U.S. Coast Guard has completed an initial damage assessment Thursday at Florida’s Port Canaveral after the passing of tropical storm Fay.
Coast Guard inspectors found “minimum discrepancies” in the storm’s passing, but said further assessments are required to open the port to all vessel traffic.
Currently, Port Canaveral is open from the sea buoy, which is 12 miles offshore, to Barge Canal for any vessels with a draft of 30 feet or less. The restriction will remain in place across the port until the Coast Guard can determine the depth of the channel and whether any shoaling has occurred from the storm.
The Coast Guard said it would conduct a more thorough assessment of Port Canaveral and surrounding navigable waterways over the next several days.
According to the Coast Guard on Aug. 21, Fay’s storm conditions have prevented 25 cargo and tanker ships from entering the ports of Port Canaveral; Jacksonville, Fla.; and Brunswick, Ga.
“Even though portions of Port Canaveral have been opened, mariners transiting in these areas should use extreme caution because shoaling and submerged debris may still pose a threat,” the Coast Guard warned.