Hurricane Polo is disrupting maritime operations along Mexico’s Pacific coast, prompting authorities to close or restrict navigation at several ports, while the key container gateway of Manzanillo remains open to large commercial vessels.
Mexico’s Navy closed the Port of Manzanillo in Colima to vessels under 500 gross tonnage beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday as Polo rapidly intensified offshore. The restriction does not apply to larger commercial vessels, allowing container ship traffic to continue at the port.
The Manzanillo Port Captaincy said the measure was imposed because deteriorating weather associated with Polo was expected to bring stronger winds, heavy rainfall and higher waves to the area.
Vessels already docked in the port were advised to reinforce mooring lines and monitor maritime safety and weather bulletins.
The restrictions come as Polo, which reached Category 5 strength Tuesday, weakened slightly to a Category 4 hurricane early Wednesday while drifting northward off southwestern Mexico.
At 6 a.m. CST Wednesday, Polo was about 320 miles southeast of Manzanillo and 165 miles south of Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, according to the National Hurricane Center. The hurricane had maximum sustained winds of 150 mph and was moving north at just 2 mph.
The storm’s slow movement is prolonging the threat to Mexico’s Pacific coastline. The NHC said Polo’s outer rainbands had begun reaching southwestern Mexico early Wednesday.
A tropical storm warning was in effect from Técpan de Galeana, Guerrero, to Punta San Telmo, Michoacán, while a tropical storm watch extended farther northwest.
Port restrictions spread along Pacific coast
Maritime restrictions extend well beyond Manzanillo.
Mexico’s National Civil Protection Coordination said Tuesday that the Navy had closed the ports of Acapulco and Zihuatanejo in Guerrero to large vessels. Smaller vessels were restricted at Manzanillo, Acapulco, Puerto Marqués, Zihuatanejo and Lázaro Cárdenas in Michoacán, La Jornada reported.
Reports Wednesday from Info7 indicated Acapulco and Zihuatanejo remained closed to all types of vessels, while restrictions at Manzanillo, Puerto Marqués and Lázaro Cárdenas applied to smaller vessels.
Lázaro Cárdenas authorities said the Mexican Navy had activated preventive measures along the Pacific coast as Polo strengthened, warning of heavy rain, strong winds and dangerous waves.
Manzanillo and Lázaro Cárdenas are Mexico’s two major Pacific container gateways and handle significant volumes of Asian imports destined for manufacturing and consumer markets throughout Mexico.
Polo underwent rapid intensification
Polo underwent extraordinary strengthening after developing off Mexico’s Pacific coast.
The storm intensified to Category 5 on Tuesday, with maximum sustained winds reaching 165 mph during the morning. By 6 p.m., Polo’s sustained winds had increased to 175 mph as the storm moved extremely slowly offshore, according to the National Hurricane Center.
ers reported Tuesday that Polo had reached the highest level on the Saffir-Simpson scale as it hovered off Mexico, with forecasters warning that its slow movement could prolong heavy rainfall and increase the risk of flooding and mudslides in southwestern Mexico.
By early Wednesday, Polo had begun weakening. The National Hurricane Center downgraded the storm to Category 4 as it slowly moved north, but the hurricane remained extremely powerful with 150 mph winds at 6 a.m.
Why it matters: Manzanillo and Lázaro Cárdenas are critical links between Asian ocean trade and Mexico’s inland supply chains, making prolonged or expanded port restrictions a potential threat to freight flows.
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