Update 11 – 10/11/2016:

The Georgia Port Authority report that Hurricane Matthew did not produce as much damage as initially expected.
Vessels were restricted from sailing to the port until this morning, in response carriers held vessels offshore or changed the vessel call order for some of them.

Vessel traffic into the port starts up again today, but delays are to be expected for all cargo arriving in the port.

All other port are operating again, but due to the closures delays are to be expected.

Rail services have mostly been restored, with delays being expected on certain routes.

This is the final update on the port situation caused by Hurricane Matthew, for further details about specific shipments please contact your V. Alexander Customer Service Team or refer to your Vision website.

Update 10 – 10/10/2016:

Overall Hurricane Matthew caused much less damage in the East Coast container ports than expected.

Further updates:

Port Canaveral reopened to vessel traffic Saturday.

Norfolk Southern Railway restored services to Jacksonville, Brunswick, Savannah and Charleston.
The railroad is working on restoring service east of Selma NC to New Bern NC.
Around the Port of Virginia NS is facing issues with flooding that might cause delays.

CSX advises that service from Savannah to Pembroke NC is still suspended, while its Florida operations are largely back to normal.

Update 9 – 10/10/2016:

Monday, October 10, 2016, is Columbus Day – a state and federal holiday. Most administrative port offices are closed, as is US Customs.

The following updates are available from the East Coast ports:

Miami FL: Port Miami is open for normal operations. Cargo Terminal Seaboard Marine is open. Cargo Terminals POMTOC and SFCT will open Monday, 10/10 8am – 12pm/1pm -7pm.

Jacksonville FL: The U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port has set modified Condition Four for the Port of Jacksonville. The port is open with some restrictions.

Savannah GA: The Georgia Ports Authority is working closely with the U.S Coast Guard and harbor pilots to open the Savannah River to commercial vessel traffic as soon as possible and anticipates vessel movements will begin Tuesday, October 11, 2016.
Power has been restored to Garden City and Ocean Terminals in Savannah, Colonel’s Island Terminal, Mayor’s Point and Logistec.
Rail service is available for all GPA facilities.

Charleston SC: The South Carolina Ports Authority will resume vessel operations and normal hours at all facilities on Monday, October 10, including container gate services at the Wando Welch and North Charleston Terminals at 6AM.
Motor carriers should of course observe traffic and road conditions.

Wilmington NC and Morehead City NC: both ports will return to normal operations schedule today.

Virginia Ports: with the exception of the Port of Richmond, all Port of Virginia cargo terminals**, including the PPCY, will observe normal operating hours on Monday, October 10.
The Port of Richmond will be CLOSED on Columbus Day, reopening on Tuesday, October 11.

Update 8 – 10/07/2016:

Miami FL:
Cargo Terminal Seaboard Marine is open. Cargo Terminals POMTOC and SFCT will open on Monday, October 10th from 8am – 12pm/ 1pm -7pm.

All other ports in Florida are still closed (Condition Zulu). Assessment teams will be in ports today as well as USCG and Harbor Pilots to ensure all aids to navigation are still in position and channel navigation clear and safe for vessel traffic.

Charleston SC:
Closed on October 7 (Friday) and October 8 (Saturday)
Vessel operations will resume once cleared by USCG, possible by Sunday evening.
Terminal anticipates resuming normal gate hours on Monday, October 10.
The scheduled and re-opened could shift depending on overall condition.
Normal gate hours at Inland Port Greer will continue for the delivery and receipt of containers, and rail service will resume as conditions allow.

Savannah GA:
No change in status advised.

Baltimore:
Currently open
The MPA continues to monitor Hurricane Matthew’s forecasted path and remains in communication with the USCG for possible further actions required to be taken.

Norfolk:
Currently open
Port continues monitoring and preparing for the approach of Hurricane Matthew.
Port status might change depending on hurricane’s path.

Wilmington:
Currently open

Update 7 – 10/07/2016:

At 5:20 am the western eyewall of Hurricane Matthew was reportedly just 5 miles off the Florida coast nearing Cape Canaveral

The hurricane has been downgraded to a Category 3 with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph

Forecasters predict storm surge in some areas could be as high as 11 feet and as many as 15 inches of rain could fall

All air and sea traffic in Florida has been halted. Miami International Airport will slowly resume operation today but delays are to be expected.

Port statuses have not changed from yesterday.

Updates from CSX:

– Operations will be suspended by late Thursday afternoon on the main line from Auburndale, Fla. through the Orlando and Sanford, Fla. areas into Jacksonville, Fla.

– The main line from Savannah, Ga. to Pembroke, N.C. has been reduced to serve only passenger and time critical operations

– The main line from Jacksonville, Fla. to Savannah, Ga. will be suspended Friday morning

– Switching operations have been halted in Savannah, GA; Charleston, S.C.; and Wilmington, N.C.

Until further notice, please be advised of the following operational actions in preparation for this storm:

– Service on the I-95 corridor has been temporarily suspended.

– All train traffic traveling between the Northeast and the Southeast has been curtailed.

– Service between Jacksonville and Miami is being suspended.

– All operations at the Charleston, SC terminal have been suspended, and the gate closed at 1830 on Wednesday, October 5th.

– Service into Central Florida ILC will be suspended this evening, and the gate will close at 0900 on Thursday, October 6th.

– The Jacksonville, FL terminal will suspend operations and the gate will close at 1200 on Thursday, October 6th.

– The Savannah, GA terminal will suspend operations and the gate will close at 2000 on Friday, October 7th.

– All loads with a hazardous designation and running reefers destined to Charleston, SC; Savannah, GA; and Savannah Port Authority are being rejected at in-gate.

– The Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA facilities have discontinued accepting origin freight with a hazardous designation and running reefers.

Various vessels destined for East Coast ports are delayed and are currently drifting to await safe passage conditions.

Update 6 – 10/06/2016:

Norfolk Southern advises as follows:
Export impact: we will not be able to accept in-gates of PoL Charleston destined rail traffic as of 1800EST today. Customers are encouraged to request rail billing and return boxes to inland ramps as soon as possible.
Import impact: the import Charleston rail traffic will be held at the port. The NS Charleston facility will close at 1800 EST today or sooner depending on weather conditions.Updates will be circulated as they become available.

Current Port Conditions:
Miami & Port Everglades: Condition Zulu, Closed
Jacksonville FL: Condition X-Ray, Open
Savannah GA: Condition X-Ray, Open; Condition Yankee on 10/06/2200; Zulu on 10/07/0800. Estimated resumption of vessel ops on 10/09/1300
Norfolk VA, Philadelphia PA & Baltimore MD: Open
Charleston SC: Condition X-Ray, Closed

Update 5 – 10/06/2016:

The National Hurricane Center reports that Hurricane Matthew has strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 140 mph and gusts up to 165 mph, while continuing its path towards the East Coast of Florida where it is expected to land late today or early Friday.

More than 2 million people in coastal Florida, Georgia and South Carolina are urged to evacuate as the storm approaches.

Based on the latest projections, Matthew could make landfall in Florida early Friday as a Category 4 hurricane, and it could also skirt the coast as it continues north.

The status of most East Coast ports remains unchanged at this point.

The Georgia Port Authority advises that due to the mandatory evacuation ordered in Garden City the Garden City Terminal gates will close at 3 pm for inbound traffic and the terminal will fully shut down at 4 pm today.

Update 4 – 10/06/2016:

The center of the hurricane is expected to pass over southeastern and central Bahamas on October 6, 2016.

The South Carolina Ports Authority confirmed that it will resume normal operating hours at all terminals on Thursday, October 6, including normal gate hours beginning at 6 AM for the Wando Welch and North Charleston Terminals.

The US Coast Guard has set port condition Zulu for South Florida ports, closing the ports to all vessel traffic due to the passing of the Hurricane Matthew, which means vessel movements are prohibited and all ship-to-shore operations must cease.

The US Coast Guard has set port condition Whiskey for North Carolina Waterways, urging mariners and members of the maritime community to prepare for the hurricane. Gale force winds of 39 mph and above are predicted along the coast of North Carolina within 72 hours.

According to the North Carolina Ports Authority, operating status remains unchanged and the ports’ gates are operating under normal hours until further notice.

The Georgia Ports Authority continues preparations for heavy rains and sustained storm force winds.

Gate and field operations will continue through 1800, Thursday, 10/6/2016. If operating conditions should change, we will provide immediate updates.
Port of Brunswick terminals are closed to all work activities until Monday, 10/10/2016.
Port of Savannah terminals will be closed to truck traffic on Friday, 10/7/2016, and Saturday, 10/8/2016, at Garden City Terminal and Ocean Terminal.
The U.S. Coast Guard will restrict vessel arrival and departure transits this evening, 10/6/2016.
Vessel activity is expected to resume at 1300 Sunday, 10/9/2016. (Please be advised, this is an estimate only, subject to change due to storm conditions.).
GPA may resume normal operations on Monday, 10/10/2016, if conditions allow. Garden City Terminal will resume container truck gate operations 0600 Monday, 10/10/2016, through all interchange gates, if conditions allow.

Update 3 – 10/06/2016:

The trans-ship ports of Kingston (Jamaica), Caucedo (Dominican Republic) and Freeport (Bahamas) were affected by the hurricane and closed down. Kingston’s Freeport Container Terminal reopened Tuesday, while the other ports are reportedly still closed.

The storm is expected to move through the Bahamas by Thursday evening.

The situation at Florida ports remains unchanged.

South Carolina Port Authority now advises that ports would be open for normal hours starting at 6 am on Thursday, but that they would continue to monitor the development of the storm which could mean short-term closures.

The Georgia Ports Authority plans to keep Savannah and Brunswick open Wednesday and Thursday but is monitoring the development so short term action might be possible if heavy rains and wind causes problems.

The North Carolina Ports Authority plans to keep its ports open but was securing equipment and lowering container stack heights, expecting high winds.

CSX Railroad cease operations between Savannah and Pembroke, NC, midday Wednesday. Service in South Florida was already suspended the day before.

Norfolk Southern Railway has not ceased operations yet but warns about possible delays.

Update 2 – 10/05/2016

The U.S. Coast Guard has announced that all vessel activity in South Florida Ports ceased as of Wednesday, October 5 at 4:00 am. Full export containers will not be accepted into the ports October 5 and October 6. Import containers, however, are expected to leave Port Miami until further notice.

Miami Airport officials are monitoring Hurricane Matthew to determine if flights in and out of Miami International Airport will be affected Thursday and Friday.

The Port of Savannah has not issued any closure notices as of now

LCL Carriers advise office and terminal closures in Charleston, and predict delays in handling of IPI shipments from the affected port areas

Update 1 – 10/05/2016

Hurricane Matthew hit Haiti on Tuesday with sustained winds of 145 miles

It is expected to pass over the eastern half of Cuba and move north towards the Bahamas

The Port of Freeport in the Bahamas, that acts as a major trans-shipment hub for several ocean carriers, will possibly be affected and has been closed yesterday at 4 pm to remain closed until the hurricane passes

The US National Hurricane Center currently predicts that it will move past Florida on Friday, it is expected to make landfall near the South Carolina/North Carolina border early Saturday

The storm is expected to disrupt vessel traffic off the US East Coast even if it veers out into the Atlantic Ocean without hitting the coast directly

Port Canaveral has ordered the first weather-related closure since 2004

Effective October 4, 2016, the USCG set port condition X-Ray for Port Canaveral, Port of Key West, Port Miami, Miami River, Port Everglades, Port of Palm Beach, Port of Fort Pierce and all other South Florida terminals and facilities due to the expectation of sustained gale force winds of 25 mph and gusts up to 40 mph generated by Hurricane Matthew that may arrive within 48 hours.
These ports and facilities are currently open to all commercial traffic and all transfer operations may continue while X-ray remains in effect.

Other USEC ports are securing equipment and extend hours in advance of the storm

The South Carolina Port Authority has changed its operations schedule as follows:
Wando Welch & North Charleston Terminals
Wednesday, October 5:

> No export refrigerated cargo will be received
> Import refrigerated cargo will be delivered during normal hours
> No empty containers or hazardous cargo will be received after 12 pm
> Import and export missions will be processed until 8 pm

Thursday, October 6 – Saturday, October 8:

> Gates will be CLOSED and no containers will be interchanged.

Monday, October 10 – planned return to normal hours.
Columbus Street & Union Pier Terminals
Wednesday, October 5 – Regular schedule
Thursday, October 6 – *Pending traffic conditions, close at 12 PM (dependent on trucks being able to safely get to terminal)
Friday, October 7 – CLOSED
Monday, October 10 – Regular Schedule
Georgetown Terminal
Wednesday, October 5 – Normal hours
Thursday, October 6 – Normal hours
Friday, October 7 – CLOSED
Monday, October 10 – Normal hours.
Inland Port Greer
Inland Port Greer will remain open for normal operations
Empty container operations will continue weather/safety permitting
The Norfolk Southern trains to and from Charleston will be running weather permitting.