zoomImage Courtesy: Port Canaveral

The US Coast Guard has set port condition Zulu for South Florida ports, closing the ports to all vessel traffic due to the passing of the Hurricane Matthew.

The USCG has closed Port Canaveral, Port Miami, Miami River, Port Everglades, Port of Palm Beach, Port of Fort Pierce and all other South Florida terminals and facilities due to the expectation of sustained gale force winds generated by the hurricane that may arrive within 12 hours.

In addition, the USCG has set port condition Zulu north of the Seven Mile Bridge in Key West.

Under the port condition Zulu, all vessel movements are prohibited and all ship-to-shore operations must cease.

Furthermore, the Coast Guard has set port condition Whiskey for North Carolina Waterways, urging mariners and members of the maritime community to prepare for the hurricane. Gale force winds of 39 mph and above are predicted along the coast of North Carolina within 72 hours.

According to North Carolina Ports, operating status remains unchanged and the ports’ gates are operating under normal hours until further notice.

The South Carolina Ports said it will resume normal operating hours at all terminals on October 6, 2016, including normal gate hours for the Wando Welch and North Charleston Terminals.

According to GAC, Matthew is a dangerous category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale with initial intensity of 125 kts with gusts to 150 kts.

The center of the hurricane was expected to pass near southwestern Haiti on October 4, then turn N-NW-ward and move over eastern Cuba early on October 5 and over southeastern and central Bahamas on October 6, 2016.