HOUSTON, March 27, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- The Port of Houston Authority Commission (PHA) approved several recommendations, including the purchases of two dockside cranes for the soon-to-be opened Bayport Container Terminal and the purchase of additional non-intrusive safety alarm equipment during its March 27 meeting. Chairman Jim Edmonds presided over the meeting with Commissioner Steve Phelps, Commissioner Jim Fonteno, Commissioner Kase Lawal, Commissioner Jimmy Burke, Commissioner Janiece Longoria and Commissioner Elyse Lanier.
BAYPORT MATTERS
(Agenda item G6) The commission awarded a contract to Shanghai Zhenhua Port Machinery Co. Ltd. for the purchase of two dockside electric container cranes at a price not to exceed $17.43 million. The cranes are expected to cost between $12 million and $20 million. The purchase of these cranes is one step closer toward getting the Bayport container facility opened and operational by summer.
(Agenda item G15) The commission approved the issuance of a $45,237.91 change order to a contract with Zachry Construction Corporation for the installation of 32 additional non-intrusive backup alarms that will continue to be used by PHA after Bayport Phase 1A is completed. The change order also included a request for $30,018.42 for the relocation of an electrical manhole from possible trench drains.
(Agenda item G3) In a related action, the commission approved a request to spend no more than $75,000 on the purchase of non-intrusive broadband safety alarms for container handling equipment at Barbours Cut Terminal. Both the measures at Bayport and Barbours Cut are part of the port authority's goal to operate its industrial facilities with minimal noise impact on adjacent communities.
RAILROAD REALIGNMENT
(Agenda item K1) PHA commissioners authorized the port authority to advertise and receive competitive sealed proposals for the realignment of a railroad track at Main Street in Galena Park at an estimated cost ranging from $500,000 to $1 million. The recommendation follows a request by the Texas Department of Transportation to reconfigure the tracks away from the proposed paved area associated with the Main Street widening project and the installation of additional track siding going into the port authority's grain elevator.
JACINTOPORT MATTERS
(Agenda item K2) The commission also authorized PHA to advertise and receive bids for the replacement of the Jacintoport Terminal fender system. The project, estimated to cost between $3.4 million and $3.9 million, will provide for the replacement of the existing timber fender system with a new steel pile-supported fender system. This new system will also allow for greater access by the contractor to the work site.
BARBOURS CUT, TURNING BASIN MATTERS
(Agenda item L2) The commission ranked North American Controls Corp. as the top candidate and Bath Engineering second for a professional services contract to install a gate at Cargo Bay Road. ESPA Corp. Inc was ranked third. PHA will negotiate with North American on the contract.
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
To access the port's website photo gallery, please visit http://www.portofhouston.com/publicrelations/publicrelations.html and click the link for PHA Photo Gallery.
The Port of Houston Authority logo is available at: http://media.primezone.com/prs/single/?pkgid=720