Visualizing Ports Impacted by 2021 Atlantic Hurricane Season

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Matthew Chambers, USDOT/OST-R/BTS

PRESENTATION DESCRIPTION

This poster will visualize key findings from data and geospatial analysis on the impacts of the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season on the Nation’s coastal port. Last year’s hurricane season with 21 storms was the third-most active Atlantic hurricane season on record.

Water is the leading mode of transportation for U.S.-international freight trade. Coastal ports serve as transportation hubs, connecting vessel from across the globe with domestic trucks, trains, and pipelines. Many of the Nation's top container ports are located along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. Containerized cargo includes high-value, time-sensitive goods and most consumer products imported in the U.S.

In addition to container ports, many of the Nation’s top ports by tonnage are located along Gulf Coast, handling bulk cargo such as crude oil, gasoline, liquefied natural gas. Roughly half of the U.S. petroleum refining and natural gas processing plant capacity is located along the Gulf coast.

Ports are a key economic engine for many coastal areas and the Nation’s economy. Many of these areas are particularly vulnerable and prone to extreme weather ranging from minor coastal flooding to hurricanes. Hurricanes are particularly disruptive to port operations and damaging to critical infrastructure, but tropical storms and depression also can be destructive.

In 2021, the top U.S. South Atlantic container ports of Charleston, Savannah, and Jacksonville were impacted. Nearly all major U.S. Gulf coast ports were impacted in 2021, including the ports of Baton Rouge, Beaumont, Corpus Christi, Houston, New Orleans, and South Louisiana. Some ports were impacted by as many as 3 storms or had operations curtailed for several days.

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