Vessel traffic to vease at Southwest Pass at 6 a.m. Friday, but cargo operations at Port of New Orleans terminals will continue as scheduled Friday, despite the impending closure.
The Associated Branch Pilots, the pilots that guide ships through the mouth of the Mississippi River, will cease operations at the above time.
Carnival Cruise Lines has two cruise ships scheduled to berth at the Erato Street Cruise Terminal this weekend. The 2,052-passenger Carnival Elation is scheduled to arrive at the Port Saturday, while the 2,984-passenger Carnival Conquest is scheduled to arrive Sunday. Carnival officials are closely monitoring the storm and working on contingency plans and plan to have more information for guests available Friday.
The Port is currently in Phase I of its Hurricane Preparedness Plan, which includes monitoring National Weather Service advisories and participating in frequent Port Coordination Team conference calls with all deep-draft ports, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Coast Guard, pilot associations, and industry stakeholders.
Immediately following the storm, the U.S. Coast Guard will evaluate all waterways and determine when the River will be reopened for safe transit. Stakeholders should monitor the Port’s web site and social media sites for updates.
For the latest on Tropical Storm Karen, visit www.nhc.noaa.gov.