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  October 12th, 2016 | Written by

Southeast Ports Resumes Service Following Hurricane Matthew

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  • The Port of Charleston did not suffer any significant damage despite flooding.
  • Port Canaveral’s only container terminal resumed service following Hurricane Matthew.
  • Several Georgia port facilities lost power during the storm.

Southeastern United States ports resumed operations earlier this week after Hurricane Matthew interrupted operations, caused damage and power outages and the evacuation of over two million people in the region.

The Port of Charleston was back to full operations on Monday and did not suffer any significant damage despite major flooding. Vessels are being berthed and cargo handled, and truckers are able to access the port at the Wando Welch and North Charlestown terminals.

The Port of Savannah creased operations in advance of the storm and later lost power, but as of the beginning of this week had resumed activity at its maritime and rail terminals.

Port Canaveral, which was in the most vulnerable position geographically, suffered only minor damages. GT USA’s Canaveral Cargo Terminal (CCT) incurred minimal damage during Hurricane Matthew and is fully operational.

The Canaveral Cargo Terminal resumed full operations, which included working the container cargo vessel M/V MAX WONDER for StreamLines, N.V.’s Blue Stream service. The service ships refrigerated and dry cargo between Port Canaveral, Europe, the French West Indies and Central America.

“Though Hurricane Matthew packed quite a punch in Port Canaveral, the hard work of the Emergency Response Team, Brevard County Sheriff’s Department, U.S. Coast Guard, Canaveral Port Authority and GT USA personnel allowed GT USA to open the Canaveral Cargo Terminal and be fully operational less than 24 hours after the storm passed,” said Peter Richards, CEO of GT USA.

The Canaveral Cargo Terminal, developed on 20 acres with two berths and two gantry cranes to serve large vessels, is the only dedicated cargo container terminal at Port Canaveral.

GT USA’s 40,000-square foot warehouse at the port is fully operational as well.

At the port of Savannah, the Garden City Container Terminal suffered little impact from the storm and generated power was in place the day after. No major flooding was experienced at either the Garden City Terminal or Ocean Terminal in Savannah.

Power was lost to the Colonel’s Island Terminal, Mayor’s Point, and Logistec but had been restored by Sunday, October 9. Rail service for all GPA facilities was restored at the same time.

Georgia’s Brunswick port also lost power but that was restored soon after the Savannah facilities.

facilities will be restored by the end of today, Sunday, October 9.

Container operations at the Garden City Terminal resumed Monday evening and gate operations were restored yesterday, October 11.

The Savannah River shipping channel was closed to traffic for several days but was reopened on Tuesday, October 11.