Inbound vessel traffic to the port of Freeport was briefly suspended due to offshore conditions amid a tropical weather system, according to a notice from a shipping agency.

The inbound vessel traffic resumed at around 3 p.m. CT (4 p.m. ET).

Meanwhile, tropical storm conditions are expected in the lower and middle Florida Keys from Wednesday and tropical storm Rafael is expected to move into the southeastern Gulf of Mexico by Wednesday night.

Rafael is expected to become a hurricane over the next few hours as it passes near the Cayman Islands with further strengthening before it makes landfall in Cuba.

Port condition 'Whiskey' - indicating gale force winds are expected to arrive at the port within 72 hours - continued to be in effect at some ports in Florida including Tampa and St Petersburg, meaning vessels must indicate location ahead of the storm and make preparations to dock or leave within 12 hours.

Major energy companies said on Tuesday they are evacuating some oil production workers and securing offshore platforms as they prepared for the approach of tropical storm Rafael toward the Gulf of Mexico.