Janiece Longoria, Port Commission chairwoman of the Port of Houston Authority, stressed at September’s monthly meeting the importance of improving and restoring the port post-Hurricane Harvey.
“The floodwater coming through our system deposited tons and tons of silt into the Houston ship channel and throughout Galveston Bay,” Longoria said. “While the channel is open and commerce is flowing with some restrictions, the Houston ship channel needs significant dredging to address these storm damages.”
After the hurricane, the port’s three major terminals all experienced shoaling. Ten feet of sediment collected as a result of the floodwater and was carried into the channel. This has seriously restricted movement to and from the port’s facilities, Longoria said.
A loss of one foot in depth in the channel would cost the U.S. economy $281 million annually, according to the Texas Transportation Institute.
Dredging would return the channel to its pre-hurricane width and depth.
The commission authorized a payment to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers not to exceed $2 million for dredging of the port’s general cargo terminals.
The port’s two container terminals – Bayport and Barbour’s Cut – account for approximately 70 percent of the Gulf of Mexico’s container cargo.
The commission also voted to renew an agreement with the U.S. Coast Guard for maritime security.