Hurricane Beryl made landfall on the Gulf Coast of Texas on Monday. Beryl landed about 85 miles southwest of Houston. With a maximum wind speed of 80 mph, much damage was sustained to the surrounding area. Nearly 3 million Texans are without power across the coast. Many of Port Houston’s key facilities were damaged, including power systems and shipping terminals. All terminals were closed on July 9th and will remain closed until further notice. Repairs have started on the port, with no word on how extensive the damage truly is.
Hurricane Beryl has now subsided, leaving the clean-up efforts to begin. Class 1 railroads have also been shut down in the Gulf Coast region of Texas, with engineering teams quickly working to regain freight functions. Delays are also expected in trucking due to road closures because of flooding and debris. In the wake of this storm, many logistical delays are expected. The biggest impact of this storm depends on the degree of damage done to Port Houston, in addition to how long trucking delays will last. Expect potential shortages and production slowdowns in the meantime.