After Hurricane Milton passed the State of Florida, during the second week of October, Port Tampa Bay has re-opened its shipping channels.
Milton made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane on the Gulf coast of Florida and restrengthened in the Atlantic Ocean after crossing the peninsula. The extent of damage to impacted areas is still being assessed by federal, state and local emergency responders. The Captain of the Port for Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg reopened Port Tampa and Seaport Manatee with the following restrictions (contingent upon facility operational capabilities):
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Vessel movements requiring federal pilotage are prohibited, including U.S. vessels over 1,600 gross tons and U.S. petroleum barges over 10,000 gross tons;
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Vessel movements are restricted to daylight hours only with minimum visibility of 3 nm; No restrictions for intra-port vessel movements (e.g. berth shifts).
Fuel has once again begun flowing to our region and more and more will continue to leave our port and get to the community and region most in need. Port Tampa Bay leaders have remained in close contact with Governor Ron DeSantis and local, state and federal lawmakers and government agencies about our fuel supply.
… said the Port of Tampa in a statement
Following the hurricane, the Coast Guard offers the following safety tips to those in affected areas:
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Listen to the warnings and guidance from local, county, state and federal emergency management officials before returning to evacuation areas.
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Stay off the water and out of the way of rescue crews unless you are playing a critical role in the response. This is not a time for disaster sightseeing. The Coast Guard and other responders are actively engaged in restoring our waterways and maritime infrastructure. You can help by steering clear.
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Buoys, day boards, and other aids to navigation may be off station if shifted by the hurricane. Water depths may be shallower than charted due to shifting sands and shoals. If you encounter an off-station buoy or navigational marker, report it to the Coast Guard on VHF Channel 16.
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Do not operate unmanned aerial vehicles (drones) around working crews or in areas with low-flying aircraft (helicopters).
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Beware of construction materials like wood, nails, glass, and concrete that may be encountered in areas where flood waters receded, on beaches and in canals. Report hazards to local emergency management, lifeguards or beach patrol.
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Beware of rip currents. Hurricanes and tropical storms can cause rip currents and increase dangers along the beach, even for storms that are far away. Follow local lifeguard advisories and check local marine forecasts.
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Reporting a hazardous substance release or oil spill takes only a few minutes. If you encounter chemicals or oil pollutants in the waterways, contact the federal government’s centralized reporting center, the National Response Center (NRC), at 1-800-424-8802.
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If reporting directly to the NRC is not possible, reports also can be made to the EPA Regional office or the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Office in the area where the incident occurred. In general, EPA should be contacted if the incident involves a release to inland areas or inland waters. The Coast Guard should be contacted for releases to coastal waters, ports and harbors. The EPA or the Coast Guard will relay release and spill reports to the NRC promptly.
To report distress or emergencies, dial 911 or call the Coast Guard on VHF marine radio Channel 16. Social media accounts are not tied to command centers or monitored 24/7 and should never be used to report life-threatening distress or law enforcement emergencies.
