Port of Mobile stops operations as Hurricane Isaias brings 120 mph winds
The Port of Mobile ceased vessel traffic and cargo handling on Oct. 9 after the Alabama Port Authority announced a shutdown ahead of Hurricane Isaias. The U.S. Coast Guard set Port Condition ZULU, warning gale-force winds within 12 hours, and cargo work is suspended except for Coast Guard-authorized activities.
The port's single container terminal, run by APM Terminals, normally moves about 600,000 TEUs each year and can handle up to 2.5 million TEUs at full gateway capacity. Its AutoMobile International Terminal processes roll-on/roll-off vehicles, with space for 150,000 cars yearly, 7,000 on-site storage slots and a 40,000-square-foot inspection center. Before the shutdown, workers secured cranes, cargo and equipment to protect them from the storm's impact.
The Port of Mobile's container, general cargo and bulk facilities sit near five Class I railroads, four short-line lines and almost 15,000 miles of inland waterways, according to the port's website. Before the closure, workers secured cranes, cargo and equipment to safeguard them from the approaching Category 3 storm.
What we know
The Port of Mobile has shut down operations due to Hurricane Isaias, according to an Oct. 9 update from the Alabama Port Authority.
Maximum sustained winds are near 120 mph and fluctuations are expected to be at or near major hurricane strength when it makes landfall this evening.
Port of Mobile's single container terminal is managed by APM Terminals and handles around 600,000 TEUs annually, with the ability to move its gateway up to a 2.5 million TEU throughput, APM Terminals Mobile managing director Brian Harold told Supply Chain Dive.
“Through the weekend, Isaias is expected to produce rainfall amounts of 4 to 8 inches across southern Alabama, the Florida Panhandle and Big Bend, and southwest Georgia,” per the advisory
The facility handles roll-on/roll-off operations with a capacity for 150,000 vehicles annually.