Hurricane Irma tested the emergency response preparedness at every seaport in Florida. This unique hurricane covered the entire state and closed every major fuel and cargo operation at our seaports for several days, providing us with some keen insights concerning local and state continuity of operations and resumption of business plans.
Many lessons were learned in 2005 from Hurricane Wilma, including the critical securement of infrastructure and terminal power. As a result, the ports sustained minimal damages from Hurricane Irma, kept terminals open as long as possible, and reopened in record time.
Ports worked with Governor Rick Scott’s office, law enforcement, US Customs and Border Protection, the US Coast Guard, US Army Corps of Engineers, harbor pilots, the Department of Transportation and state Emergency Operations Center. The coordination of these entities secured ports and made allowances for priorities: petroleum, cruise passengers, and perishables.
The Coast Guard, Army Corps of Engineers, and harbor pilots expedited channel surveys so ships could return to port and we could resume normal business activities as soon as possible. The petroleum terminal operators at the ports maintain a storm reserve supply that protects their tanks during the storm, and so that they can begin making deliveries to retail gas stations following the storm before ships are even allowed to re-enter the port.
Off-port staging areas for empty tank trucks away from the coast were established so the truckers could be ready to return to the port as soon as it was safe to resume fuel deliveries. The terminal operators helped us prioritize the re-entry of petroleum ships to meet the highest needs after the port reopened; many ships waited a safe distance offshore for the storm to pass in order to start moving in as soon as the port condition status was decreased.
The preparations done before Hurricane Irma allowed Florida seaports to perform efficiently and safely before, during, and after the storm hit. The state’s ports are always growing and developing, and will continue to implement emergency preparedness techniques to ensure our practices and equipment are on the cutting edge.