BDP Logistics and Transportation Centers located along the U.S. East Coast are closely monitoring the progress of Hurricane Isabel and laying contingency plans in advance of the storm’s projected landfall tomorrow, September 18. At this point, all BDP facilities and services will be operational. However, the safety of our employees is paramount, and any change in status will be conveyed promptly.

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Ports, carriers brace for Isabel

Ports along the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region are preparing for the arrival of Hurricane Isabel on Thursday.

The North Carolina ports of Wilmington and Morehead City announced that they are on full hurricane alert status.

"We are working closely with our own employees and customers, and with the U.S. Coast Guard, Army Corps of Engineers, and state and local emergency management authorities as well," said Erik Stromberg, chief executive of the North Carolina State Ports Authority. "Before the storm, all decisions about when to close navigational access to the ports are made by the Coast Guard, and afterward, the Corps must assess the condition of the channels before ship traffic is again allowed in our ports."

Monday morning, Coast Guard Capt. Jane Hartley, captain of the port for both Wilmington and Morehead City, set the two ports at Condition 4, meaning that at least gale-force winds are expected within 72 hours. If Isabel's progress continues as predicted, the Coast Guard will have closed the Cape Fear River to vessel traffic in Wilmington on Tuesday night, and navigational channels at Morehead City on Wednesday morning. When gale force winds are within 12 hours -predicted to occur Wednesday night - both ports will close their gates, and activities at the terminal will be limited to preparing for the storm's arrival.

At both ports, vulnerable buildings are being reinforced by sandbags, warehouse doors are being blocked and secured, and small equipment, vehicles, and anything that could readily blow or float away is being secured. Cranes at both ports - four large "bridge" container cranes at Wilmington, and several gantry cranes with movable booms at Morehead City and Wilmington - are also being secured.

The Port of Wilmington expected one ship at its dock to sail Tuesday afternoon, said Ports Authority spokesperson Karen Fox. Another ship was unloaded at Wilmington Monday, and was also scheduled to sail Ttuesday. Another ship, waiting for export cargo, may have to leave port, since the Ports Authority's policy is not to have ships docked at its facilities during a hurricane.

The Port of Baltimore is in "Whiskey" mode, the Coast Guard alert status for expected winds of 75-plus mile-an-hour winds within 72 hours. "We're advising our customers to clean up their areas, and lash the doors on their sheds," said Rebecca Barber, public information officer for the Maryland Port Administration. "Containers are also being stacked two high instead of four high."

The port expects two ships to arrive at the port on Thursday afternoon.

"We have been in constant communication with them, to determine what they are going to do," Barber said.

The Coast Guard port captain of either Baltimore or Virginia makes the final decision to close the port, Barber said.

The Port of Hampton Roads is also on Whiskey alert status, and said it will keep Virginia International Terminals open until 9 p.m. on Tuesday. The terminals will close at noon on Wednesday, with ships being worked until 1 p.m. The terminals will be closed all day Thursday, reopening with essential personnel at 6 a.m. Friday.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said it is monitoring weather conditions, and that its emergency-management command center will be opened if needed. Because the port is essentially a landlord port, responsibility for vessel operations will fall to terminal operators and carriers.

Ocean carriers are watching Hurricane Isabel and trying to keep their ships away from the storm.

Hamburg Sud spokesman Doug Webster said the carrier's 3,800-TEU Cap San Augustin on the company's East Coast Inter-American service may have to skip some of its calls if necessary to avoid heavy weather. The ship, docked at the Port of New York/New Jersey, has scheduled calls in Philadelphia, Baltimore, Norfolk, Charleston and Jacksonville

"If at all possible, we try to avoid skipping the port. It may be necessary, but we don't know yet," Webster said. "We hope that our customers will understand. We don't want to put the vessel or the crew in jeopardy."

CP Ships spokeswoman Liz Canna said none of the carrier's ships is being diverted to other ports. However, four ships that are deployed in trade lanes between the Gulf of Mexico and North Europe and the Mediterranean are "altering their normal courses to get away from the storm." Doug Cole, spokesman for NYK Lines, said, "We are looking at diverting vessels. I can't give you specifics. We are reviewing it today and tomorrow."

By Annu Mangat and Eugene Gilligan