Port of Houston Authority 2012 Strategic Initiatives Provide Short- and Long-Term View

Also, CEO Dreyer Reports Year-to-Date Steel Volumes Up 70 Percent


HOUSTON, June 30, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On June 28, following its regular meeting, the Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority conducted a public workshop to discuss proposed 2012 strategic initiatives.

The initiatives include significant projects to serve the fastest growing markets in the United States, including the continuing pace of development of the Bayport Container Terminal and important improvements at Barbours Cut, the Port Authority's premier container terminal. Initiatives also include modernization of the Turning Basin Terminal and the Port Authority's continuing work to help maintain and improve the Houston Ship Channel, and real estate, finance, and freight transportation measures. Capital investment to develop and improve this vital regional infrastructure is expected to total over $2 billion over the next 10 years.

Additional information on particular issues will be presented at future Port Commission meetings.

In his monthly report at the regular Port Commission meeting, Chief Executive Officer Alec G. Dreyer said March and April have been the two strongest months for commodity growth in the last year and one-half, noting that May was also a good month with relatively strong performance across all commodities, all terminals.

"In May, steel had another strong month and was up 75 percent with 372,000 tons," he said. "Year-to-date steel volumes are ahead of last year by 70 percent and we expect a tremendous month in June with over 400,000 tons by the end of the month."

Ship arrivals at Port Authority container facilities were up 9.7 percent for the month. On a year-to-date basis, working vessels at the container terminals are up 9.5 percent over last year, he said.

Twenty-foot-equivalent unit (TEU) volumes were also up: 3 percent in May and 8 percent year-to-date. Container tonnage was up 5 percent in May and 9 percent year-to-date. Finally, Dreyer noted that container revenue was up 13 percent for May and is up 16 percent year-to-date. "Container revenue continues to be ahead of budget by some 2 percent," he said. 

During the meeting, Port Commission Chairman James T. Edmonds took a moment to recognize members of Fire Station 2 of the Marine and Fire Department for their "bravery, quick action and diligence – literally under fire" when they responded to an overnight warehouse fire on June 11 at the Port Authority's Barbours Cut Container Terminal. The massive sheet metal warehouse was filled with highly combustible material, including cotton, paper rolls, plastic and machinery, but more than 75 percent of the building was saved largely due to their actions to head off the fire until additional fire agencies arrived. As many as 62 firefighters from area agencies responded to the scene, including 22 Port Authority firefighters from three PHA fire stations. PHA first responders included Jr. Captain Jason Cones, Robert Lacour, Mike Stallings and Dean Bailey.

About the Port of Houston Authority

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, there are more than 7,700 vessel calls at the port, which ranks first in the U.S. in foreign waterborne tonnage and second in overall total tonnage. 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. The second recertification of those facilities in 2009 included an extension for the state-of-the-art Bayport Container Terminal. The port authority is the first port authority in the world to receive ISO 28000:2007 certification for its port police and the perimeter security operations at both the Barbours Cut and Bayport Terminals. 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.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=720



            

Contact Data