Southeast U.S. ports prepare for Hurricane Hermine

The ports of Savannah and Brunswick will be closed for operations Friday, Sept. 2, 2016, as a result of expected severe weather caused by Hurricane Hermine, which was recently upgraded from a tropical storm to a category 1 hurricane.    Deepwater seaports in the southeastern United States are bracing for expected severe weather Friday from Hurricane Hermine.
   The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) is closing its facilities in Savannah and Brunswick.
   The National Weather Service upgraded Hurricane Hermine Thursday from a tropical storm to a category 1 hurricane.
   Closed facilities in Georgia include the Garden City Terminal and Ocean Terminal in Savannah, and the Colonel’s Island Bulk Facility and Mayor’s Point Terminal in Brunswick. GPA said it may resume operations as early as Friday evening, and that normal gate operations will resume at Garden City Terminal from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, at Gate 4 only.
   Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal has declared a state of emergency for 56 counties, including Glynn and Chatham counties, which include Savannah and Brunswick. The U.S. Coast Guard is restricting vessel arrival and departure in Georgia starting at 10 p.m. Thursday, according to GPA.
   “Out of an abundance of caution, and for the safety of our employees, local residents, customers and service providers, we are closing our facilities until the storm has passed,” GPA Executive Director Griff Lynch said of the decision. “The GPA would like to thank our port users, stakeholders and employees for their continued support.”
   A spokesperson for the South Carolina Ports Authority told American Shipper Thursday it had no plans at present to close operations at its terminals in Charleston, Georgetown or Greer.
   SCPA said in a statement it is closely monitoring the storm, and would likely close the empty container yards at Wando Welch Terminal and North Charleston Terminal at noon on Friday.
   “Normal vessel, reefer and loaded yard operations are expected on Friday, so long as conditions allow,” the authority said. “We will continue to watch the forecast and observe weather conditions, updating operational status accordingly.”
   Meanwhile, the Jacksonville Port Authority was scheduled to close after last operations at 10:00 p.m. Thursday and was not scheduled to open until noon Friday, Nancy Rubin, a spokesperson for the port authority said, according to the Jacksonville Business Journal.