Port Houston to acquire cranes from Konecranes for $56 million
In keeping with its commitment to continue developing Bayport Container Terminal in addition to modernizing Barbours Cut, the Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority at its May 21 meeting, awarded a nearly $50 million contract to Konecranes Finland Corporation for four electric wharf cranes at Barbours Cut Container Terminal, the Port Authority news release said.
The Port Commission also amended a contract with Konecranes for eight diesel electric container yard cranes for Barbours Cut to include three additional diesel electric container yard cranes for the Bayport Terminal at a cost of $5.9 million.
The growth in containers is a leading indicator for the need for expanded facilities at Bayport to provide present and future customers with consistent, efficient service, as well as improvements in the truck gate technology at Bayport. Port Authority Executive Director Len Waterworth noted that growth seen in April largely was due to containers.
“I am pleased to report that it is business as usual as we produce around 3,000 gate transactions daily with very efficient turn times through Bayport,” he said. “With this new entry facility, we are positioned for the future to handle volumes that are as much as three times the current volume we see today.”
In his monthly report, Executive Director Len Waterworth said that total tonnage at Port Authority facilities for the month of April was flat to the prior year but with “good growth of 6 percent” in containers, which increased by 92,000 tons while year-to-date total tonnage of 11.4 million tons is up slightly by 1 percent.
The increase in container tonnage is being offset by declines in steel, he noted, but highlighted the increase in grain and other bulk commodities.