Colonial Oil expects to suspend barge marine bunkering operations at
Wilmington, North Carolina, and Charleston, South Carolina, late in the
afternoon of August 31 for about a day as a precaution against Tropical Storm Ernesto, a
company source said.
Colonial's Chatham Towing Co is the sole supplier of marine fuel in
Wilmington, Charleston, and in Savannah, Georgia, and Jacksonville, Florida.
It has already completed bunkering jobs scheduled for Thursday and anticipates
the disruption from Ernesto will be minor.
"As soon as the Coast Guard gives the all-clear, we will resume
operations," the source said.
Colonial posts daily price indications for each port for 380 CST, 180 CST
and marine diesel (MDO) fuels and also refuels vessels at smaller ports in
Georgia and South Carolina. Its postings August 31 for 380 CST and 180 CST
bunker fuel at Charleston and Wilmington were "subject to inquiry," with no
price listed.
Ernesto is expected to make landfall late the night of August 31 near the border
of South Carolina and North Carolina, National Weather Service spokesman Greg
Romano said. As of 11 a.m. EDT, its winds were at 55 mph and could strengthen
to a "borderline tropical storm-hurricane," with winds as high as 74 mph, by
the time it makes landfall, he said.
Ernesto should move inland along the mountains of North Carolina and
Virginia, and into the far eastern tip of West Virginia before moving into
Pennsylvania. The biggest concern with the storm is heavy rains, projected to
bring as much as 6-8 inches in some areas of North Carolina.
The US Coast Guard has closed the ports of Wilmington and Morehead City,
North Carolina, as a precaution against Ernesto, and expects the ports will
reopen some time Friday, Petty Officer Christopher Evanson of the agency's
Atlantic Area office said. The Port of Charleston is closed until 8 a.m. EDT
Friday due to "severe weather," according to a recording at the press office
of the South Carolina State Ports Authority.
Created: August 31, 2006
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