A record amount of cargo, most of it from Asia, will move through the Port of Houston Authority's original container terminal this year despite the opening of a new facility.
Jim Edmonds, chairman of the port commission, said the number of containers moving through the Barbours Cut terminal originally was expected to ease with this year's opening of the Bayport Terminal.
Edmonds said in spite of moving one of the largest shipping lines to Bayport, the void left at Barbours Cut was not only filled, but Barbours Cut is now going to move more containers in 2007 than it did in 2006.
Trade with Asia in particular has grown 22 percent in the past year. The first phase of the Bayport terminal opened early this year, with the French shipping line CMA-CGM as the first tenant. A second tenant is expected to begin operating there next year.
Edmonds said the port authority this year will exceed its expectations in most cargo categories. But steel will be down compared to last year, which saw a 25-year high in steel trade recorded.
A US$250 million port bond issue approved by voters November 6 primarily will be used to support capital projects at Bayport. Some money also will go for improving security and environmental projects.
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