Damaged Haitian port unable to receive much relief cargo

Earthquake Damaged Port in Port-au-Prince

Ships carrying relief supplies are waiting off Haiti or in port waiting to unload. None can land goods until U.S. officials tell them what port they will use. That decision may come Friday afternoon. A Coast Guard task force was meeting in Miami to determine the best location.

Conditions at Port-au-Prince are not promising, the Coast Guard said. The port’s one container gantry crane stands in water after the pier on which it stood collapsed. The harbor also is filled with debris and floating containers that could be hazardous to vessels. Source: R.G. Edmonson | Jan 15, 2010 7:47PM GMT The Journal of Commerce Online - News Story

Catholic Relief Services said that it has a vessel waiting offshore to land supplies, but is waiting for port clearance to a port. For now, the agency is delivering relief from stockpiles in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

The New York Times reported that the World Food Program intended to charter roll-on, roll-off ships to land cargo.

Crowley Maritime is prepared to deliver relief cargo but is also waiting to hear of port conditions from the Coast Guard. According to spokeswoman Jenifer Kimble, the company has a number of different ships capable of landing cargo in Haiti, including one that could discharge its cargo directly on a beach.

MSNBC.com reported, "The damage to the port is extensive: cracked seawalls, docks, shipping containers in the water, a huge crane that appears to be sinking into the water and vehicles hanging over the dockside. Like much of Port-au-Prince, it is in shambles."

INFRASTRUCTURE: I often think of it as what makes my life comfortable.

IMAGINE working in these conditions. How would you begin to get things moving, to get aid to people? It's one thing to watch it on TV. Quite another to be in the midst and trying to manage projects upon which lives hang in the balance.

The Haitian Presidential Palace before and after quake.

WFP Logistics issued these reports.

Update: Haiti Earthquake 2010

Update Jan 15 1530z

AIRPORT status Santo Domingo Las Americas Airport (SDQ)

  • Increased congestion at international airport.

WFP AIR OPS update

  • WFP's UNHAS will begin a 10-seat Cessna Caravan shuttle between SD and PAP. To be operational in the next 24 - 48 hours. Schedule to be confirmed.

ROAD conditions

  • The route from Jacmel to PAP (204) is open for 'all terrain' vehicles only.
  • The route from SD to PAP (305) is open but congested.

SEAPORT updates

  • Cap Haiten port is operational - currently containerized cargo only. Unconfirmed reports say that only one privately owned shore crane is available. Any vessel going in needs to be self-geared.

------------------------------------------------------------------

Update Jan 14 2300z

AIRPORT status Port au Prince Toussaint L'Ouverture International Airport (TMTPP) and Cap Haitien International Airport (MTCH):

  • Runway usable
  • Currently visual landing / radio-assisted only
  • Air Traffic Control is responding to incoming aircraft, but with limited capabilities: max number of aircraft is 4 at a time;
  • No availability of refuelling, cargo and aircraft handling equipment.
  • Airports are only open for humanitarian, military and private flights only, and not for commercial flights.
  • Flights to Port au Prince in particular are delayed and have to stay in lengthy airborne holding patterns (sometimes 2hrs and more) due to overcrowded airport ramp space.
  • In addition, there is no space for bigger aircraft to remain overnight.
  • As the city is very badly damaged there is no safe crew accommodation.

SEAPORT status Port au Prince:

  • The Port is currently non operational with three cranes (one container crane, two gantry cranes) all destroyed
  • Quayside is badly damaged, with unknown debris under the water line
  • The Southern part of the port may be workable for discharge from self-geared vessels
  • A US Coastguard Vessel is currently making an assessment;

Comments