Following the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Dorian, the Port of Savannah is now open and operating with a 36-foot draft restriction, while the Ports of Brunswick and Charleston remain closed to commercial operations.
The USCG is conducting assessments at the Ports of Brunswick and Savannah and will also evaluate the Port of Charleston so that it will begin operations after the hurricane. The assessment teams are conducting surveys of channel depth, verifications of aids to navigation and inspections of port facilities.
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The Georgia and South Carolina ports Authority reported that the overall economic impact of the Ports of Brunswick, Savannah, and Charleston to the region is $137 billion. Yet, the impacted areas are being assisted, as many were the cruise lines that announced that they will provide a financial support.
Capt. John Reed, Coast Guard Sector Charleston Commander commented
Maintaining safe and efficient operations on our region’s waterways is a top priority. We are working closely with the Army Corps of Engineers, South Carolina, and Georgia Ports Authorities, and the respective pilots associations to resume the flow of commerce vital to the region’s economy.
The USCG urged mariners to avoid sailing in the Bahamas, supporting that there is a high risk of debris in the water, sunken vessels and destroyed or missing aids to navigation and pier facilities,as witnessed in the USCG photos released earlier this week.
According to reports, Hurricane Dorian was the strongest storm of the Atlantic hurricane season so far.
