HOUSTON, May 19, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Congressman Peter King (R-N.Y.), Ranking Member of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security, visited the Port of Houston today and was briefed on the Port of Houston's multi-layered security program by representatives of the Port of Houston Authority and its federal and local government partners. He also toured the PHA's Mobile Command Center.
Photos accompanying this release are available at http://media.primezone.com/poha/
One of the largest ports in the world, the Port of Houston is made up of the Port of Houston Authority and more than 150 private industrial companies along the Houston Ship Channel, which is home to the second largest petrochemical complex in the world.
To improve security within the Houston Ship Channel area, PHA, industry leaders and local area government came together to propose the creation of a unique public-private partnership, the Houston Ship Channel Security District. The purpose of the district is to provide operation and maintenance funds to leverage and support an improved security infrastructure across the Houston Ship Channel. The district was authorized by the Texas State Legislature in 2007 through H.B. 3011, authored by Texas State Representative Wayne Smith and sponsored by Texas State Senator Mike Jackson.
"The Houston Ship Channel Security District is an innovative step forward," said King, who created the first draft of port security legislation. "I was struck by the tremendous level of cooperation. We are in a new world since 9/11 and we must find ways to finance security needs and work together with law enforcement. You can never have enough levels of security but the Port of Houston is doing as much as it can do."
Capt. William J. Diehl, U.S. Coast Guard, Houston-Galveston Sector Commander, said, "The cooperation shown along the Houston Ship Channel to initiate a more regional approach to security is something we very much support at the U.S. Coast Guard. We are looking forward to working with the district and see many benefits to this cooperative partnership."
When fully implemented, the Houston Ship Channel Security District will provide an integrated security strategy which increases the level of security for both the waterside and landside facilities along the Houston Ship Channel, as well as the associated supply chain and support industry surrounding the ship channel. The projects and services of the district are designed to increase preparedness and response needed to address potential threats within the district boundary.
In addition to the Port of Houston Authority, security district members may include East Harris County Manufacturers Association; Maritime company facilities regulated by MTSA (Maritime Transportation Security Act); and Harris County and a representative appointed by the Harris County Mayors and Councils Association.
Ship channel security partners include Harris County Precinct 2; Harris County Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Management; Harris County Sheriff's Office; TranStar partners -- TxDOT, METRO and City of Houston; Houston Ship Channel Security Council; University of Houston; and the U.S. Coast Guard.
Captions
PHA Managing Director Wade Battles explains some of the high-tech communications equipment at PHA's Mobile Command Center to Congressman Peter King (R-N.Y.)
Chief Dennis Storemski, Director, Mayor's Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security, City of Houston; PHA Managing Director Wade Battles; Carlos Fontanez, Operations Specialist, Houston Field Office, U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Sylvia Garcia, Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner; Capt. William Diehl, U.S. Coast Guard, Houston-Galveston Sector Commander; Congressman Peter King (R-N.Y.); David Seitz, East Harris County Manufacturers Association; PHA Commissioner Janiece Longoria; and PHA Operations Director Jimmy Jamison.
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 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. PHA is the first port authority in the world to receive ISO 28000:2007 certification for 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
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://www.primenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=720
The photos are also available via AP PhotoExpress.
