JOC Staff | Nov 02, 2012 6:08PM EDT
The U.S. Coast Guard reopened channels in and out of the Port of New York and New Jersey on Friday for all commercial vessels, with the exception of the Arthur Kill south of the Goethals Bridge, Bay Ridge and Red Hook Channels.
In a bulletin issued late on Friday afternoon, the Coast Guard said it is limiting vessel entry to the port and use of anchorage to vessels with an approved facility berth or orders to bunker or lighter at anchor.
The port’s six container terminals remain closed because of power outages.
The cleanup of the damage caused Hurricane Sandy’s tidal surge is substantially completed at all terminals. Once power is restored, the terminals need approximately 12 to 18 hours to test equipment and systems. If no damage is found, the terminals will be ready to work vessels and move containers in and out of the gates.
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey completed surveys of all berths at port authority facilities in Port Jersey, Port Newark and Elizabeth. It found all berths at these facilities free of obstructions.
Surveys are underway at the Red Hook Container Terminal in Brooklyn and the New York Container Terminal on Staten Island.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s mobile equipment is ready for operation. Radiation inspection portals will be tested as power is restored. Three of the four Centralized Examination Stations are in operation, and Customs started clearing cargo through them yesterday. The GCT CES will open as soon as power is restored.
Norfolk Southern and CSX railroads have resumed operations at the port and are moving trains into and out of the Port Elizabeth ExpressRail terminal.
