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December good month for Houston

He also noted that container revenue was up a robust 12 percent in December, reflecting the strong growth in loaded units for the month. For 2010, container revenue is up 11 percent compared to 2009, with container tonnage up 10 percent for that period. Turning Basin revenue was up 25 percent for December, and was up 8 percent for the year, reflecting the strong year-end finish for steel volumes. Ship arrivals at Port Authority facilities are up over 5.6 percent for 2010 versus 2009, Dreyer said. He also noted barge traffic has shown significant growth all year and is up 17 percent in December year-to-date. Port Commissioners Jimmy Burke and Elyse Lanier, Port Commission Chairman James T. Edmonds and Houston City Council Member James RodriguezA dramatic ribbon-breaking ceremony highlighted the long-awaited opening of the Port of Houston Authority’s Cargo Bay Road on January 13. Three fully loaded 18-wheelers simultaneously drove through a bright red ribbon stretched across the four-lane gateway to the road, which is situated on the northeast corner of the Turning Basin Terminal. Representatives of the Houston Pilots, Texas Department of Transportation, International Longshoremen’s Association, Port of Houston Authority tenants, and stevedoring companies attended the ceremony. Trucks from Waggoner Auto Transport, All Trans Port Services, Richway Transportation Services, and Palletized Trucking Inc. represented the various types of cargo loads that will be handled at the terminal. The Cargo Bay Road entrance to the Port of Houston Authority’s Turning Basin Terminal opened to commercial traffic on January 17. The entrance was built to exclusively handle commercial truck traffic and is open around the clock.The $11.7 million project, which took two years to complete, now handles traffic that would normally flow through the terminal’s main and Gate 1 entrances. This project is part of an ongoing effort to improve facilities and operations for Port Authority customers. Houston was among four U.S. port cities that were part of a 12-day reverse trade mission sponsored by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency to introduce key decision makers to U.S. technology in the ports sector, including vessel traffic management, integrated port communications and port security and surveillance. Delegates from the Aqaba Development Corporation (Jordan), Societe d’Exploitation des Ports (Morocco), Agence Nationale des Ports (Morocco) and Tanger Mediterranee Special Agency (Morocco) participated in the January 12 event at the Port of Houston Authority. The meeting’s aim was to highlight opportunities for U.S. suppliers of goods, services and technology in the ports sector and facilitate U.S. participation in Jordan and Morocco’s modernization efforts. Alec Dreyer, CEO; Ricky Kunz, Vice President, Origination, and Brian Reeves, Market Development Manager, hosted the meeting. From l. to r., Brian Reeves, Manager, Market Development, Michelle MacDonald, Head of the Canadian Consulate Office in Houston, Paula Caldwell, Consul General of Canada in Dallas, Ricky Kunz, Vice President, Origination, and Maria Pilco, Marketing Assistant. The Port of Houston Authority’s Origination Division hosted Dallas- and Houston-based Consuls of Canada in a January 13 briefing held to explore new business opportunities between Houston and Canada. Paula Caldwell, Consul General of Canada in Dallas, and Michelle MacDonald, Consul and Head of the Canadian Consulate in Houston were briefed on Port Authority operations and toured the Port Authority’s Barbours Cut Container Terminal. Sylvia Garcia and Port Commission Chairman James T. Edmonds The Port Commission approved a proclamation at its January 25 meeting honoring Sylvia Garcia for her years of leadership as County Commissioner. Garcia became the first Hispanic and first woman to be elected in her own right as Harris County Commissioner Precinct Two in January 2003. Among her accomplishments, she helped gain approval for the nation’s first-of-its-kind Houston Ship Channel Security District, the Gulf Coast Rail District, as well as the latest Port of Houston Authority bond issue, enabling further growth of the Bayport Container Terminal. Her efforts contributed to the success of Port of Houston Authority projects, including road improvement and expansion, security and environmental initiatives. The proclamation noted that Garcia’s advocacy for the Port of Houston “goes beyond precinct boundaries, and the Port of Houston Authority, spanning the length of her precinct, has been fortunate to have her as a partner and advocate.” One hundred years ago, the Harris County Houston Ship Channel Navigation District — now called the Port of Houston Authority — was organized. On January 10, 1911, Harris County voters approved, by a 16–1 margin, $1.25 million in bonds to support the creation of the Houston Ship Channel. Two months later, the newly appointed three-member Port Commission held its first meeting. In 2014, the Port Authority celebrates the official opening of the Houston Ship Channel. We owe a debt of gratitude to those first commissioners, whose work contributed in large part to making the ship channel a reality.

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