An intensifying hurricane Dean has caused closures of most regional ports in its path over the past few days, and some oil production activity in the Mexican Gulf have been halted in anticipation of its arrival.
Reports say that ports from Hispaniola westward to the Cayman Islands are currently shut and were evaluating damage today after being hit by 230 kph winds over the weekend.
Western Caribbean's largest island port, Jamaica's Kingston will remain closed throughout today as a 48-hour-long curfew has been enforced due to very strong winds and heavy rain.
With Dean set on a course toward Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, ships have already been diverted from ports in Cancun, Cozumel and Progreso while evacuation orders for most of the state of Quintana Roo have been issued in advance of the storm.
With official data forecasting Dean to intensify into a maximum Category 5 storm, predicted to hit either Mexico or Texas, energy companies further north in Mexico's fields in the Bay of Campache and platforms off Texas have already been shut down and evacuated.
According to the US Minerals Management Service, as of yesterday oil production of at least 10,300 barrels per day (bpd) had been shut down due to Dean.
Reports say that ports from Hispaniola westward to the Cayman Islands are currently shut and were evaluating damage today after being hit by 230 kph winds over the weekend.
Western Caribbean's largest island port, Jamaica's Kingston will remain closed throughout today as a 48-hour-long curfew has been enforced due to very strong winds and heavy rain.
With Dean set on a course toward Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, ships have already been diverted from ports in Cancun, Cozumel and Progreso while evacuation orders for most of the state of Quintana Roo have been issued in advance of the storm.
With official data forecasting Dean to intensify into a maximum Category 5 storm, predicted to hit either Mexico or Texas, energy companies further north in Mexico's fields in the Bay of Campache and platforms off Texas have already been shut down and evacuated.
According to the US Minerals Management Service, as of yesterday oil production of at least 10,300 barrels per day (bpd) had been shut down due to Dean.