Five years after the devastation that came to the island with Hurricane Maria, another storm pummeled Puerto Rico — this time bringing rain instead of winds.
Puerto Rico endured more than 30 inches of rain this week, flooding much of the island. The island was left without power and at least four people were reported dead.
Companies like Crowley and Tote Maritime activated contingency plans that included rerouting their vessels ahead of the storm. Service is now back to normal, with both barges and ships arriving on the island on time.
The Port of San Juan was re-opened on Monday, with daylight restrictions, following Hurricane Fiona’s impacts to the island. And as of Thursday, Crowley is increasing the products being shipped there to include generators and utility equipment, as well as transporting supplies and refrigerated items in the shipping containers, and major equipment on the island and to Puerto Rico, such as generators, construction related equipment, and relief supplies.
“The first priority is our people,” said Salvador Menoyo, Crowley’s vice president for logistics, overseeing the Caribbean. “So we are working with our people to ensure that they are taking care of their personal situations at home. Obviously, without people, we were nothing. So we are receiving some requests from our own employees. We’re sending some basic relief supplies down to the island, but the more important thing here is that the operations have been able to restart very quickly. So the island’s recovery is going to be exponentially quicker than it was for the previous event, with Maria.”
Jaxport is aiding in the effort to bring relief to the island through their carrier’s efforts along with a partnership with the Red Cross, launching a fundraising initiative while the island works to restore power and manage the flood effects from Fiona.
“It’s important to note our appreciation for our Jacksonville-based Puerto Rican ocean carriers and service providers,” said Jaxport spokesperson Chelsea Kavanagh. “They serve as lifelines to the island, providing reliable transportation of critical items like food, ice, water and generators.”
Jaxport has maintained a strong relationship with Puerto Rico, with more than 85% of the goods shipped to and from the mainland U.S. and the island, and is currently assisting in the movement of not only the Red Cross fundraising effort, but also in the transport of critical products there.
“The island is our longest-running and most significant trading partner,” Jaxport CEO Eric Green said in a letter to port partners, “and we appreciate everything you do to provide safe, secure, and efficient maritime trade to the people there.”
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