Hurricane Harvey could cause severe port activity challenges at Gulf of Mexico ports. Some ports are closing and others are on potential standby for reduced function or closure over the weekend. When possible, vessels are being redirected to safer ports. "All indications from the hurricane center are that this is going to be the first major hurricane the nation has dealt with since 2005," FEMA Director Brock Long said. The Port of Corpus Christi Authority (PCCA) and Port of Galveston in Texas have announced closures for all vessels in preparation for Hurricane Harvey.
Harvey, now a Category 2 hurricane, is on track to strengthen to Category 3. The storm is then expected to stall, broadening the flood threat across Texas and the South. Hurricane Harvey is expected to drop as much as 35 inches of rain with serious storm-surge flooding upon landfall in Texas late Friday or early Saturday, the National Hurricane Center said. Harvey is also causing concern in New Orleans, where heavy rain could usher in as much as 20 inches of rain through early next week.
The combination of rain, flooding, and strong winds have resulted in evacuations from some Texas coastal regions. According to the National Weather Service in Houston, conditions are "expected to deteriorate through the day and preparations along the middle Texas coast should be rushed to completion by Friday morning."
Workers at 39 offshore petroleum production platforms and an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico also evacuated Thursday, the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement said.
The storm could affect Houston’s shipping channel, one of the nation's busiest ports which is also home to several major refineries. Increasing gas prices are expected as a result, while companies should brace for interruptions in vessel and barge deliveries for up to five days and potentially longer if a severe backlog in port and related transportation operations are caused by the hurricane.