US Gulf ports in post-Harvey recovery mode

Back in operation following forced closure by Hurricane Harvey, the ports were given the go-ahead to allow vessels in and out during daylight hours by the US Coast Guard (USCG), said Reuters.

The Port of Houston confirmed to Port Strategy it was still closed, however.

On its website it stated: “All Port Houston facilities will remain closed on Thursday, August 31st due to the weather impact across Houston.”

USCG noted that the section of the upper Houston ship channel from Morgan’s Point inbound to the turning basin would remain closed until weather conditions improve, said Reuters.

Restrictions

The restrictions would prevent vessels from moving to the upper ship channel, where five of the Houston-area oil refineries are located, reported Reuters.

Reuters stated that only the smallest draft tankers would be allowed to travel to Texas City, where three refineries are located, since the Coast Guard has imposed restrictions on the size of vessels that would be allowed to navigate the waterways.

The Georgia Ports Authority (GPA), maritime organizations and the greater Savannah community are collecting disaster relief supplies for the Port of Houston, according to a GPA statement.

The USCG reported the Port of Brownsville as having normal port conditions.