Port of Mobile to suspend vessel operations ahead of Hurricane Isaias

The Alabama port plans to stop vessel operations at its public berths at noon on Thursday and terminal operations will stop at the end of the day.

IMAGE: Aerial view of a large container ship being loaded at the port of Mobile, Alabama. Getty Images

Hurricane Isaias is expected to make landfall along the US northern Gulf Coast late on Friday or early on Saturday, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Thursday. A hurricane warning is in effect from Ocean Springs in Mississippi to Florida's Bay/Gulf County line.

The US Coast Guard set port condition "X-Ray" on Wednesday at Mobile, at Gulfport and Pascagoula in Mississippi, and at Pensacola, Destin, Panama City and Port St. Joe in Florida. The condition means gale-force winds are expected within 48 hours. Ports under X-Ray remain open to commercial traffic.

Under X-Ray, oceangoing vessels of over 500 gross tons (GT) that have not been approved to stay in port should start leaving immediately, according to the Coast Guard's bulletin.

The Alabama Port Authority said on Wednesday that it expected Mobile to move to condition "Yankee" today, which brings additional restrictions on vessel traffic.

Under Yankee, oceangoing vessels of over 500 GT must leave for open ocean unless the Coast Guard allows them to stay, and no vessel may enter port without its permission. Bunkering and lightering can be suspended at the Coast Guard's discretion. All bunkering, lightering and cargo transfers stop once sustained winds reach 40 mph.

The port authority is wrapping up activity at its terminals and securing its facilities. It has asked customers to contact their terminal operators for details on cargo, vessel schedules and facility access. It also said its timings may change as forecasts develop.

By Gautamee Hazarika

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