HOUSTON, Feb. 26, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- The Port Commission of The Port of Houston Authority (PHA) approved $11 million in security upgrades and other construction projects at its February 26 regular 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.
Chairman Edmonds announced that, beginning in March, PHA Commission meetings will take place at 8 a.m. on the fourth Tuesday of the month unless otherwise posted.
SECURITY MATTERS
(Agenda item G8) Commissioners conditionally approved a construction contract of $5.9 million. The contractor -- A1 American Fence -- will install an access control system for the North Turning Basin restricted areas upon its final receipt of a security license issued by the Texas Department of Public Safety.
(Agenda item G9) Commissioners approved an estimated $5.9 million contract to A1 American Fence for access control systems to the North Turning Basin restricted areas.
CONSTRUCTION MATTERS
(Agenda item G3) Commissioners approved a $2.73 million contract to Jerdon Enterprises for construction work on the North Turning Basin restricted area entrance/exit lanes, Gate 8 at Turning Basin Terminal and on the East Industrial Park terminal access control.
BAYPORT MATTERS
(Agenda item G23) The commission approved a contract amendment of $275,000 with McCarthy Construction Corporation for the Bayport Terminal Complex Phase 1 container yard. The amendment will fund construction of a sight and sound berm to be built across old Toddville Road, connecting the Phase 1 and Phase 1A sight and sound berms and a small screening berm at the new Port Road. The amendment will also fund construction of a 15-by-40-foot slab on the Phase 1A container yard adjacent to the Phase 1A wharf and a nine-by-six-foot reinforced concrete box culvert as a needed transition.
(Agenda item G24) Commissioners approved a $6.1 million contract amendment with Lockwood, Andrews & Newman Inc. for Bayport Terminal Complex Phase 1 management services. The contract will fund numerous tasks for 2007, including design management of the Phase 1-Stage 2 container yard, wharf and dredging of Berth 3, expansion of Port Road, maintenance and repair, administration and marine emergency building designs, environmental planning and technical studies. In addition, funding will go toward construction management and inspection for the Phase 1-Stage 1 container yard, ongoing cruise terminal contracts and four building contracts.
DREDGING MATTERS
(Agenda item M1) The commission approved a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for maintenance dredging of non-federal berthing areas and the Barbours Cut Channel. The MOA calls for PHA to fund $1 million of the project.
TARIFF MATTERS
(Agenda item M5) As part of a continuing review of PHA tariffs, Commissioners approved amendments to tariff Nos. 8, 14 and 15 to reflect minor revisions, additions and corrections resulting from this review.
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 7,000 vessels call at the port, which ranks first in the U.S. in foreign waterborne tonnage, second in overall total tonnage, and 10th 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 web site 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