by Lloyd's List
8 October 2024 (Lloyd's List) - PORTS in Florida have been ordered to enforce significant traffic restrictions on vessels as the US state prepares for the landfall of Hurricane Milton.
The US Coast Guard has put Port Condition Yankee in place for Port Tampa Bay, Port Everglades and the Port of Miami, which mandates closure to inbound traffic greater than 500 gt, while all ocean-going vessels larger than 500 gt have been ordered to depart berths and anchorages. Operations that do not involve storm preparation have also been asked to cease.
Port Condition Zulu, which would mean the closure of the port and shipping channel, is expected to be enacted in Miami today.
The effect of the Yankee order is most starkly seen at Port Tampa Bay, which is a call for most of the major container lines, including Maersk, Cosco and Mediterranean Shipping Co.
Liberia-flagged, 8,204 teu, MSC-owned MSC Tianshan (IMO: 9305477) was due to arrive at Tampa on Wednesday, October 9 on the line’s China to US Pelican service.
The containership was headed for the Florida port but appeared to change course on the morning of October 7. The ship is currently anchored in the Gulf of Mexico, according to Lloyd’s List Intelligence vessel tracking platform Seasearcher.
Hurricane Milton “exploded” into a Category 5 storm yesterday evening, CBS said, and is expected to make landfall around the Tampa Bay region between the evening of Tuesday, October 8 and Wednesday, October 9.
The US’ National Hurricane Center has described Milton as an “extremely powerful storm”, which poses “an extremely serious threat to Florida”.
The state is still clearing up damage caused by Hurricane Helene, which hit Florida on September 26 and closed Port Tampa Bay for four days.
The port is crucial to Florida not just in terms of commerce, but also in hurricane relief efforts. Nearly half of all the state’s gas, fuel and petroleum flow through the port.
It is also a key hub for some of the world’s biggest cruise lines, including Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line.
A Margaritaville vessel, Margaritaville At Sea Islander (IMO: 9187796), departed Tampa a day ahead of schedule to avoid disruption from Hurricane Milton.
