Disaster Relief: Los Angeles, Manatee, New York/New Jersey
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Pasha Hawaii Sends Aid to Puerto Rico Through Port of Los Angeles
Honolulu, HI-based Pasha Hawaii has announced that it will be providing the U.S. Jones Act vessel Horizon Spirit to ship hundreds of containers from the West Coast in support of hurricane relief and rebuilding efforts in Puerto Rico. Pasha Hawaii is partnering with family-owned Lipsey Mountain Spring Water, the nation’s largest governmental bottled water supplier for disaster relief, to bring approximately 800 containers filled with over 15 million bottles of water aboard the Horizon Spirit to assist in humanitarian relief for the people of Puerto Rico. The Horizon Spirit will load the bottled water at the Port of Los Angeles and traverse the Panama Canal en route to Puerto Rico; the vessel will be made available in the Puerto Rico service thereafter.
"Our hearts go out to the people of Puerto Rico as they rebuild their homes and communities, and address basic needs," said George Pasha, IV, president and CEO, Pasha Hawaii. "We are thankful to be of direct help to these families and businesses, especially as many of our folks who joined us from Horizon Lines, Inc. have family, friends, and colleagues on the island. We’ve supported hurricane relief efforts via an employee giving campaign with the American Red Cross, and we are glad we can offer the service of our containership."
Port Manatee Aids in Restoration of Communications in Puerto Rico
Port Manatee is serving as a launching point for efforts to help restore communications in Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Maria. A vessel with vehicles, equipment, relief goods and personnel from Sarasota, FL-based USA Groups departed Port Manatee for San Juan on October 2.
Seacor Marine LLC’s U.S.-flagged Liam J. McCall, a newly built aluminum fast support vessel, left Port Manatee carrying equipment including 10 work trucks, two generators and two containers of relief goods, as well as a dozen construction, maintenance and security workers.
USA Groups looks to use the equipment and personnel in restoration of cellular communications in Puerto Rico, which lost more than 80 percent of its cell tower capabilities due to Maria. This is the first of three planned similar shipments by USA Groups.
New York/New Jersey: Port Authority Sends Second Deployment of Workers to Puerto Rico to Assist with Hurricane Relief and Recovery Efforts
The Port Authority New York & New Jersey on October 13 deployed a relief team of more than 70 volunteers from John F. Kennedy International Airport to San Juan, as part of the agency’s ongoing commitment to Puerto Rico as it struggles to rebuild and recover from the devastation of Hurricane Maria.
The new deployment is in addition to an advance team of 12 port authority officials who flew to the island to assist in transition and begin preparations for the next two weeks of the recovery process. The new team comprises volunteers from the Aviation and Port Authority Police departments, as well as members of the port and engineering departments and the Office of Emergency Management. More than 70 port authority staffers dispatched to Puerto Rico on September 28-29 for a two-week deployment have returned home.
Working with local and national officials and residents of storm-ravaged neighborhoods, the port authority contingent has helped restore facilities at the Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in San Juan, as well as port facilities, parking areas, residences and roadways.
The construction and clean-up efforts have included roof and structural repair, removing huge amounts of debris from damaged airport and residential buildings, installing new electrical equipment and replacing damaged fencing. The volunteers also assisted with search-and-rescue operations and fulfilled other security requests, and contributed to the reestablishment of port operations. The team was entirely self-sufficient so as to preserve limited food and water resources for residents.
"Our aviation, port, police and emergency management staff are putting their experience and expertise to great use during this very difficult period," said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton. "The first deployment accomplished a great deal, and we are pleased to continue this needed assistance. We’re thankful to all port authority staff who volunteered to be a part of the initial deployment."
The port authority is part of a mutual assistance program, the Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC). EMAC works through the states to ensure coordination of resources that can be used to assist in natural disasters. Both New York and New Jersey actively participate in this network. The port authority is committed to a full and responsive engagement with requests that come to the agency or through the two states during emergencies that require assistance.
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