Amid the continuing devastation and recovery efforts in the Houston area, the region’s transportation impacts are also being felt across the country.

Ports in Corpus Christi, Freeport, Galveston and much of Houston are closed, pending further assessment of weather conditions. It’s estimated that nearly 10% of trucking across the U.S. will be affected by the storm during this first week.

The region has experienced days of heavy rains, strong winds and catastrophic flooding since Harvey made landfall Friday night. According to Fox Business News, seaports have been closed to most ships since Friday, and rising waters threaten stretches of highways and railroad tracks, bringing freight transportation to a virtual standstill.

It is uncertain when freight companies will resume operations. Even after the weather clears, it could be days before floodwaters recede enough to allow dockworkers back into ports, or trucks to resume normal routes.

Numerous ships scheduled to stop in Houston, including oil tankers, cruise ships and container carriers, are anchored well outside the storm’s path in the Gulf of Mexico. Port Houston appears to have avoided major damage, but some carriers said they could be waiting offshore even after the weather clears because flooded roads will keep dockworkers from reaching the port, or trucks from carrying cargo out.

The storm’s impact is expected to quickly affect the rest of the country.

If you have any questions regarding your shipments during this crisis, please contact Bill Skinner at 201-644-7214.