Hurricane Beryl hit the southern United States on Monday morning as a category one hurricane, but it has since been downgraded to a tropical depression. The storm knocked out power for more than 2.5 million homes in Texas, flooding highways and leaving fallen trees (CNN). As of Tuesday morning, 2.3 million customers in Texas were still without power (BBC).
The hurricane has caused significant disruptions across our logistics network, affecting both our operations and those of our partners. Many employees of Bertling and our providers remain without electricity, cell phone service, or internet.
As a result, many cargo handlers remain closed, and numerous delivery companies and essential logistics personnel are without power and connectivity. These challenges have created unavoidable delays in the transportation and delivery of your cargo.
RECOVERY EFFORTS AND POTENTIAL CHARGES
The Port of Houston faced a more significant impact from Beryl and remained closed on Tuesday to assess the damage and make necessary repairs. The port has announced longer gate hours to help move containers. Roughly 1,700 flights were canceled on Monday at both George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU), disrupting domestic air cargo. Although en route flights delayed by the storm have since resumed, carriers are navigating cargo backlog from the shutdown (Supplychaindive).
Due to storm-related delays and July 4th holiday closures, there may be additional schedule updates. Please be aware that due to these disruptions, storage charges and unforeseen costs may apply. We understand the burden this places on your business, and we are actively working to mitigate any additional costs as much as possible. Our team is committed to resolving these issues quickly and efficiently, and we are doing everything within our power to expedite the process.
We appreciate your understanding and patience during this challenging time. Your business is important to us, and we provide you with the best service possible despite these unforeseen circumstances. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to your account manager or our local teams. We will reply as soon as possible.
