The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

Super Value’s sales peaked 74 per cent above normal on Sunday due to Irma-related preparations, as businesses ready to deal with potential supply chain disruptions.

Rupert Roberts, the supermarket chain’s owner and president, told Tribune Business his stores had been “running short” of bread and water consistently as consumers stocked up on essential supplies.

“As fast as they supply us we sell it,” he said. “On Sunday some of the stores were as high as 74 per cent above normal, but we’re not trying to calculate figures; we’re trying to serve the public right now. We’re having our storm right now.”

Irma, a Category Five ‘super storm with winds reaching 185 miles per hour, is currently forecast to score a near-direct hit on Miami and move up the Florida eastern seaboard as a major storm.

This has raised concerns of supply chain and logistics disruption for the Bahamas and many businesses, given that the primary ports serving this nation - Palm Beach, Miami, Everglades and Jacksonville - are all located in Irma’s path.

A direct hit on Florida could also result in building materials shortages due to the reconstruction demand in the south-east US, in turn impacting restoration efforts here and pushing up prices in the Bahamas.

Mr Roberts acknowledged the concerns, but explained that Super Value had moved quickly once it knew Irma’s likely track to bring in groceries and other perishables early.

“We bring perishables in three times’ a week; Monday, Wednesday and Friday,” he said. “When we knew what the hurricane was doing, we doubled up on Wednesday.

“We have a week’s supply of perishables in the warehouse, secured and stored. Our concern is that we’re going to sell out from the storm, and the boat on Monday is uncertain.’

Mr Roberts said Super Value’s warehouse contained three months’ worth of inventory valued at “at least $10 million”, with containers of chicken kept refrigerated by back-up from three generators.

Michael Maura, the Nassau Container Port’s (NCP) chief executive, told Tribune Business that Irma’s impact on the US ports that serve New Providence was “a concern”.

He said the Port of Palm Beach, from which Tropical Shipping sails, provides NCP and Nassau with 50 per cent of its cargo volume; Miami, Port Everglades and Jacksonville a combined 25 per cent; and Freeport making up the balance.

“The storm may not significantly impact New Providence, but if it hits any of those ports it will be a concern for us,” Mr Maura confirmed.

He explained that shipping companies such as Tropical can re-route cargo to other ports if one, say Palm Beach, was hit, with agreements to place it on another company’s vessels.

“There are contingency plans around all these things,” Mr Maura said. “We look at Hurricane Irma as being more disruptive than devastating; that’s the approach we’re taking at this point in time.”

However, Mr Maura was speaking before Irma’s forecast track altered further east yesterday, placing it on a path to impact all Florida’s ports.

The NCP chief executive said the Arawak Cay-based port was now focusing on “evacuating” empty containers as part of its hurricane readiness plan, in a bid to ensure none were blown into the harbour where they could prevent ships’ passing or docking.

Mediterranean Shipping Company’s (MSC) vessels came in on Tuesday to accomplish this, with Tropical calling yesterday. “While bringing in cargo for businesses on New Providence, they were evacuating empties on those vessels,” Mr Maura said.

“It’s important to us as it reduces the amount of containers before the storm, and minimises the risk of containers being blown and swept into the harbour, where they could block a vessel from berthing.”

Besides communications with its tenants and licensees, Mr Maura said NCP was also taking any remaining containers and “block stacking” them in a rectangular pattern that can “withstand the greatest wind and water”.

Mr Roberts, meanwhile, said he was considering moving his family from their home on New Providence’s southern shores to Super Value’s Golden Gates headquarters to avoid Irma’s potential flooding and storm surges.

He also expressed concern over Irma’s potential impact on his multi-million dollar investment in Bimini Sands and Marina, the 210-unit resort complex on southern Bimini. The storm’s hurricane force winds are likely to come very close.