The Port of Houston Authority needs to spend about $2 billion in the next decade to handle increased trade from Asia, take advantage of the Panama Canal expansion and rehabilitate aging facilities, managers told port commissioners, reported the Houston Chronicle.
Port executives detailed their suggestions for the direction the organisation should take in the next decade – everything from new cranes to new terminals.
"There are going to be some tough choices you as commissioners are going to have to make," CEO Alec Dreyer said. "The big growth coming to Houston will require big investments."
He likened some of the decisions commissioners will confront to those their predecessors made to create the Houston Ship Channel, a 51-mile waterway built in 1914.
Staff members expect that the Panama Canal expansion, which will be complete in 2014, will bring larger ships to the port. Many of those will hail from Asia. They also expect Asian economic growth will bring more cargo to Houston's docks.
Deepening the Ship Channel to 45 ft from 40 ft is essential, so fully laden large ships can call at the port's terminals. Today, some larger ships must carry less cargo because the channel is not deep enough. Getting enough funding simply to maintain depth is a challenge because silt routinely accumulates at the bottom of the channel.
Port leaders also suggested upgrading the equipment and wharf at the Barbours Cut Container Terminal, which was completed in the 1990s.
Port executives detailed their suggestions for the direction the organisation should take in the next decade – everything from new cranes to new terminals.
"There are going to be some tough choices you as commissioners are going to have to make," CEO Alec Dreyer said. "The big growth coming to Houston will require big investments."
He likened some of the decisions commissioners will confront to those their predecessors made to create the Houston Ship Channel, a 51-mile waterway built in 1914.
Staff members expect that the Panama Canal expansion, which will be complete in 2014, will bring larger ships to the port. Many of those will hail from Asia. They also expect Asian economic growth will bring more cargo to Houston's docks.
Deepening the Ship Channel to 45 ft from 40 ft is essential, so fully laden large ships can call at the port's terminals. Today, some larger ships must carry less cargo because the channel is not deep enough. Getting enough funding simply to maintain depth is a challenge because silt routinely accumulates at the bottom of the channel.
Port leaders also suggested upgrading the equipment and wharf at the Barbours Cut Container Terminal, which was completed in the 1990s.