Coast Guard Closes Florida Ports Due to Hurricane Isaac

Port conditions as a result of Hurricane Isaac:

• Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg set Port Condition Zulu at 9 a.m. Sunday closing the Port of Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Manatee (here).
• Coast Guard Sector Miami increased to Port Condition ZULU at 11 p.m. Saturday closing the Port of Miami, Port Everglades and Port of Palm Beach (here).

The Port of New Orleans, meanwhile, said its cargo terminals will cease operations by 5 p.m. Aug. 27, as port personnel and terminal operators finish storm preparedness procedures in anticipation of Isaac. Pilots stopped moving ships through Southwest Pass at the mouth of the Mississippi River Sunday night and the Crescent River Port Pilots and the New Orleans Baton Rouge Pilot Association ceased moving vessels early Aug. 27, closing the river to deep-draft traffic until the storm threat passes. The Port of New Orleans Administration Building and cargo operations will be closed Aug. 28-29. The final phase of the port's storm plan is to lock down cranes, ensure key operations and security personnel are in place; remove any potential hazards from wharves and secure all floating equipment. The port's Napoleon Avenue Container Terminal was finishing work Aug. 27 on the 778-foot MSC Nederland, which will remain in port, along with five other ships until the Mississippi River reopens. Details are (here).