Most Florida ports remain closed due to Hurricane Jeanne

Most Florida ports remain closed due to Hurricane Jeanne    The U.S. Coast Guard 7th District said Monday the ports of Miami, Port Everglades had been reopen after Hurricane Jeanne but that the Ports of Palm Beach, Port Manatee, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Canaveral, Jacksonville, Fernandina and Brunswick, Georgia remain closed as off 0800 Monday. All ports are expected to be reopened within 48 hours.   
   “The closing of commercial ports is a proactive measure taken by the Coast Guard and regional harbor safety committees to minimize the chances of severe damage to navigable waterways, the port infrastructure and the marine environment in order to be able to resume vessel operations as soon as it is safely possible,” the Coast Guard said.
   Crowley Liner Services, a major operator of liner services calling at Florida ports, said Sunday its terminals in Port Everglades and Jacksonville were closed. It added that its ship the “Fortaleza” would remain in the port of Jacksonville and is scheduled to sail from Jacksonville to San Juan on Tuesday, depending on the reopening of the port by the Coast Guard.