Terminal Operations: Houston, New Orleans

Houston: New Cranes, May Port Traffic Recap

At its June 29 meeting, the Houston Port Commission awarded a $34 million contract for construction of three dockside electric container cranes at the port authority’s Bayport Container Terminal. When fully operational, these three new Super Post-Panamax cranes will increase the number of cranes operating at the Bayport terminal to 12. Their delivery to Houston is expected in about 18 months.

At that same meeting, Executive Director Roger Guenther reported that the port authority is "seeing less steel than anticipated," with throughput this May amounting to just over 990,000 tons, down from the January-May 2015 total of 3.1 million tons. Container volumes measured in TEUs fell by 6.1 percent through May, reflecting declines of 7.7 and 2.1 percent, respectively, for loaded and empty containers.

Mr. Guenther expects the port authority’s position will be "significantly strengthened" with the addition of the new 2M Asian service – Maersk Line’s TP18 service and Mediterranean Shipping Company’s Lone Star Express service – Houston’s third all-weekly shipping service to call from Asia.

In other actions, the commissioners amended Tariff Nos. 8, 14, and 15 regarding Regulation V1/2 of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS). The port authority worked with other U.S. operating port authorities and members of the Ocean Carrier Equipment Management Association to develop a streamlined approach to providing VGMs. The new subrules cover the Turning Basin Terminals, Barbours Cut Terminal, and Bayport Container Terminal and are effective July 1, 2016. Details regarding the port authority’s SOLAS VGM process can be found here.

 

New Orleans: Intermarine Completes Transport of Coke Drums from Spain to Louisiana

Intermarine, LLC, an ocean carrier specializing in project, breakbulk and heavylift cargo, recently transported four coke drums from Gijon, Spain, to the Port of New Orleans for end clients Phillips 66 and Wood Group Mustang.

The cargo units each measure 34.4 meter x 8 meters x 8.2 meters and weigh 333 metric tons. M/V Ocean Freedom was selected to transport the drums because its two on-onboard 400 metric ton hoist capacity cranes can be used for single or tandem lifts. Below deck stowage provides further protection of the cargo.

The dimensions of the cargo afforded limited options for lashing and securing points. Accordingly, the job required a complete method statement with loading and lashing plans and CAD designs in addition to the expertise of Intermarine’s technical department.

The coke drums were discharged directly to barges in New Orleans. Double banking required precision as Intermarine was responsible for arranging the barge location, crane outreach and placing the units in the perfect position onboard the barge.

MV Ocean Freedom offloading coke drums at New Orleans’s Louisiana Avenue Terminal.
Photo: Intermarine, LLC