The project involves building a sidewalk that connects Jacinto City to Galena Park to help schoolchildren get to and from school safely.

Those cities identified a need for an avenue to allow people to walk through Port Houston property that is used for dredge disposal, Port Houston Executive Director Roger Guenther noted.

“We appreciate the partnership with our local officials to move this forward,” Guenther said.

This project also illustrates well the partnerships goal in Port Houston’s strategic plan and our connections to community strategy in our master plan.

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Caption: Port Chairman Janiece Longoria, Port Commissioners Clyde Fitzgerald and John Kennedy and Brian Fielkow, CEO of Jetco Delivery Co. with Harris County Judge Ed Emmett.

Port Houston participated at the Harris County International Trade and Transportation Conference, hosted by Harris County Judge Ed Emmett's office Dec. 5.

Executive Director Roger Guenther served on a panel with Mediterranean Shipping Company and MTS Logistics that focused on creating capacity for more cargo and freight in the region.

“We have room to grow; we are planning for the future,” Guenther said regarding capacity and the availability of equipment at the port’s facilities. He also shared that the port is looking at customer demand, freight mobility, terminal yard space and vessel size considerations.

One of out of every three exported container from Port Houston contains plastic resins, noted Guenther.

Jim Crane, owner of the World Series winning Houston Astros and the CEO of Crane Capital Group, was the keynote speaker during the event and discussed a variety of topics, including the port.

“The more we invest in the port, the more we can do,” Crane said. ‘We also have three great railroads here. We have the ability to run more business.”

There was also a polyethylene market overview by IHS Markit and a trucking and real estate panel.

Port Houston's FTZ Program and Economic Development Manager Shane Williams was a moderator during a foreign trade zone session. Port Houston manages FTZ 84, which is one of the most successful foreign trade zones in the United States.

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Port Houston staff participated at the 2017 Harris County International Trade and Transportation Conference at NRG Park Oct. 31.

Executive Director Roger Guenther served on a port and Hurricane Harvey supply chain panel, while Chief Port Operations Officer Jeff Davis discussed port operations during a resin exports and packaging session.

The annual conference brings together representatives connected to the transportation industry to learn about the latest challenges, technologies and trends affecting their businesses.

Harris County and its surrounding region is known as a gateway to North America and a center for global commerce.

“What is important is how freight gets to where it needs to go. Freight drives the Texas economy,” said Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, who welcomed the attendees.

During the port panel with Port Houston, Port Freeport, the Port of Corpus Christi and the Port of Beaumont, moderator Curtis Spencer, president of IMS Worldwide, Inc. said, “These Texas ports will be a return on investment for exports.”

Houston's 10 area refineries represent 12 percent of the U.S. refining capacity. 

ExxonMobil and other refineries along the Houston Ship Channel are expanding capacity for an increased demand of plastic resins and petroleum-based products. “Each supplier is working to develop a supply chain model that fits its unique needs,” said Perry Padden, Americas Logistics and Distribution Manager for ExxonMobil Chemical Company.

“I think that the Port of Houston is taking some great steps,” added Brian Fielkow, Jetco Companies representative on port operations and planning for future resins.

Houston is the largest export port in the nation.

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