Arasi Somaseka
HOUSTON (Reuters) – Ports along the Texas coast began closing or restricting ship traffic on Sunday in preparation for Tropical Storm Beryl, which is expected to strengthen to a Category 1 hurricane before hitting the region in the evening.
The storm intensified to a Category 5 hurricane, leaving a deadly trail of destruction across the Caribbean. It swept through Jamaica, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and brought heavy rainfall to northern Venezuela.
The Port of Corpus Christi said it was closed after a Coast Guard captain issued “Zulu” conditions on Sunday. Strong winds are expected within 12 hours and no vessel will be allowed to enter, transit or stay without permission from the captain.
Corpus Christi, approximately 322 kilometers (200 miles) from Houston, is the largest export center in the United States. Port closures could lead to a temporary halt in crude oil exports, crude shipments from refineries and motor fuel from those plants.
Meanwhile, the ports of Houston, Galveston, Freeport and Texas City are in “Yankee” status. All incoming ship traffic to these ports is suspended due to strong winds expected within 24 hours.
