Two cargo terminals at the Port of Long Beach suspended
vessel operations for the day on Wednesday, August 27 because longshore workers
were endangered by 10- to 15-foot high wave surges caused by Pacific Hurricane
Marie.
Marie grew into a large and powerful Category 5 storm and
moved west-northwestward off the Pacific coast of Mexico this week, causing
dangerous conditions from the Baja California Peninsula up through Southern
California.
Total Terminals International on Pier T, with two
Mediterranean Shipping Co. container ships at berth, and Crescent Terminals on
Pier F, with two break-bulk ships including an MOL roll-on, roll-off vessel at
berth, stopped working the ships late Aug. 26. There was flooding reported at
Crescent.
All other terminals at the port remained open for vessel
operations, and trucking operations at all terminals, including at TTI and
Crescent, also continued and were unaffected by the wave surges, according to
the port.
The worst of the surges were at high tide just before 11 am
on Wednesday, and again at 11 pm.
The surges were so powerful that two barges broke loose from
their anchorage overnight Tuesday, and were later towed and docked at berths
T136 and T134. A pleasure craft also had to be towed to safety.
Also on Tuesday night, heavy rocks from the Navy Mole
breakwater were tossed onto a nearby roadway. Road damage was reported near the
Sea Launch satellite-launch vessels, closing the roadway pending repairs. Sea
Launch employees were being escorted through the nearby TTI terminal to get to
their offices.
No wave-related injuries were reported.
