Peter T. Leach | Aug 31, 2011 9:40AM EDT
The North Carolina ports of Morehead City and Wilmington were fully operational Tuesday after closures in advance of Hurricane Irene.
The North Carolina State Ports Authority said the extensive preparation plan activated at both port facilities helped to reduce the impacts of the storm on the facilities, which allowed them to resume operations quickly.
The Port of Wilmington began welcoming vessels on Sunday, while the Port of Morehead City opened with limited services Monday and full operations on Tuesday.
The port authority said Wilmington suffered only cosmetic impairments, while Morehead City experienced damage to warehouse doors, the roof of the administrative building and a few minor interruptions with other port structures. The Port of Wilmington was the first to experience the storm with winds and rain affecting the terminal on Friday morning.
Cargo operations shut down for the day allowing authority employees to prepare the facility by working with tenants and customers to protect materials and cargo; to secure warehouse doors, cranes, and container stacks; to fuel all vehicles, equipment and generators; and to ensure the safety of employees.
Previously diverted container vessels began arriving Sunday. The Port of Morehead City received the brunt of the storm with the storm making landfall just a few miles away on Saturday morning.
-- Contact Peter T. Leach at pleach@joc.com. Follow him on Twitter @petertleach.
