The following is the text of a press release issued by the U.S. Coast Guard:
(MOBILE, Ala.) — The Coast Guard Captain of the Port here has established Port Condition Zulu, essentially closing the ports of Gulfport, Pascagoula, Mobile, Pensacola, and Panama City to all vessel traffic except for vessel movements and activities specifically authorized by the Captain of the Port.
A Unified Command consisting of federal, state and local agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM), and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has been created at Coast Guard Sector Mobile.
Personnel, aircraft and vessels needed to conduct day-to-day operations as well as to respond to Hurricane Ida have been positioned to track aids-to-navigation, conduct limited search and rescue, and be ready to open the waterway to commerce once Ida has passed through the area.
Additional information can be found at the Coast Guard Hurricane Ida Public Information site at: www.piersystem.com/go/site/2507.
