HOUSTON, Nov. 15, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- The Port of Houston Authority (PHA) commission approved several recommendations involving contract awards, bids and proposals, professional services and general administrative and operational matters during its public meeting at on Monday, November 15, 2004. Chairman Jim Edmonds presided over the meeting with Vice Chairman Kase Lawal, Commissioner Steve Phelps, Commissioner Jim Fonteno, Commissioner Jimmy Burke, Commissioner Cheryl Thompson-Draper, and Commissioner Janiece Longoria.
BAYPORT MATTERS
(Agenda item G1) The commission approved a recommendation to award a one-year contract in the estimated amount of $70,000 to TRC Environmental Corporation for professional engineering and environmental services. TRC will monitor and maintain particulate samplers at the Bayport Container and Cruise Terminal project to comply with the federal permit granted earlier this year by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
(Agenda item G6) The commission also approved a recommendation to award an estimated $325,000 contract to Geotest Engineering, Inc. Geotest will conduct the full range of construction material testing at the Bayport Phase IA site to verify the quality of acceptance testing by on-site laboratories.
(Agenda item G7) The commission awarded an estimated $640,458 contract to ABSG Consulting, Inc. ABSG will provide inspection services for the construction of dockside electric container cranes for Bayport.
(Agenda item K5) The commission authorized the PHA to advertise and receive proposals for five diesel electric container yard cranes with an option for up to seven additional cranes for Bayport. The estimated cost of this project will range between $7 million and $20 million.
SECURITY MATTERS
(Agenda item G10) The commission approved a recommendation to use a $176,432 grant from the Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) to acquire first responder equipment from Fisher Scientific Company, L.L.C., the preferred vendor recommended by the Texas Engineering Extension Service (TEEX). Fisher will provide the PHA with products deemed necessary to preserve or protect the public health, safety, and security of the residents of the district and the PHA. The items to be purchased are exempt from notice, advertising and related procurement requirements under the Texas Water Code. Additionally, as a participant in the Houston Galveston Area Council's Cooperative Purchasing Program, the PHA is authorized to expedite the purchase by having TEEX pay the cost of the equipment directly to the vendor. Therefore, the PHA will not need to pursue reimbursement.
ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS
(Agenda item K7) The commission authorized the PHA to advertise and receive requests for qualifications (RFQs) for professional consulting services to provide air quality assistance. Qualified vendors will be invited to submit qualifications for consideration of a potential two-year contract in the estimated amount of $250,000 to provide a range of services to assist the PHA in addressing regulatory compliance, Environmental Management System (EMS) goals, air projects, and air quality programs.
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT MATTERS
(Agenda item K2) The commission authorized the PHA to advertise and receive sealed bids for maintenance dredging along the Turning Basin wharves. Because of the extent of shoaling that has been conducted at the berthing areas, hydraulic dredging is required to restore adequate draft. Qualified vendors will be invited to submit sealed bids for consideration of an estimated $1.7 million to $2 million contract award for the removal of an estimated 230,000 cubic yards of shoal material.
RATES AND TARIFFS
(Agenda item M8) The commission approved a recommendation to make additions and corrections to PHA Tariffs No. 8, No. 14, and No. 20 to more accurately reflect Federal Maritime Commission guidelines and regulations. The additions and corrections will be effective January 1, 2005.
(Agenda item M 9) The commission approved a recommendation to amend Port Tariffs No. 8 and No. 14 covering the Turning Basin terminals and Barbours Cut Container Terminal. The amendments were recommended as a result of increases in dockage, wharfage, container crane rental, through-put rates, container storage, harbor fees, and freight handling charges. The adjustment and addition of certain rates, rules, and conditions become effective January 1, 2005.
(Agenda item M10) The commission approved a recommendation to amend PHA Tariff No. 14 to address demurrage charges for loaded import containers and booking roll/storage fees for export and trans-shipped containers at Barbours Cut. The changes were sought as a result of the continued increases in the volume of containers, which severely impacts the terminal's functional capacity. The number of free days for demurrage on import containers will be reduced to seven days from ten days, and the rate for storage of import containers will be increased to $20 per day per TEU (20 ft. equivalent unit) from $10 per day per TEU. The delivery of export loaded containers to Barbours Cut will be limited to seven days prior to the vessel's expected arrival date, and a booking roll fee will be assessed on each export or trans-shipped container that is rolled to a later vessel.
(Agenda item O3) As the Pilot Board for the Ports of Harris County, the PHA commission approved a recommendation to approve a series of general rate increases for the Houston Pilots for the next three years. The pilots submitted the application seeking to defray additional costs related to the increased level of pilot services along the Houston Ship Channel. Rate increases of five percent will be effective on December 15, 2004 and on December 15, 2005, and a special six percent unit rate increase effective on December 15, 2006 will be incorporated for large cargo vessels over 1,050 units on a phase-in basis. Minimum charges for bar movements and shifts also were increased. The application received months of study and was endorsed by the maritime industry.
The Port of Houston Authority owns and operates the public facilities located along the Port of Houston, the 25-mile long complex of diversified public and private facilities designed for handling general cargo, containers, grain and other dry bulk materials, project and heavy lift cargo, and other types of cargo. Each year, more than 6,600 vessels call at the port, which ranks first in the U.S. in foreign waterborne tonnage, second in overall total tonnage, and sixth largest in the world. The Port Authority plays a vital role in ensuring navigational safety along the Houston Ship Channel, which has been instrumental in Houston's development as a center of international trade. The Barbours Cut Container Terminal and Central Maintenance Facility are the first of any U.S. port facilities to develop and implement an innovative Environmental Management System that meets the rigorous standards of ISO 14001. Additionally, the port is an approved delivery point for Coffee "C" futures contracts traded on the New York Board of Trade's Coffee, Sugar & Cocoa Exchange. For more information, please visit www.portofhouston.com
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