As Hurricane Milton struck Florida’s Gulf Coast, the state’s petroleum supply chain faced significant challenges. The Category 3 hurricane prompted the closure of several key ports, disrupting the flow of fuel to the region.
Before the storm hit, Governor Ron DeSantis reported that Florida had 110,000 gallons of gasoline and 268,000 gallons of diesel in reserves. “We also have another 1.2 million gallons of both diesel and gas that are currently en route,” DeSantis said on Tuesday, one day before Milton’s landfall.
However, with more than 40% of Florida’s petroleum products typically arriving through Port Tampa Bay and SeaPort Manatee, the impact on fuel supplies was expected to be substantial.
Florida receives most of its fuel via vessel from U.S. Gulf Coast refineries, with some areas getting fuel by truck from Georgia and small portion coming from European imports. The Jones Act requires that nearly 90% of Florida’s refined petroleum products be transported on American vessels from Gulf Coast refineries.
In response to the crisis, Jacksonville-based Crowley Maritime has mobilized a massive influx of petroleum. The company plans to deliver approximately 85.3 million gallons of gas and 28.4 million gallons of diesel to Florida ports, the Jacksonville Business Journal reported Friday. Eleven Crowley-operated vessels are poised to dock at reopening ports, including Jacksonville, Port Everglades, and Tampa, the report said.
“American maritime vessels unloaded their energy cargoes in Florida immediately before the storm, while others are pre-positioned and reloaded in the Gulf Coast to quickly deliver once the ports open,” said Jennifer Carpenter, President of the American Maritime Partnership.
Despite these challenges, coordinated efforts between federal, state, and local agencies led to the safe reopening of several commercial ports on Thursday, including Key West, Port Everglades, Port Miami, and the Miami River in Florida. However, as of Thursday, ports in St. Petersburg, Fort Myers, Palm Beach, Fort Pierce, Port Canaveral, Jacksonville, and Fernandina remained closed pending further evaluations.
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