As you may heard, there is a hurricane Isaias taking place during the last days. According to Freightwaves "the Tropical Storm Isaias is churning off the Florida coast this morning and may strengthen to a hurricane again before it makes landfall tonight.
Yesterday,
staff at the Ports of Wilmington and Morehead City, North Carolina began preparing for
the storm’s impacts. The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) had issued a condition
X-RAY for both ports, meaning all
oceangoing commercial vessels and barges greater than 500 gross tons should
make plans for departing the ports. Vessels desiring to remain in port were
required to submit a mooring plan to the captains of the port (COTP) for
approval.
At 8
p.m. EDT yesterday the USCG tightened restrictions for Wilmington, issuing a
condition YANKEE because they expect tropical storm force winds to arrive
within 24 hours. Under port condition YANKEE, the affected port(s) are closed
to inbound vessel traffic greater than 500 gross tons. All vessels greater than
500 gross tons without permission to remain in port should have departed or
should be prepared to depart prior to the setting of Port Condition Zulu.
Zulu
is set approximately 12 hours in advance of anticipated gale-force winds, which
would close the port and all port operations would be suspended.
Yesterday
evening, the USCG also set port condition YANKEE for the ports of Savannah,
Georgia and Charleston, South Carolina. In these cases, all vessels greater
than 300 gross tons must depart the port unless the COTP has approved a request
to remain in port. Terminals and facilities were required to cease all cargo
operations and secure handling of equipment within 12 hours of the
announcement. Bulk liquid terminals must ensure all transfer hoses and loading
arms are drained, flanged and secured.
Also,
vessels desiring to remain in port must immediately contact the COTP to receive
permission and are required to submit a safe mooring plan in writing. Vessels
bound for Savannah and Brunswick ports unable to depart 24 hours prior to
threatening winds making landfall are advised to seek an alternate destination.
As of
8 a.m. EDT today, Isaias was centered about 115 miles south-southeast of
Jacksonville, Florida. Maximum sustained winds around the eyewall were measured
by Hurricane Hunters to
be 70 mph, and tropical storm force winds extended up to 125 miles from the eye
of the storm. This puts portions of the northeastern Florida and southern
Georgia coasts within range of these winds.
The
warm Atlantic waters may propel Isaias back to hurricane strength prior to
landfall tonight. That landfall will likely be near Myrtle Beach, South
Carolina. Then, Isaias will move through eastern North Carolina and the
Delmarva Peninsula Tuesday, followed by New England Tuesday night and
Wednesday" FreightWaves
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By: LFS Marketing
August 3, 2020
