On August 17, 2017 a low pressure system east of the Caribbean Sea was upgraded to Tropical Storm Harvey. As the storm moved westward and changed structure several times, it managed to touch every one of Gulf Copper’s locations on the Gulf Coast. The track of Harvey had a peculiar route that passed over each one of the repair and fabrication facilities of Gulf Copper and Manufacturing, Inc.
The first Gulf Copper facility to experience Harvey was Costa Afuera Servicios de Mexico in Ciudad del Carmen. The facility experienced heavy rains resulting in delays in getting teams offshore to a repair job on a jack-up drilling rig in Mexican waters. The next facility affected was the Gulf Copper Harbor Island facility, which is in Port Aransas only a few miles from Rockport, Texas where Hurricane Harvey made it’s second landfall. Severe weather and high winds affected vessels at the facility seeking safe harbor, and heavy damage was incurred to buildings and offices. Our Gulf Copper Ship Repair Inc. facility located on the inner harbor of Corpus Christi was also affected by the landfall but suffered only minimal damages.
As the storm stalled near Victoria, Texas constant rain fall came down on west Houston where the company’s corporate office is located, as well as Galveston where Gulf Copper Dry Dock and Rig Repair is located. When Harvey moved back offshore and then towards Louisiana, heavy rains fell on the two Gulf Copper facilities in Port Arthur Texas with heavy flooding of the surrounding community as a result. The companies’ water front facilities suffered only minimal damages. All six repair/fabrication facilities as well as the corporate head office have been impacted in various ways by the meandering storm.
Most importantly, all of the Gulf Copper family were safe and secure in the aftermath of Harvey. Many of them had flooding in their homes and vehicles resulting in financial losses. However, almost all employees are back to work with the facilities all up and running as of September 4th and new work being booked on a daily basis. The lessons learned from Hurricanes Rita and Ike were all put to good use during Harvey, even as the storm managed to touch each of our locations. The Gulf Copper family is strong and will pull together to overcome the destruction wrought by this storm. Our friends and customers have all reached out with offers of assistance and for that we are most appreciative.
The loss of life, the personal injuries, and the catastrophic damage left in the wake of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma deeply affects us all. Our best wishes go out to all of those who suffered from Harvey and Irma. The fellowship and caring demonstrated by so many, during and after the storms, shall be remembered long after the sorrow heals. Together we will move forward to a new bright future for our communities.
Stay Safe in all that you do,
Gulf Copper and Manufacturing Inc.