Hurricane season runs June through November, and every South Florida business that moves freight knows the drill: a storm forms, the cone appears, and suddenly everyone is trying to ship, receive, or protect inventory at the same time. The companies that come through smoothly are the ones that planned in July, not the ones improvising the day a watch is issued. Here is a practical checklist.
Know the shutdown sequence
Freight infrastructure closes in a predictable order as a storm approaches. Ports typically restrict operations and then close to vessel traffic as gale-force winds approach, often days before landfall. Airlines wind down cargo operations and reposition aircraft. Carriers stop dispatching as conditions deteriorate, and bridges close to high-profile vehicles at sustained wind thresholds. The practical takeaway: your real shipping deadline is 48 to 72 hours before projected landfall, not the day before.
Before the season peaks: five things to set up now
1. Map your critical shipments
Identify which inbound and outbound freight would hurt most if delayed two weeks. Anything critical scheduled for peak season (late August through October) deserves a buffer or an earlier ship date.
2. Line up flexible storage
When ports and consignees close, in-transit freight needs somewhere to wait. Secured yard storage for containers and trailers, or short-term warehouse space, turns a scramble into a plan. Know your options and rates before you need them.
3. Pre-authorize decision-makers
Storm windows are short. Decide in advance who can approve expedited shipping, storage, or rerouting — and up to what dollar amount — so approvals do not burn your prep time.
4. Build your carrier contact list
Save your carriers’ dispatch numbers, not just sales emails. A local carrier with its own assets — our fleet runs 26-foot and 16-foot box trucks and dry vans across South Florida — can often squeeze in pre-storm moves after national networks have paused bookings.
5. Review insurance and documentation
Confirm what your cargo insurance covers for named-storm events and document inventory locations before a storm. Photos and counts make claims far easier.
When a storm is approaching
Push time-critical outbound freight out early — think of it as moving your week’s shipping into two days. Ask consignees up north to accept early delivery. Pull critical inbound forward or hold it out of the strike zone: it is often better to have freight pause in Orlando or Jacksonville than sit in a closed Miami terminal. Top off supplies that arrive by LTL, since post-storm capacity gets consumed by relief and recovery cargo. And communicate: tell customers now which days you expect to be dark.
After the storm
Recovery is a surge. Ports and airports reopen in phases, backlogged vessels and flights arrive together, and everyone wants deliveries the same day. Expect several days of compressed volume and prioritize ruthlessly. Local knowledge helps here too — knowing which roads flood, which facilities have power, and which receivers are actually open saves wasted truck rolls. Our last-mile team runs those routes daily and updates customers through live tracking as conditions change.
Frequently asked questions
How far in advance do Florida ports close before a hurricane?
Ports restrict and then suspend operations as gale-force winds approach — typically closing to vessel traffic one to two days before landfall, with landside operations winding down around the same time. Exact timing depends on the storm and port condition status.
Should I ship freight out of South Florida before a storm?
If the freight is time-critical and can leave 48-72 hours before landfall, yes — early outbound is usually the safest option. If it cannot leave in time, secured local storage is generally better than freight caught mid-network.
How long do freight delays last after a hurricane?
For a storm that brushes the region, a few days. For a direct hit, expect one to two weeks of degraded capacity as backlogs clear and infrastructure recovers. Build both scenarios into customer commitments.
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