HOUSTON, Oct. 30, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- The Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority (PHA) approved $15 million in construction projects at Bayport as well as a variety of other environmental, construction and maintenance projects at its regular Oct. 30 meeting.
BAYPORT MATTERS
(Agenda G6) The Commission approved awarding a construction contract to Orion Construction, LP, for Bayport Phase 1 Wharf advanced dredging and moorings for $12.841 million. Work includes dredging to the east and west of the wharves and construction of a new mooring point in each location.
(Agenda G17) Commissioners approved execution of a change order to Orion Construction, L.P., for Bayport Cruise Terminal Complex - Phase 1 Wharf and dredging for $1.25 million. The change order is needed because the contractor encountered a large number of tires and debris within the dredge area. This change order addresses those conditions, including disposal of the tires, and provides a credit of $496,000 for the efficiency in dredging realized when the dredge material disposal area was changed from Cell 14 to an upland site.
(Agenda G18) The Commission approved execution of a change order to Zachry Construction Company for Bayport Cruise Terminal Complex - Phase 1 site and utilities for $70,000. A change order is required for modifications to the overhead power lines to the cruise terminal to meet CenterPoint requirements for crossing its existing power lines.
(Agenda G19) The Commission approved execution of a change order to Morganti Texas, Inc., for Bayport Cruise Terminal Complex - Phase 1 Terminal Building for $95,454. Movable check-in counters to be added will increase the flexibility of passenger check-in operations as well as facility use for other events.
(Agenda G22) Commissioners approved amendment of the professional services contract with Ch2M HILL, Inc., for Bayport Phase 1A program management by $600,000. Revisions to the project require additional construction management services.
(Agenda G23) Commissioners approved amendment of the professional services contract with Shaw GBB, LLC, for inspection services for two dockside electric container cranes for Bayport for $59,574. The port authority requires inspection services for the two dockside electric container cranes for a longer term than the contract originally provided.
(Agenda G24) The Commission approved amendment of the professional services contract with Aviles Engineering Corporation for Bayport Materials Testing - Phase 1 container yard for $250,000. The container yard is currently being constructed using roller-compacted concrete, a process new to the Gulf Coast region. For proper installation, the cement-treated base must be constructed according to strict quality control. This amendment permits continued quality-control work.
(Agenda K11) The Commission approved advertising and receipt of proposals for a facility security assessment for the Port of Houston Authority Bayport Cruise Terminal for $30,000. Under applicable federal law, including the Maritime Transportation Act of 2002, a facility security assessment must be conducted for the new cruise facility at Bayport.
BARBOURS CUT MATTERS
(Agenda G5) Commissioners approved awarding a construction contract to Blastco Texas, Inc., for splash zone painting at Wharf Nos. 1-7 and LASH dock at Barbours Cut for $1.5 million. The wharf bulkhead at Barbours Cut was last painted more than 20 years ago and requires maintenance. This project consists of removing the old paint and rust on the bulkhead sheet piling and then repainting the sheet piling.
(Agenda M1) Commissioners approved entering into an intergovernmental agreement with the City of LaPorte to provide fire suppression services at Barbour's Cut Terminal for a one-year term for $14,792.08. Proven beneficial to both parties, the fire suppression agreement with the City of LaPorte for 2007-2008 has been renegotiated for a one-year term beginning Nov. 1, 2007 and ending Oct. 31, 2008.
WHARF NO. 1 MATTERS
(Agenda G1) The Commission approved awarding a construction contract to Bo-Mac Contractors, Ltd., for repair of embankment, outfall, T-head dock and dolphins at Wharf No. 1 East at the Turning Basin, and associated expenditure authority, for $2,547,850. Numerous storms over the past several years have affected the Houston Ship Channel's embankment downstream of Wharf No. 1 at the Turning Basin, affecting support of tenants' pipelines to the existing T-head dock. Damage to a City of Houston storm water outfall, crossing the port authority's property, has had additional impacts on the embankment. The port authority has entered into an Interlocal Agreement with the City of Houston to pay for its share of repair to the city outfall as part of the overall project.
MORGAN'S POINT MATTERS
(Agenda G21) Commissioners approved amendment of the professional services contract with R. W. Patrick & Associates, Inc., for Morgan's Point Hike and Bike Trail for $14,776. Among its successful partnerships with the city of Morgan's Point, the port authority has committed more than $1 million toward the design and construction of the 2.9-mile hike and bike trail bordered by East Main Street, Bayridge Road, Vinsonia, the Hamilton Avenue Right of Way/Wilson Avenue and Barbours Cut Boulevard. Once completed, the bike and hike trail will rim the city. The trail planned along the Hamilton Avenue segment will cross private property owned by Boys & Girls Harbor, which requested that fencing and lighting be installed along the easement for the safety of the public as well as residents of Boys & Girls Harbor.
ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS
(Agenda K4) Commissioners approved advertising and receipt of competitive sealed proposals for trash disposal and recycling services for a two-year period for the Turning Basin Terminal, Barbours Cut Terminal, Woodhouse Terminal and Fireboat Barracks for an estimated $1.86 million to $2.3 million. This includes a pilot recycling program component developed by the Operations and Environmental departments. The program's goal is to recycle dunnage (loose packing material used to protect a ship's cargo from damage during transport) and other materials collected from the wharves that may be economically and efficiently segregated off-site and recycled. Continuing trash disposal services are necessary for the efficiency, cleanliness and safety of port authority facilities, and the program furthers the PHA's environmental stewardship efforts.
(Agenda K10) Commissioners approved advertising and receipt of proposals for the development of an environmental management information software (EMIS) package for tracking the PHA's environmental management system, environmental training program and regulatory compliance at an estimated $45,000 to $85,000. The existing vendor will no longer support the current platform. In addition, the system must be upgraded to address regulatory compliance issues which are now an element in the ISO 14001:2004 standard. As computers and software packages have become more powerful and flexible, limitations to the existing system have become more apparent, necessitating an update.
HOUSTON SHIP CHANNEL MATTERS
(Agenda K12) Commissioners approved issuance of a request for proposal for geo-referencing of pipeline data for an estimated $1 million to $1.2 million. The geo-referenced database will consist of all pipelines that traverse the Houston Ship Channel and its tributaries from Clear Lake to the Turning Basin. The proposed database will merge geospatial data to the existing populated PHA pipeline database, geo-reference all pipelines and link ownership and primary pipelines control to a Geographic Information System format. This will allow the PHA to quickly provide needed information for incident responders along and adjacent to the Houston Ship Channel.
This news release is not a substitute for the official PHA agenda. To view the complete agenda, please visit: http://portofhouston.com/publicrelations/meetings.html
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
The Port of Houston Authority logo is available at http://www.primenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=720
Members of the public who wish to speak at a Port Commission meeting will be asked to sign in at the 4th floor lobby area. They may speak when the Chair calls on them during the appearances portion of the agenda and their comments will be limited to three minutes. The public comment protocol is available on the PHA Web site, at: http://portofhouston.com/publicrelations/meetings.html
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.