Florida ports cease operations as Hurricane Milton approaches

Hurricane Milton has intensified into a more severe category 5 storm and is expected to hit Florida’s west coast late tonight.

MAP: Projected path and timeline of Hurricane Milton. NHC

Several ports in Florida have shut down ahead of the storm. The US Coast Guard has set port condition “Zulu” for the ports of Tampa, Manatee, St. Petersburg and Fort Myers, which fall in the direct path of the hurricane.

During port condition Zulu, all vessel movements and port operations are suspended.

“The port's shipping channels have closed, but landside operations [onshore operations] will continue as long as safely possible,” the Tampa Bay port authority notified.

Operations at these ports will remain closed until the hurricane has passed and the US Coast Guard declares them safe to resume operations.

By Nithin Chandran

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