Jul2011 newsletter

Port Bureau News July 2011

www.txgulf.org

The Ports of Texas Beaumont Orange Port Arthur Houston Galveston

Texas City Freeport Victoria Palacios Port Lavaca

Point Comfort Corpus Christi Brownsville Harlingen Port Isabel

Spotlight on Captain Wally Hogan Presiding Officer—Galveston/TX City Pilots Association

SPECIAL INSERT: 14 Texas Port Chartlets

Port Bureau Staff Bill Diehl Jeannie Angeli Al Cusick Jonathan Edwards Cristina Gomez Janette Molina Patrick Seeba Josh Whitehead

Board of Directors *Tom Marian—Chairman *Dennis Hansell—1st Vice Chair. *Mike Drieu—2nd Vice Chair. *John Taylor—Secretary /Treas. *Robert H. Blades *Alec Dreyer *Charles H. Flournoy *Capt. Steve Conway

Advertise in the Port Bureau News and Reach 3,500+ Maritime Professionals

*Capt. John G. Peterlin III

1 Month

6 Months

Full Year

1/6th Page

$100

$550

$960

Half Page

$250

$900

$1,500

Full Page

$500

$1,500

$2250

*Capt. Richard Russell *Steve Stewart *Nathan Wesely Jim Black Ken Burnett Jan Crittenden Celeste Harris Jason Hayley Kevin Hickey Guy W. Hitt Charlie Jenkins

Membership (Calendar Year)

$600

Advertisement cost includes 10 hard copies of each issue for distribution.

Port Bureau Membership required for advertising in the Port Bureau News.

Shareen Larmond Kathy Murray Jerry Nagel Vinny Pilegge Nolan Richardson Lloyd Schwing Earl Smith Tim Studdert Lawrence Waldron Armando Waterland Don Welch *Denotes Executive Committee Members

Bringing a Ship Into the United States from Europe?

Applications for inspection of non-U.S. flagged vessels in the USCG Activities Europe zone can be made on-line at http://www.uscg.mil/acteur/ nonusrequest.asp. Please note that in order to schedule this inspection the Coast Guard will require evidence that the vessel has a firm commitment and is scheduled to discharge or load cargo in the United States. Particulars, including which port and when, will be required with the application for inspection.

Applicants requesting an overseas Certificate of Compliance inspection must remit payment of two fees including the $4,585 Overseas Inspection Fee and the

Captain’s Corner

The View from 12,400 Feet Earlier this month I took my vacation and went to New Mexico to hike through the Philmont Boy Scout Ranch with my two sons and nine other boys.

We covered 63 miles of rugged country, climbed peaks as high as 12,400’ and saw plenty of wildlife. It was beautiful, peaceful, and a workout on my aging knees (I’m only a teenager in spirit). One of the life lessons that I think the boys walked out of the woods with was as simple as: no matter how difficult life gets, you’ve got to keep walking.

Upon returning, I cannot help to think that we as the maritime community are facing many tough climbs ahead of us. We have a nation that depends on us for everything from commercial project cargo to clothes, yet the public perception of our industry almost as a non-entity. When there is public discussion of the maritime industry, very few seem to understand how much we impact the lives of everyone who lives in our country. When a congressional delegation was in the office this week, we were asked “Do you have a good, clean, easy to understand number that you can come up with that talks about the Port of Houston?” When I told them that every inch of silting was costing us upwards of $30 million a year and that we were doing over $322 million of business in this port every day, I had to wait for them to recover. The surprise on everyone’s face was pretty telling to me that we have a maritime highway system (our channels) that cannot be seen and because of that, its been badly neglected—even though we are paying more than enough into the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund—a user-funded maintenance tax. All of this is evidence of a simple truth: we have no national maritime strategy.

Here is what jumps out at me. The ports are big business and critical to our nation’s jobs and economy. Take a look at the maps displayed in this issue and take in the facility names to understand how important our industry is. Ports from the Sabine Channel to Freeport generate over $400 million of business a day, but unlike the air industry (FAA) and highway department (FHA), within our Federal Government we don’t have public interest or a strong agency advocating for us at the tough budget discussion tables. They say ships don’t vote, but surely the over 1,000,000 citizens of Texas employed because of the maritime industry deserve to have their voices heard. Next week, I’ll be making my third trip to DC to champion our maritime community—it’s tough to get the necessary political consideration, but I’ll keep on walking. –B. Diehl, GHPB

The Port of Houston The Port of Houston's 25-mile long complex comprised of both public and private facilities is the powerhouse port of the Gulf of Mexico. Between the Port of Houston Authority’s public terminals and over 150 private industrial companies along the Houston Ship Channel, the Port of Houston moves more ships and more cargo than almost anyone else in North America. The port was established nearly 100 years ago, and it has since grown into one of the largest United States’ ports, because of its strategic location central to the Gulf.

The Port of Houston is ranked 1st in the country for overall foreign waterborne tonnage, and 2nd in the country for total tonnage. With over 8,000 vessel calls a year and 150,000 barge movements, the Port of Houston is by far the busiest port in the nation.

Port of Houston at a Glance 

8 Public Terminals



150+ Private Terminals



210 Million Tons Handled/Year



1.8 Million TEUs Handled/Year



8,000+ Deep Draft Vessel Arrivals



150,000 Barge Movements



$322 Million/Day of Business

The Houston Ship Channel spans over 50 miles, past Galveston Bay, passing the ports of Galveston and Texas City, and crossing the Gulf Intercoastal Waterway, allowing deepwater vessels access to the Gulf of Mexico and barges protected travel to American inland ports. The deepening and widening project a few years ago changed the Houston Ship Channel’s dimensions from its original width of 400 ft. and depth of 40 ft. to a width of 500 ft. and a depth of 45 ft. The port is looking forward to maximizing available funds and capacities and improving the waterway in order to accommodate more traffic safely and securely. The Port of Houston is doing everything it can in order to accommodate the maritime industry of the future while proactively protecting public interests by phasing developments based on market conditions and cargo movement trends.

The Port of Houston Authority recently presented a set of strategic initiatives for development over the coming decade. Included in the report is a set of priorities for work on the Houston Ship Channel—work that will keep commerce flowing for public and private facilities alike. These objectives include deepening and widening the Bayport Channel, easing the turn at the Bayport flare, deepening the Barbours Cut Channel and shifting it north to allow for a larger berthing area, securing adequate funding for operations and maintenance of the channel by vigorously supporting initiatives to fix issues with the Harbor Maintenance Trust Fund, and optimize dredged material disposal area capacity.

The Port of Houston contains a $15 billion petrochemical complex, which is the largest in the United States and the second largest in the world. In addition, over a 100 steamship lines offer services providing links from the Port of Houston to over 1000 ports worldwide in over 200 countries.

The port currently has an ongoing plan to reduce portrelated emissions, the Clean Air Strategy Plan (CASP), a copy of which is now available online at the Port of Houston Authority’s Website. Initiated by the Port of Houston Authority, participation by the over 150 privately-owned companies in the project is voluntary. Participation by companies will help to reduce air pollutants and their harmful affects for the state of Texas. Other recent news covering the Port of Houston includes the approval by the Port Commission of the formation of a task force and memoranda of friendship and trade cooperation between the Port of Houston Authority and two ports in the country of Mexico. –P. Seeba, J. Whitehead, GHPB

The Port of Galveston The Port of Galveston has its beginnings in a trading post from 1825, and is one of the oldest ports along the Gulf Coast. From its formal foundation in 1940 as a separate utility of the city of Galveston, the port has grown to over 850 acres of facilities today, located along the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and at the entrance to the Galveston Bay. The port is at the north side of Galveston Island, and the properties extend to the adjacent Pelican Island.

Governed by the seven-member Board of Trustees of the Galveston Wharves, the Port of Galveston’s channel has a 1200 feet minimum width and a depth of 45 feet, runs directly alongside the Gulf Intercoastal Waterway, and provides direct access to the Gulf of Mexico, located 30 minutes sailing time (9 miles) from the docks. Also equipped to handle cargo ranging from breakbulk and Ro-Ro to liquid/dry bulk and containers, the port is a year-round homeport to three cruise vessels from Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Lines, and beginning in 2012, Disney Cruise Lines will also have a ship calling the Port of Galveston home. Like the Port of Houston Authority up the channel, the Port of Galveston is mandated to be an economic catalyst for the region by building, maintaining and either leasing or operating public wharf facilities so they are self sufficient.

Port of Galveston facilities include connections to both the UP and BNSF class one lines through the Galveston Railroad company, a short line railroad operating 32 miles of track over a 50 acres of terminal space.

With a Ro-Ro Cargo Terminal of over 55 acres, and other Ro-Ro facilities in the West End, the Port of Galveston represents one of the major Ro-Ro hubs on the Gulf coast. In addition, a refrigerated warehouse terminal services the importation of bananas and other fruit while grain elevators can store up to 3,000,000 bushels at a time. The port’s project and general cargo terminals are currently being used as a transshipment point for electric generating windmills but also see use moving steel and other break-bulk cargos.

The facilities on nearby Pelican Island include a marine repair facility and many properties available for lease and development along the Galveston Channel. The property is 100 acres, and is only six miles from Interstate 45. The marine repair facility is 107 acres, has dry dock with a 60000-ton lift capacity, and depth of 25 to 40 feet. The repair facility also includes fabrication areas, construction equipment, pier space, and engineering, modification, repair and environmental services which are provided to the marine community. The Pier 40-41 repair terminal, and pelican island shipyards are significant employers representing hundreds of jobs to Galveston County.

Port of Galveston at a Glance 

9.8 Million Tons Handled/Year



789,000 Passengers Handled/Year



11,000 TEUs Handled/Year



944 Vessel Arrivals



7,250 Acres

The Port of Galveston is among regional economic powerhouses leading the charge in recovering from the economic recession of 2008-2009.

In 2010, the port saw a 40% increase in total cargo tonnage, a 10% increase in passenger traffic, and a 50% increase in liquid bulk cargo. The Port of Galveston’s 2010 report details the port’s strengths including their diversified cargo portfolio and dividends realized from the Channel Deepening project which brought 45’ capacity to terminals. With expansions to Cruise Terminal 1, rail infrastructure work at the pier 30-32 grain elevator, and the refrigerated warehouse terminal, the Port of Galveston is gearing up to take any cargo that needs to reach the over 60 million consumers along the Gulf Coast. –P. Seeba, J. Whitehead. GHPB

The Port of Texas City For more than a century, the Port of Texas City, Texas City Terminal Railway Company, has served as the gateway to economic progress for the City of Texas City, the State of Texas and the Nation.

The Port of Texas City, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Navigation Data Center’s 2009 Statistical Data, is the 10th largest Port of the 150 Ports in the United States and the 4th largest in Texas. With waterborne tonnage exceeding 50 million net tons annually, the Port is the 6th largest Port in the Gulf of Mexico and provides dockside and rail service to worldwide leaders in the petrochemical industry.

The Port of Texas City is privately owned by the Texas City Terminal Railway Company and is the largest privately owned port in the country. It was founded in 1893 as a harbor and rail operation. The initial purchase of 10,000 acres of land was later divided, and 5,000 of those acres were given to the City of Texas City. Such foresight and planning has characterized Port management throughout its long history, a history in which the owners consistently encouraged the industrial and commercial development of the area.

Protected from the Gulf of Mexico’s weather by Shoal Point, the Port maintains 43 state of the art berths and averages 1,300 ships and 6,000 barges per year. Recognizing the importance of seamless intermodal transport, the Port provides land links through its switching terminal. Texas City Terminal Railway Company, with connections to the BNSF and Union Pacific, transports approximately 25,000 carloads per year.

Business partners of the Port of Texas City include Sterling Chemicals, Enterprise Crude Pipeline LLC, Nustar Energy LLC, BP, Marathon Petroleum Company, Valero Refining Company, Oxbow Carbon & Minerals LLC, Bollinger Shipyard, and Oiltanking Texas City.

Recently at the Port, the deepening of the Texas City Ship Channel was completed, as well as, the deepening of Docks 11, 12, 40, and 41. With the completion of the new 45 foot Channel, the benefits of the deeper Channel are not limited to just the local refineries in Texas City. Through Enterprise’s pipeline system, the refineries in Houston and beyond are able to receive crude oil via the newly deepened Channel. Associated with the deepening project, NOAA is currently in the process of updating their nautical charts which will show the new 45 foot-deep channel and will aid the mariners and the Galveston-Texas City Pilots who routinely bring deep draft vessels to the Port.

In addition to the work on the Channel, open water placement areas are being constructed off the Texas City Channel in Galveston Bay. This work is associated with the deepening project and is being conducted by the US Army Corps Engineers’ contractor Weeks Marine. All work is scheduled to be completed by November of this year. –P. Seeba, GHPB

Port Freeport With a history extending back over a century, and an economic impact of over $10.2 billions annually, Port Freeport has grown today into one of the largest ports not only on the Gulf Coast, but of the entire country. Responsible for over 25,000 jobs, Port Freeport is currently ranked 16th in terms of foreign tonnage in the United States, and is one of the most accessible on the Gulf Coast, offering highway, railroad, and sea access, including the port’s channel, which is 400 ft. wide and 45 ft. deep.

In accordance with an act of Texas Legislature from 1925, the port is self governing—elected by local residents, a six member port commission oversees port direction in staggered six year terms. In 2011, John Hoss and Shane Pirtle were elected as Port Freeport’s newest commissioners.

Port Freeport at a Glance 

27.4 Million Tons Handled/Year



75,000 TEUs Handled/Year



155,000 Trucks/Year



50,000 Railcars/Year



11,696 direct/13,735 Induced Jobs



900 Deep Draft Arrivals/Year



7,250 Acres



Top Trading Partners 1. Brazil

Port Freeport's extensive range of facilities include 14 operating berths, public and private docks, a climate controlled facility, over 7700 acres of undeveloped land and 186 acres of developed land. Port Freeport’s foreign trade zone (Number 149) encompasses more than 3,500 acres in Brazoria county and nearly 980 acres in Ft. Bend county, enhancing the region’s competitiveness by allowing customers to defer or eliminate customs duties on imported goods. The port also has plans for future extension, including two multi-purpose 1200 ft. long berths, two 120,000 sq. ft. dockside transit sheds, and a 1300-acre multi-modal facility.

Port Freeport also currently is undertaking a deepening and widening project in partnership with the US Army Corps of Engineers. The preliminary cost-to-benefit ratio indicates that the project will benefit the region an estimated $700 million, more than double the $347 million cost which will be split between the Port and federal government.

Port tenants such as American Rice, Chiquita Brands International, Dole Fresh Fruit, and Turbana ensure that Texan groceries are well stocked, but other port tenants such as Freeport LNG, Teppco/Seaway and RBC/ 3. Costa Rica Suzlon Wind Energy bring in products that keep America moving by provid4. Cuba (Export)/Guatemala (Import) ing power and fuel. Non Port Freeport tenants that operate in the port also include BASF, Conoco Phillips and Dow Chemical Company. One of Port Freeport’s most unique and productive facilities is the Deepwater Berth. Providing a nearly 70 foot depth, is secluded from heavy winds and other ship traffic and is used for semi-submersible vessels as they carry out super-heavy load operations such as moving liftboats and crane barges. Port Freeport is also developing the Velasco Terminal, a major container terminal with 110 acres of backland designed to handle vessels with drafts up to 55 feet. The Velasco terminal will allow the port to hold an additional 800,000 TEUs a year at buildout with a development cost of approximately $350 million.

2. Colombia

Port Freeport’s commitment to the local environment and community is manifest in their non-economic operations as well. Since 2001, Port Freeport has sponsored an annual Take-A -Child-Fishing tournament giving away prizes to several hundred local children each spring. This is in addition to the port’s educational tours, work for the Brazosport Cares Food Pantry, and money raised in support of causes such as Brazoria County Association for Citizens with Handicaps. Port Freeport is also a key supporter of the Coastal Conservation Association of Brazoria County, a group which reaches out to local school children and educates them on the importance of being responsible stewards of the environment. –P. Seeba, J. Whitehead, GHPB

(top-left): Deputy Rick Anorga, Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Greg Fountain, Jefferson County OEM, Sheriff G. Mitch Woods, Jefferson County, Commander Joe Leonard, USCG Sector HoustonGalveston (upper-left): Bill Diehl, GHPB, RADM Roy Nash, Commander USCG District 8, ADM Robert Papp, Commandant, USCG, and RADM Tom Gilmour, USCG (Ret.), American Bureau of Shipping (lower -left): ADM Papp, Patrick Seeba, GHPB, CAPT James Whitehead, Commander, USCG Sector HoustonGalveston (bottomleft): Eric Chapman, USCG, Arthur Ross, Texas Terminals, CAPT Jim Jenkins, USCG Sector LA/LB, (bottomright) RADM Sinclair Harris, Director US Navy Office of Irregular Warfare, Tom Marian, Buffalo Marine Service (lower-right): Captain Wally Hogan, Galveston-Texas City Pilots, Bill Diehl, GHPB, (upper -right): The Port Bureau’s display, showcasing the HarborLights Vessel Tracking System at the Conference, (top -right): John Walker, USCG, Mike Ziesemer, Port of Galveston, Captain Mann USCG, and Captain Pete Simons, Port of Galveston.

Spotlight on Captain Wallace Hogan

Presiding Officer—Galveston-Texas City Pilots

“What’s one of the things that people may not know about pilots? Well, for one, we all have a very strong grip. When there’s no lee current out there on the bar, just boarding the ship can be tricky. Going up a ladder or up the gangway, we can have a wave go sideways on us and having the pilot boat pitch up and all of a sudden come and try to chase you up the ladder. I’ve had ladders break on me before… so you’ve got to have a very strong grip always holding on like your life depends on it—because it does.”

Captain Wallace Hogan has certainly boarded enough ships not only to have a strong grip, but a strong appreciation for the power of the sea. Born in 1961 in New York, Wally’s father worked for Todd Shipyard in Brooklyn before being transferred to Galveston—so at three years old, Wally got to Texas as quickly as he could. Hogan grew up in Dickinson during the Apollo era, and Wally’s early years show his interest in a life on the waterfront. “One thing I always knew how to do was find a boat to spend a coupla’ hours on: might’ve been a canoe, a flatbottom… I just loved getting out on the water.” In the summer after 11th grade, Wally got a job with G&H Towing as a Deckhand and the experience showed Wally that he wanted to make a living on the sea. Wally elected not to go to the King’s Point Maritime Academy, much to the chagrin of his father, but at 20 years old, Wally got his 2nd Class License.

With his 2nd Class (200 Ton) License Wally worked alongside a master—much like a student driver gets a learners permit when they start to drive—towing rigs, oceangoing barges, and offshore vessels. With the experience he gained, he was able to earn his sea time for his 1,600 Ton license with an ocean’s endorsement and soon earned a scholarship through the United States Transportation Institute that allowed him to go to Piney Point, Maryland to the Harry Lundeberg School of Seamanship. After leaving Piney Point, he came back and worked for G&H Towing until just before the turn of the century.

In February of 1999, Wally was selected as a Deputy Pilot by the Galveston-Texas City Pilots which kicked off two year training process during which time he transited hundreds of vessels. After he completed the deputy training program, he received his pilot’s commission from the State of Texas. Hogan calls himself a Hawsepiper—working his way through the ranks from an Ordinary Seaman to an Unlimited Pilot License—the culmination of a career on the sea. Over his career, he’s transited many thousands more vessels, and worked with dozens of pilots. “What’s one of the most hair-raising transits I’ve made? Well, we had a water spout from a tornado hit the starboard quarter of a cruise ship outbound at the Jettys. The force of the impact made the ship sheer starboard about 45 degrees and the ship took a 20 degree list, luckily we were exiting the Jettys at the time—you can just imagine if it happened in the harbor—but with a full left rudder, the bridge team and I were able to make adjustments and recover from the impact.”

As the Presiding Officer of the Pilots, Wally sees his job as one deeply focused not only on piloting ships but on building and maintaining industry partnerships throughout the region. “We have to keep the lines of communication open—not just with our customers, but with our fellow pilots. I’m proud of the work we’ve been able to do in recent years where we’ve made a concerted effort to pound the pavement, to get out and meet face-to-face with our customers and other stakeholders.” Wally is a regular fixture at industry events ranging from safety advisory committees such as HOGANSAC to public functions like the monthly Commerce Club luncheons.

Wally and his wife Maureen, an occupational health nurse for Selzer Turbine, have two sons and a daughter. Their oldest, Kevin is a BM3 for the United States Coast Guard stationed in St. Petersburg, Florida . Their other son, Matthew graduated from King’s Point Maritime Academy and works for Nobel Drilling, while their daughter Lauren is pursuing her Business/Marketing degree at the University of Texas at Tyler. When he’s not piloting, Wally can be found golfing, spending time with his family, and enjoying recreational boating and fishing.

The Galveston-Texas City Pilots guide vessels safely to their berths or out to sea. The Pilot’s primary responsibility is to protect the public interest of the State of Texas by facilitating the safe and efficient movement of vessels in state waters by exercising independent judgment to protect lives, the environment, property, and the economic well being of the Ports of Galveston County.

With 16 dedicated professionals, the Galveston-Texas City Pilots handle more than 2,000 vessel arrivals every year.

The Ports of the Sabine-Neches Channel Port of Beaumont The Port of Beaumont was officially established in 1949, though its history as a port extends all the way back to 1908. The Port of Beaumont became important as a shipping center soon after its establishment, and has grown over the years as the Sabine Channel was slowly developed. Its facilities continue to expand and improve so that it may continue to grow to further service the needs of the maritime and commerce industries.

The Port of Beaumont has a wide array of transportation options by means of rail, road and sea. The port offers rail transportation through the Burlington Northern Santa Fe, Kansas City Southern, and Union Pacific railways, connecting the port to locations all across the western and Midwestern United States and Mexico. Access for trucks is provided by five major highway connections; Interstate 10, US Highway 90, US Highway 69, US Highway 96, and US Highway 287.

Seas transportation and access is provided through the Sabine-Neches Waterway, which runs from the Port of Beaumont, through Lake Sabine, and out to the Gulf of Mexico. The port is also connected by the Intracoastal Waterway to ports along the Gulf Coast, from Mexico to Florida.

Port of Port Arthur The Port of Port Arthur is a intermodal transfer facility for shipping, and in 2000 completed an extension that added features to accommodate any of the needs of the maritime industry. This expansion included a transit shed to protect newsprint, wood pulp, paperboard and other forest products; and an expansion of the port’s existing 50-car dockside capacity to 150-car dockside capacity for businesses involved in the metal industry. The port focuses year-round on keeping up with the developing infrastructure needs of its customers.

The port’s main imports include steel slabs, wood pulp, newsprint, lumber, plywood, project cargo, and military cargo, while the port’s exports include linerboard, plywood, and steel pipes. The port’s total dock length is over 3100 feet, shed storage capacity is over 500,000 square feet, and also features 17 acres of open storage.

Port of Orange Established in 1916, the Port of Orange was built upon the completion of the Sabine Channel in the same year, which finally connected the Sabine Lake and pass to the Gulf of Mexico. The channel was gradually developed over the years to accommodate vessels of increasing size, enabling the port to expand even more.

The Port of Orange and its business partners offers services including a port-approved dumpster service, line handling, repair services, and others. The port is currently working on a project to construct a trans-modal marine yard, which will enable the port to handle new types of cargo and handle cargo in more innovative ways, and will include a 430-foot bulkhead for loading and unloading cargo onto barges, a loading and staging yard for transfers, and a three-lane roadway to allow more efficient movement of cargo at the port. -J. Whitehead, GHPB

Port Corpus Christi Since 1923, Port Corpus Christi has served vessels and businesses in the Gulf of Mexico, with constant dedication to service and security. The port is one of the few that does not receive tax money from the city or state, and many of the facilities available at the port are owned and operated as independent businesses.

The port’s accessibility is another of its distinguishing qualities. Port Corpus Christi is accessible by both land and sea by three Class I railroads, state and interstate highways, and direct access both to the Gulf Intercoastal Waterway and the Gulf of Mexico. With a ship channel maintained at of 45 feet, the Port of Corpus Christi is planning to increase the channel depth to 50 feet in coming years.

Besides accessibility, the port also features impressive storage capacity. More than 125 acres of open storage are available at the port alongside approximately 300,000 square feet of covered dockside storage capacity. With state-of-theart protection provided by a security department and an Environmental Management System, customers can experience ease of mind during their stay at the port.

Recently, the Port has begun one of the first major implementations of its Channel Improvement Project, one of the many initiatives the Port of Corpus Christi is taking to improve the experience of its customers and laborers. The Channel improvement Project aims at extending, widening, and deepening the ship channel as well as adding 200 foot Barge shelves and developing ecosystem restoration features to protect endangered species, wetlands, and sea grass. The envisioning and development of this project began back in 1990 through the port and the Army Corps of Engineers. Some aspects of this restoration project may see completion as early as 2012.

The Port of Corpus Christi at a Glance 

82.2 Million Tons Handled/Year



1,200 Deep Draft Arrivals/Year



4,300 Barge Movements/Year



39,260 Jobs



$2.2 Billion Personal Income



Top Export Commodities  Gasoline  Fuel Oil  Diesel  Feed Stock Top Import Commodities  Crude Oil  Fuel Oil  Gas Oil  Bauxite



In June the port saw the approval of a $15.5 million dollar share of funding for the extension of the La Quinta Ship Channel, and the ecosystem restoration. Once this project is completed, the ship channel will not only accommodate larger vessels, but will also feature barge lanes to separate traffic and allow construction of a multi-purpose dock and container handling facility. In addition, the construction of the restorative ecosystem will improve the quality of life for inhabitants of the sea and land alike along the Coastal Bend.

The construction of the channel extension is projected to begin later this year, and completion is planned for 2013. The Channel Improvement Project as a whole will bring jobs and economic recovery to the region surrounding Corpus Christi, through the increase of terminal construction and operations.

—P. Seeba, GHPB

Port Watch

Ups & Downs, Firming or Softening, Trade Picture Less than Clear Tom Marian, Buffalo Marine Service As summer arrived, flood waters began to slacken throughout the Mississippi River Valley and shipping throughout the Gulf Coast took on some semblance of normalcy. During the height of the “Rising Tide” travails a number of vessels were diverted to Texas ports as well as other ports east of Louisiana. Thus, there was an expectation that May would post respectable numbers against April’s blue water tallies. For the most part this was the case as the combined vessel arrival total for Texas ports registered a modest 2% increase for the month of May.

The Port of Freeport posted the most impressive gains with a 22% increase in vessel arrivals; however, Freeport is still off by nearly 3% over last year’s arrival numbers. Sabine experienced a 17% jump from April to May - most likely fueled by bullish refinery activity. Yet, the port is only up 3.4% for the year underscoring the volatile nature of oil over the last two quarters. Corpus Christi enjoyed its second-best month of the year with a 14.5% increase in marine commerce over last month.

Nonetheless, the remainder of the larger ports were either flat or down.

The Port of Galveston remained ahead of last year’s arrival count by 2.7% but was off 6% from April. Texas City saw one less arrival in May against April and continues to track slightly better numbers for the first five months of the year. As an aside, arrival activity in this port is far from robust with a mere 1.3% year-to-year increase. Houston also dragged down the Texas port overall numbers with a 2.5% decline in arrivals for the month. This was fairly close to the 3.5% drop in total Houston Ship Channel tow movements since the end of April. It is of note that there was nearly a 5% spread between Houston’s public docks that received 1% more vessel arrivals in May and the private docks that experienced a 4% drop.

As always, with respect to divining regional patterns from Houston’s vessel-type breakdown, the devil is in the details and those details seem to be all over the place. Chemical tankers and bulk vessels were both down nearly 25% in May; yet, they remain 8.5% and 42% respectively above last year’s running total. Tankers and LPG carriers, on the other hand, were up over 3% and 16% respectively in the last month and show little sign of softening as energy prices remain relatively high. Even container traffic was up 3%. While the “ups” did not match the “downs” there were some significant variations with respect to the private terminal vessel arrival activity. Specifically, a majority of the private docks were up; whereas a handful had dramatic decreases ranging from 21% to 43%.

If the economic gurus are correct in their assertions that the back half of 2011 will reflect a break from the front half skittishness, the aforementioned numbers should reflect an economic picture that is gathering steam. To some extent, initial indications of a rather firm June bear that out. That being said, the Gulf marine commerce picture may be poised to head in the other direction as recent national unemployment numbers and lackluster consumer confidence prompt drops in demand and a concomitant decrease in manufacturing activity. No doubt, time will tell but it is more likely than not that soft patches remain in the road to full economic recovery.–Tom Marian, Buffalo Marine

The Ports of South Texas Port of Brownsville The Port of Brownsville opened in 1936, just two miles from the city of Brownsville, and at the end of a 17-mile channel that opens into the Gulf of Mexico. As one of the southernmost ports in the state of Texas, it offers access to Mexico through the Inland Waterway System and road bridges. This accessibility, along with its years of service to the ships and companies operating in the region, has aided the growth of the port, making it the center of industrial development it is today.

This year the Port of Brownsville celebrates its 75th anniversary, and official celebration events were held throughout the middle of May. A myriad of organizations gathered for the celebration, including the Coast Guard, Texas Parks and Wildlife, and the Port of Brownsville Police Department. The celebration included a vessel demonstration in the channel, free bus and boat tours of the port, and booths to commemorate the history of the port. This celebration marked the first time the Port of Brownsville’s doors were opened to the public since the events of September 11, 2001, providing the public with a glimpse into port operations.

Port of Harlingen The Port of Harlingen, a shallow draft barge port offers transportation offshore by means of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, and land transportation through the Union Pacific Railway, making the port a key part of the transportation network of the Rio Grande Valley. The port moves cargo as far away as the Great Lakes.

Located only four miles from the city of Harlingen, the port’s facilities include a 650 ft. concrete general cargo wharf, a 100 ft. dry bulk wharf, 5 small docks close to the turning basin, 150 acres of open storage, and on/offchannel industrial sites up to 150 acres.

The channel measures 125 ft. in width, and a depth of 12 ft., and supplied by the fresh water river Arroyo Colorado.

Port Isabel Port Isabel is a full deep-water port established in 1929, with a controlling depth of 36 feet. It is also the most southern port along the Gulf Coast, servicing Mexico, and Central and South America, in addition to the United States.

Port facilities include 726 acres of land for lease, 1150 ft. deep-water docks, 2100 ft. deep-water frontage, and a 1000 ft. by 1500 ft. turning basin, and a 52000 sq. ft. warehouse space equipped with

sprinklers.

Port Isabel also offers incentives to businesses including a recent program with local partners: Cameron County Private Industry Council will pay half the wages for new employees still in training, the University of Texas-Pan American is able to provide business and document planning and preparation. The Navigation District also has a program which may offer funds that “build to suit” loading docks for qualified businesses.—J. Whitehead, GHPB

The Ports of Matagorda Bay Port of Victoria Though not officially established as a port until 1968, the Port of Victoria has its history in one of the most important parts of the United States barge distribution system, the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, the construction of which began in the early 1900’s. The arrival of the port came with construction of the Victoria Barge Canal and the Turning Basin in 1965. The port continued to grow with the beginning of a project to deepen and widen the canal in 1995, and eventually saw completion in 2002.

The Port of Victoria provides its partners with a wide array of accessibility options, from sea and air to road and rail.

The port is accessible by sea through the Inland Waterway and the Intracoastal Waterway, as well as the Gulf of Mexico. Air accessibility lies in the Victoria Airport, providing freight, commercial and passenger aircraft.

For land transportation, the port offers both rail and road access. A four-lane interstate divided highway provides access for trucks, while the Kansas City Southern and Union Pacific railways connect the port to both the United States and Mexico.

Port of Palacios Located at the mouth of the four-mile-long Palacios Boat Channel, the Port of Palacios covers over 120 miles of shoreline.

The port’s facilities include four turning basins and 12000 feet of dock. The port has a robust fishing community, and is home to over 200 shrimping boats, in addition to various other commercial fishing vessels. The port’s property includes several shipyards, bait and fresh catch companies, and shipyards that provide haul, dry dock, and repair services to vessels. Tugboat and barges are also constructed within the port’s facilities.

Port of Port Lavaca - Point Comfort A major fishing port in the early nineteenth century, the Port of Port Lavaca – Point Comfort became a major industry port after the Intracoastal Waterway reached the Matagorda Bay in 1942. The port now serves a variety of world markets doing business in the region, dealing primarily in chemicals, petrochemicals, agricultural fertilizer and aluminum ore.

The port is a public port governed by the Calhoun Port Authority, which is comprised of a board of six elected persons, a port director, and a full professional staff, all which help to manage the port and port operations every day.

The port has sea connections through both the Matagorda Ship Channel and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.

The port’s facilities include three liquid cargo docks, an 1100foot pier with to ship berths and multiple loading arms, a liquid cargo barge dock, a multi-purpose dock, and general cargo facilities which have access to two US highways and two state highways. The port also provides rail access through the Point Comfort and Northern Railway, which connects to the Union Pacific main railway 20 miles north of the port.—J. Whitehead, GHPB

USCG—Marine Safety Alert

Mooring Line Operational Safety

Mooring line handling continues to cause serious personal injuries and fatalities on the Houston Ship Channel.

During the month of April, Sector Houston-Galveston marine investigators closely examined two significant line handling deaths aboard foreign flag commercial vessels. The investigation following each death determined the indents were unrelated in the manner in which they occurred; however, these seasoned mariners lost their lives while involved with routine operations onboard their respective vessels. Investigating two significant events in such a short time frame, and nine injuries over the pat two years, has prompted Sector Huston-Galveston to remind mariner and operators of the inherent dangers involved with the line-handling operations.

• A Motorman on a deep draft vessel was KILLED when his head was hit after a line suddenly sprung/slipped off a roller button.

• An Able Bodied Seaman on a deep draft vessel was seriously INJURED when his knee was crushed against a bit after a line was trapped on the capstan while slacking and suddenly tightened while shifting a line following mooring operations.

• The Second Officer on a deep draft vessel was KILLED wen he was pulled into a rotating hydraulic mooring line drum during mooring operations while getting underway to shift berths.

• The Second Officer on a deep draft vessel was seriously INJURED when his leg was struck causing him to fall resulting in lacerations to his head when the stopper failed while getting underway, • A Mate on a push boat seriously INJURED his thumb when a mooring line sprung loose as he was removing it from a capstan while getting underway.

• A Deckhand on a barge was seriously INJURED when his fingers were crushed between wire rope and a keel while he was removing the wire rope.

• A Carpenter on a deep draft vessel was seriously INJURED when his fingers were de-gloved as they were caught between a line and a chalk during line handling operations with a tug while getting underway.

• A Deckhand on a barge was seriously INJURED and nearly drowned when he was knocked unconscious and fell into the water after being struck in the head & chest by a parted line during mooring.

• An Ordinary Seaman on a deep draft vessel was seriously INJURED when his leg was fractured by a mooring line that overlapped and rolled off the mooring winch spool while getting underway to shift berths.

Sector Houston-Galveston encourages operators to share the following information with their mariners: Train, Train, Train: Mooring line handling is a basic everyday component of the shipping industry. Formal line handling training and supervised on the job training is strongly encouraged. being knowledgeable in your job is very important but learning doe snot stop with just completed training. A mariner must evaluate all tasks and identify the hazards related to these tasks daily. Complacency in assigned work is one of the most common factors in workplace deaths annually.

Go Slow to Go Fast: Mariners must understand doing whatever it takes to get the job done does not necessarily get the job done faster; and in fact, can actually create setbacks and hazardous situations. Past investigations have revealed mariners are likely to be injured when they are in a rush, willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done or fail to stop operations when hey see a mooring line fouled on rotating machinery or other unsafe acts.

Identify Danger Areas/Zones: Some operators have elected to highlight known danger areas by painting Danger Areas/

Zones on the deck. It is imperative that line handlers remain out of the line of fire of a mooring line. Stay in the safe areas and use common sense when working around line under tension.

Review your Safety Management System (SMS): Operators may wish to review SMS procedures to ensure familiarization and roles & responsibilities are clearly articulated. Training and familiarization concerning deck equipment/ machinery should be periodically reviewed and documented. More importantly, the value of proper supervision cannot be overstated.

Supervisors should serve as observers and avoid the temptations of engaging in line-handling.

Basic Line-handling Principles: Proper use of deck fittings, I.e. buttons, keels, cleats, rollers, and bitts provide near unlimited mooring arrangements; they also create the potential for dangerous latent unsafe conditions. Casualty investigations have revealed the improper application of deck fittings has caused mooring lines to spring/slip free off the fitting. Specifically, arrangements lacked a substantial bend and/or had an excessive angle prohibiting the line from holding tight against the deck fitting.

Over or Under: Operators are recommended to examine mooring line position on a drum/spool to determine safest operation; speThis safety alert is provided for inforcially to determational purposes only and does not mine whether the relieve any domestic or International mooring line safety, operational or material require- should be run ment. Developed and distributed by from over the top Sector Houston-Galveston, United or under the Staes Coast Guard, Houston, TX. Ques- bottom of the tions can be addressed to the Investidrum/spool. gation Division at 713-678-9025.

This line sprung/slipped off the roller. The angle of the line requires a taller roller bit structure for proper fit.

Phosphorescence—Photo Credit, Captain Lou Vest, Houston Pilots Association

WHE N IS YOU R SHIP COMI NG IN? Anybody can throw numbers at you, but no one else can tell you what they mean. When thousands of dollars hang in the balance, accuracy isn’t a luxury - it’s a necessity.

Other organizations can offer you AIS tracking systems that show you where the vessel is or was as a dot on a screen. But your vessels and your business are more than that to you and they’re more than that to us. With a dot on the screen, you still have to guess when your vessel will arrive, but with HarborLights, you’ll know.

Developed by Dave Morrell of Mare Librum Consulting, HarborLights, is the only program fed by Houston Pilots dispatch information— the most timely and accurate information on the Houston Ship Channel.

Take the Guesswork Out of Your Business Nobody else can tell you where your vessel is going—don’t just see the present, see the future with HarborLights.

Where’s Your Information Coming From?

HarborLights vessel movement information is updated in real-time by the Houston Pilot dispatch center.

Don’t bet your success on guesswork, use HarborLights to take your business to the next level. Contact us at the Greater Houston Port Bureau for subscription information.

Greater Houston Port Bureau

Greater Houston Port Bureau—111 East Loop North—Houston, TX—77029

713.678.4300

WWW.TXGULF.ORG

Upcoming Events

GHPB Members Advertise in the Port Bureau News

July 14

Commerce Club Luncheon Brady’s Landing Restaurant Alec Dreyer, CEO, Port of Houston Authority

July 23

Texas City Seafarer’s Center Gala Doyle Center

August 20

82nd Annual Maritime Dinner Houstonian Hotel

August 30

Maritime Steel and Petrochemical Outlook Conference Pasadena Convention Center

September 8

Commerce Club Luncheon Brady’s Landing Restaurant Mayor Annise Parker, City of Houston

October 1

Houston International Seafarer’s Center Gala Houston Marriott South

November 7

Captain’s Cup Golf Tournament Brae Burn Country Club

Reaching 3,500+ Professionals in the Houston Port Region, contact the Port Bureau at (713) 678 4300, or pseeba@txgulf.org to arrange for either 1/6 page, 1/2 page, full page, or back cover advertisements.

GREATER HOUSTON PORT BUREAU 111 East Loop North Houston, TX 77029 713.678.4300 ph 713.678.4839 fax www.txgulf.org