Houston to spend US$35 million on Bayport CT as box volumes shrink

THE Port of Houston Authority has approved nearly US$35 million in contracts for Bayport Container Terminal improvements, comprising a $33.2 million contract to Satterfield & Pontikes Construction to build the phase three entry and exit gate, and authorised a $1.1 million amendment to its contract with Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam.


At the meeting chief executive officer Alec Dreyer noted that February had been a "tough" month owing to foggy weather for 11 consecutive days "when port activities were adversely affected by fog delays or were shut down entirely," a statement from port authorities said.


Container volumes in February fell six per cent in TEU terms, and container tonnage was down two per cent compared to the same month last year. In the first two months of the year, TEU volumes were flat compared to last year, while container tonnage was up two per cent overall.


Mr Dreyer was cited as saying that container volumes for March looked "reasonably strong" during the first three weeks of the month, and he predicted a return to a stronger growth by the end of March.


In spite of the foggy weather, he described steel as having an "excellent" month in February, with the port handling more than 230,000 tons, an increase of 84 per cent compared to the same month in 2010. In the first two months of the year steel volumes were up 740,000 tons or 69 per cent over last year.


Mr Dreyer added, "Turning Basin revenue for the first two months is up some 23 per cent, which is directly related to the strong increase in steel."
(Source:http://www.schednet.com)