KEY POINTS
- Florida fuel shortages ease as gas stations reopen after hurricanes.
- Port Tampa Bay and key pipelines resume operations, stabilizing supply.
- Most gas stations are expected to return to normal operations within 10 days.
Gasoline shortages across Florida are easing as fuel deliveries resume following severe disruptions caused by Hurricanes Milton and Helene. Millions of residents evacuated their homes last week, causing significant strain on the state’s fuel supply.
While over 26 percent of gas stations faced outages at the peak of the crisis on Friday, only about 17 percent were still without fuel on Monday, according to GasBuddy data.
Tampa, initially forecasted to suffer a catastrophic storm surge, saw some relief as outages dropped from 75 percent on Friday to less than half by Monday. “We’ve seen steady improvement since Friday,” said Patrick De Haan, a GasBuddy analyst, adding that most retailers are expected to return to normal within the next 10 days.
Infrastructure repairs and resumed deliveries drive recovery
Florida, the third-largest gasoline consumer in the U.S., does not have refineries and relies on fuel imports by land and sea. Port Tampa Bay, handling 43 percent of the state’s fuel imports, reopened on Sunday, restoring vital supply chains.
According to Reuters, Mansfield Energy, a major petroleum distributor, announced it had resumed deliveries, although it is asking for a 48-hour notice to manage logistics effectively.
The Central Florida Pipeline, which transports fuel from Tampa to Orlando, is back in operation after a temporary halt for storm safety. Kinder Morgan, the pipeline’s operator, confirmed that both the pipeline and its Tampa-area terminals are fully operational.
Energy infrastructure firms have also accelerated recovery efforts. Martin Midstream Partners reported that its Tampa terminal is now 75 percent operational and expects full functionality within three days. CITGO Petroleum began restoration work last Friday, aiming to resume operations by mid-week. Chevron’s terminals in Port Everglades and Panama City are actively supplying fuel, with repairs ongoing at its Tampa facilities.
Future challenges and outlook for full recovery
While the restoration of fuel supplies shows progress, recovery efforts remain complex. Bulk terminals that shut down ahead of Hurricane Milton’s landfall are gradually coming back online, with assessments of minor damage still underway.
Fuel deliveries across southern Georgia, temporarily halted by the storms, have returned to normal.
The hurricanes exposed Florida’s vulnerability as a state reliant on imported fuel. The disruptions also highlighted the importance of infrastructure readiness, as even minor damage to key terminals can lead to cascading supply chain issues.
“We are cautiously optimistic about a full recovery,” said De Haan, underscoring the importance of restoring operations swiftly. As infrastructure repairs continue, most stations are expected to resume normal service within the next week.
