Vessel traffic has resumed along the U.S. Gulf Coast after Hurricane Nate made landfall in Mississippi as a category 1 hurricane over the weekend, the U.S. Coast Guard said on Sunday.Operations at the Port of New Orleans remained unaffected by Hurricane Nate, according to the port’s website, and port docks and gates are active with cargo operations.The Alabama State Port Authority advised on Monday that the Coast Guard opened the Port of Mobile ship channel with restrictions, limiting traffic to 32-ft. draft vessels and daylight transit only.The Port of Panama City is open with normal operations, while the Port of Pensacola remains closed due to post storm port condition Zulu.
Tropical Storm NateOctober 6, 2017 – 1:30pmThe Port of New Orleans advised at 3:00 pm today that port operations “are continuing as normal at this time”, however, the Associated Branch Pilots, the pilots that guide ships through the mouth of the Mississippi River at Southwest Pass, ceased operations at noon on Friday, Oct. 6, closing the pass to all inbound and outbound traffic until conditions allow reopening.The Alabama State Port Authority has not provided further updates yet.
Tropical Storm NateOctober 6, 2017 – 12:20pmPort condition Whiskey was set for the ports of Tampa, St. Petersburg and Manatee and the entire Captain of the Port Zone Mobile, including Gulf Intercoastal Waterway (GICWW), Port of Panama City, Port of Pensacola, Port of Mobile, Port of Pascagoula and Port of Gulfport, the Coast Guard said.The USCG Captain of the Port New Orleans advises that Port Condition Yankee, which would require that “all oceangoing vessels and barges over 500 gross tons will be required to depart the ports and head out to sea when Hurricane Condition Yankee is set; generally 24 hours before the on-set of gale force winds. Inland vessels and barges greater than 500 gross tons are required to seek safe refuge in a port outside of the impacted ports,” is anticipated to be set at 4 pm local time today.
Tropical Storm Nate – Port Status UpdateOctober 6, 2017 – 11:50amTropical Storm Nate is expected to become a hurricane while it moves northwards across the Gulf of Mexico today. It is not clear yet when and where the storm might make landfall.The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) started to adjust port conditions along the Gulf Coast and has set Port Condition Whiskey for port zones in New Orleans and Mobile which means that gale-force winds (34-47 knots, or 39-54 mph) are possible within 72 hours and requires that “All commercial vessels and barges greater than 500 gross tons and all oceangoing barges and their supporting tugs shall report to the Coast Guard captain of the port their intention to depart or remain in port.”The Port of New Orleans has not yet issued specific updates on storm preparations.The Alabama Port Authority has advised that it is limiting some port traffic and that vessels should finfish loading and unloading by 6 pm today.We will continue to monitor the situation and will provide further updates when they become available.