All of the Port Commissioners will play a role in this council, and this updated platform will help Port Houston leadership better engage community stakeholders who have a vested interest in what we do and who are, in some way, connected to our mission. Members of the council include representatives from Pleasantville, the West Gulf Maritime Association, Harris County, Air Alliance and recreational users of Galveston Bay, among others. The council members will serve 2-year terms. 

“Consistent with our recently adopted strategic plan where Partnerships is a strategic goal, this council will help promote deeper engagement and understanding between local communities and Port Houston, as we work to provide a more open line of communication and robust dialog opportunities,” said Ric Campo, Port Houston Chairman.

Port Houston is committed to building and strengthening partnerships with its surrounding neighbors and seeking greater community and stakeholder involvement in the activities of the organization.  “As a neighbor to many, it’s important that Port Houston continues to build strong relationships with the community. Whether working on smaller, very localized initiatives or something like the Houston Ship Channel Expansion – Project 11, those community relationships play a key role in our success,” said Leslie Herbst, director of community relations and events for Port Houston.

Learn more about our community engagement here: https://porthouston.com/community-outreach/.

The post Port Houston Continues Commitment to Community Engagement: New Port Commission Community Advisory Council Launched appeared first on Port Houston.

Caption: Peninsula Road

The $12.7 million Peninsula Road construction project near Port Houston's Jacintoport and CARE Terminals has been completed. The two-way road was widened to accommodate three lanes inbound and one lane outbound and will greatly improve traffic flow and safety. The project was completed by Harris Co. Precinct 2 in partnership with the Texas Department of Transportation and Port Houston. The improvement, which took nearly 18 months to complete, is expected to bring $123 million in benefits to the Houston region over 10 years.

The area was one of the most congested roads in the port region and resulted in a number of accidents. In addition to improving the congestion and safety of this area, the project benefits include decreasing supply chain costs. Rail crossing safety has also been improved, with train signals added at six locations and crossing arms at five of those locations. The rail crossings are operated by Port Terminal Railroad Association and Union Pacific.

Port Houston contributed $800,000 to the project. The Port also facilitated Harris County’s participation in the Texas Legislature’s Rider 48 Grant Program and the project was awarded up to $10.2 million.

“Port Houston is proud to have worked on sourcing project funding on behalf of our industrial and governmental stakeholders on this project and appreciates their involvement in making this happen,” said Bruce Mann, freight mobility director for Port Houston. “It has been great to be part of this project from the beginning, and to now see the de-bottlenecking that has occurred and the significant improvements to safety for both the railroad and roadway users.”

“This project will make a big difference in our county’s infrastructure,” said Adrian Garcia, commissioner for Harris County Precinct 2. “This road has been overdue for an upgrade to handle heavy truck use for many years, and I am very pleased that it’s now complete. I want to thank our partners at Port Houston and TXDOT for their hard work in upgrading this roadway.”

The post Peninsula Road Project Completed: Port Partnership Makes Moving Freight Safer appeared first on Port Houston.

Caption: Associated Testing workers.

Founded in 1959 by Edward Scearce, Associated Testing Laboratories is a pioneer for testing technology. It is a local small business with nearly 50 employees – an accredited multi-discipline engineering and testing firm that specializes in construction materials testing and geotechnical engineering.

Precise testing and accurate sampling are key factors to making sure construction materials meet engineering specifications, noted Javier Infante, executive vice president for Associated Testing Laboratories. From asphalt and concrete to soil or steel inspections, they handle a number of diverse projects, such as the Houston Ship Channel Bridge Project where they recently performed materials testing.

With the Port of Houston being one of the largest industrial complexes in the state of Texas, there’s no surprise that the company chose to become certified with Port Houston’s small business program.  

“The Port’s small business program is one of the best around compared to those that we have been involved with. There are no other programs like the Port’s,” said Infante. “The contract and training opportunities are well communicated by the small business staff.” The company’s exposure and knowledge about the Port has helped them win many projects through business development.

“It is organizations like Port Houston that keep our small businesses thriving in the community. There are many project opportunities available. We are fortunate to have had success and results with our involvement in the program by meeting prime contractors at Port Houston’s events,” Infante said. 

The company has also worked with both Houston airports, local school districts, METRO Houston, the City of Houston and Harris County.

Associated Testing Laboratories understands the value of engineering and supporting their people who work hard to make the projects happen. “Our people are the foundation of our company. We are committed to their development, motivation and recognition,” said Jasbir Singh, president of Associated Testing Laboratories. “The primary purpose of our business is to provide prompt, accurate and cost-effective geotechnical and construction materials testing.”

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Caption: Quintin Reynolds

It takes a lot of hands to move cargo across Port Houston’s docks, including the maintenance staff, who support Port Houston’s equipment and assets. One of the essential Port employees working on the front lines throughout the COVID-19 pandemic is Quintin Reynolds, a maintenance foreman at the Barbours Cut Container Terminal, who recently received recognition for 45 years of service at Port Houston.

Reynolds and his department is responsible for maintaining daily equipment readiness for 15 ship-to-shore (STS) cranes at the facility. These cranes are some of the Port’s critical operational assets and are the primary maritime industry equipment for loading and unloading containers. The job can be challenging – the number one goal of the maintenance department is to keep downtime at the terminal to a minimum. In this high tempo work environment, Port Houston strives to maintain a 15-minute repair rate and 99 percent crane uptime.

It’s a job Reynolds takes seriously. “Being an essential employee during these unprecedented times is an honor. Maintenance plays a vital role in operations at Port Houston to keep our supply chains moving,” said Reynolds.

In his 45 years of experience working for Port Houston, he’s never experienced a world-wide situation like COVID-19, he noted. “It’s a severe concern, and Port Houston has quickly mitigated the potential issues and allowed for business to continue under these circumstances,” said Reynolds. “I’m proud to be a part of this team and contribute to the greater community that relies on us.”

Reynolds joined the Port in 1975 as a laborer assigned to the Public Grain Elevator and advanced up the ladder quickly in the maintenance department to become a millwright. After 17 years at the Turning Basin terminal, he moved to the Barbours Cut Container Terminal and has been there ever since. During his career at Port Houston, Reynolds has participated in 13 container crane inspection trips to Asia, where the equipment is built. He has had the opportunity to see the cranes constructed, from the time they were pieces of steel plate to when they became finished products and were loaded for transport to Houston.

His son Bodie is also a foreman in the maintenance department at the Barbours Cut Container Terminal. “It is a father’s dream to watch my son evolve into a position that most aspire and do not obtain until several years of service,” said Reynolds. “It’s exciting to see my son follow in my footsteps.”

Reynolds was recognized at the January Port Commission meeting by Executive Director Roger Guenther and the Port Commission for his years of dedicated service. “I enjoy my work because it is not a routine job and no two days are the same,” he said. “Being a Port Houston employee means a lot to me. My job at the Port has given me a good income to provide for my family. Serving the Port for 45 years is by far one of my greatest achievements in my lifetime.”

The post Keeping the Cranes Running: Port Houston Maintenance Veteran and Essential Worker Recognized for 45 Years of Service appeared first on Port Houston.

Cheryl D. Creuzot has been appointed to the Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority by the City of Houston.

Creuzot is the president and chief executive officer of Wealth Development Strategies, LLC, a position she has held since 2001. The company, which is one of Houston's oldest comprehensive financial planning firms, offers personalized solutions for individuals and business professionals who want to protect, grow and efficiently distribute their wealth.

She is a director at the Greater Houston Partnership and on the board of several organizations, including: The University of Houston Board of Visitors, the University of Houston Foundation and the Board of Visitors of the MD Anderson Cancer Center. Creuzot succeeds Theldon Branch III, who has served as a Port Commissioner since 2013.

Stephen H. DonCarlos has been reappointed by the Harris County Mayors and Councils Association as Port Commissioner. He was first appointed in 2013 by the association, which is an organization representing 26 cities in Harris County. DonCarlos chairs the Governance Committee and serves on the Community Relations Committee.

DonCarlos was elected as mayor of Baytown in May 2006 and served in that capacity for more than twelve years. He is an attorney with Reid, Strickland & Gillette, L.L.P.

Wendy Montoya Cloonan was also reappointed to the Port Commission by Harris County Commissioners Court in late January. She was originally appointed to the position in June of 2019, succeeding former Port Commissioner John D. Kennedy, who retired after serving on the commission since December 2012.

Cloonan most recently served as Director of Legal for the Houston Endowment. Before joining the Houston Endowment in 2015, she was an attorney with Andrews Kurth LLP and Vinson & Elkins LLP. On the Port Commission, Mrs. Cloonan serves on the Community Relations Committee, Compensation Committee and Procurement and Small Business Task Force.

Port Commissioners are responsible for providing guidance to the Port Houston executive team and enacting appropriate policies to ensure that the Port continues to lead as an economic engine for the region, state and nation. These policies can involve adopting plans, such as Port Houston’s new strategic plan adopted earlier this year. Other Commission responsibilities include approving the purchasing or disposing of real estate and other property, setting rates and adopting budgets.

Learn more about the Port Commission here: https://porthouston.com/leadership/the-port-commission/.

The post Creuzot Appointed to Port Commission: DonCarlos, Cloonan Reappointed appeared first on Port Houston.

Container activity at Port Houston, the largest container port on the United States Gulf Coast, began slowing in late March as expected due to the coronavirus pandemic, but was still up for the first quarter of 2020..

Port Houston handled a total of 248,280 twenty-foot-equivalent units (TEUs) in March, a drop of 11 percent compared to March of 2019, when 280,721 TEUs were recorded.  However, for the full year, Port Houston handled 773,087 TEUs through March, compared to 694,167 TEUs for the same period last year. That marks an increase of 11 percent for the first quarter. 

The latest data from PIERS shows that while the U.S. container trade overall has contracted by more than 5 percent year-to-date, Port Houston has expanded by a similar amount. Nevertheless, in March Port Houston saw a total of seven blank sailings.

Port Houston’s Bayport and Barbours Cut container terminals are important to the local, state and national economies as well as the supply chain, Executive Director Roger Guenther noted. Cargo moving across our docks reaches some 100 million residents as well as exporters and manufacturers throughout America’s heartland.

“We must remain open for business to help international commerce continue during this difficult period,” Guenther said. “We also must support the economy with the necessary infrastructure to rebound when this global pandemic is brought under control.”

The post Port Houston Container Volumes Slowing, But Remain Steady appeared first on Port Houston.

Caption: Container-on-barge transiting along the Houston Ship Channel.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) announced its latest round of grants for its America’s Marine Highway Program. Port Houston was one of nine U.S. ports awarded funding, receiving a grant for development of a business case study to explore options of building a container-on-barge facility.

Continuously striving for innovation and a diverse business portfolio, we will use the $180,000 grant to create an Operational Plan to determine if building a container-on-barge facility, located near either of our two container terminals, is a feasible option.

This study is part of an effort to explore potential for future growth and opportunities for infrastructure modifications. “This grant is an opportunity for us to explore new avenues for handling freight with greater efficiency, as volumes in this region continue to grow,” said Rich Byrnes, chief infrastructure officer for Port Houston. “We are honored to be a grant recipient and to work with MARAD.”

This is the second grant that Port Houston has received from MARAD. The first grant, for $10 million, was to build wharf 2 at the Bayport Container Terminal.

The post U.S. Department of Transportation MARAD Grant Awarded to Port Houston appeared first on Port Houston.

With a desire to aid local commerce and to promote economic development and job creation, Port Houston has commissioned a disparity study to evaluate equal opportunity and fairness in its procurement and contracting process. A public meeting was held Oct. 22.

Port Houston has partnered with Griffin & Strong, a law and public policy consulting firm, to complete this study. The study will gather information necessary to determine whether all qualified firms have the maximum practicable opportunity to compete for and participate in Port Houston’s procurement of prime contracts and associated subcontracts and, if indicated by the evidence, will support the use of strategies to ensure such opportunity.

At the October port commission meeting, Port Chairman Ric Campo expressed his enthusiasm and support for the process and welcomed the opportunities the study will present.

Gilda Ramirez, who oversees Port Houston’s small business program, lauded Griffin & Strong’s involvement.

“We are happy to have Griffin & Strong on board to help us ensure that we are reaching minority audiences and the public when it comes to our procurement and contract opportunities,” Ramirez said.

The post Port Houston Disparity Study Launched appeared first on Port Houston.

Port Houston is focused on developing the workforce and helping drive success of small businesses in the Houston region. In 2019, the port held a small business industry forum on doing business with port maintenance services.

“We are an operating port with more than 3,000 assets and pieces of equipment, which is where small businesses support us when we have projects at our terminals,” said Mike Gignac, general manager for maintenance services for Port Houston’s Turning Basin terminal. Port Houston purchases maintenance-related products and services ranging from wharf cranes to technology and paper products.

Our small business development staff also shared the port’s procurement system and registration requirements to become eligible to bid on Port Houston work.

“This event is designed to help local small businesses meet some of the buyers and decision makers to learn about the port’s needs for goods and services in specific departments,” said Gilda Ramirez, senior director of small business and education outreach for Port Houston. 

The post Port Houston Educates Small Businesses on Maintenance Opportunities appeared first on Port Houston.

Caption: Aerial view of Houston Ship Channel.

A professional services contract of $5.5 million was approved by the Port Commission and awarded to TC&B/GBA, a joint venture of Turner Collie and Braden, Inc. and Gahagan & Bryant Associates, Inc. at the September Port Commission meeting.

The ship channel expansion work includes critical-path professional services for engineering, design and project coordination. The widening and deepening of the ship channel will allow for economic growth to continue. Given significant demand from industry to take advantage of current economic conditions and facilitate future growth, the Port of Houston Authority has proposed an expedited schedule whereby dredging could begin by 2021 and the project be completed in 2024.

The Houston Ship Channel is the busiest deep-draft international trade waterway in the nation, and improvements are needed for safety and the future growth of regional and national commerce.

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