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Three More Super Post-Panamax Cranes Delivered to Port Houston’s Barbours Cut

[ October 31, 2017   //   ]

September container activity at Port Houston’s Barbours Cut and Bayport facilities increased 22%, reports Executive Director Roger Guenther.

Additionally, all Port Houston facilities handled 28.8 million tons of cargo year to date, a 9% increase over the first three quarters of 2016. Container volume alone recorded an 11% increase versus last year, and in September surpassed the 1.8 million TEU mark.

“We remain confident of continued growth in the container sector, both on the import and export side, during the remainder of this year and into 2018,” Guenther said.

Terminal operations recovered very well following the events of Hurricane Harvey, the executive director reported to the Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority, duringthe regular monthly meeting.

“We anticipated that we would receive most of the cargo that was initially diverted following the storm… and we did,” he stated.

General cargo facilities handled nearly 400 thousand tons of steel, “which is a large volume as we caught up for the week or more of time lost due to the storm,” Guenther shared. “PortHouston’s results remain strong overall for the year,” he added.

Port Commission Chairman Janiece Longoria lauded the support given by industry and Port Houston employees following the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. The commission laterformally acknowledged relief funds donated by South Carolina Ports employees and the American Association of Port Authorities Port Employee Relief Fund (AAPA) and providedto qualified Port Houston employees impacted by the storm.

The commission also acknowledged the Hurricane Harvey Relief efforts by Georgia PortsAuthority employees and the greater Savannah community. Those relief supplies wereprovided in four twenty-foot equivalent containers and sent to Houston by that port. A portionof those supplies were made available to Port Houston employees impacted by Harvey, andthe balance of those items was donated to local relief agencies.

During the meeting, Port Houston employees were also recognized for their donation of about $120,000 to the Employee Catastrophic Assistance Fund for their fellow employees adversely impacted by the historic weather event.

Other actions taken by the Port Commission further demonstrated its commitment tosustaining growth for Port Houston. The commission authorized an agreement with theTexas Department of Transportation for the construction and operation of a rail spur acrossTexas State Highway 146 and Red Bluff Road, to facilitate in a phased approach future intermodal service to the Bayport Container Terminal.

The Commission also approved an Industry Track Agreement with Union Pacific Railroad for track and switch modifications at the Bayport Terminal. Construction of the spur and crossing and the track agreement support the development of Phase One of theBayport Master Rail Plan, as well as rail service to the 56-acres being developed at Bayport South.

Finally, the Port Commission was pleased with Monday’s delivery to Port Houston of threesuper post-panamax wharf cranes. These new cranes bring to seven the total number ofcranes with this size and capacity operating at Barbours Cut, and are part of a $700 million modernization program underway at the terminal to further its increase cargo handling efficiency and capacity.

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