Port Approves Nearly $15M in New Contracts

Houston port commissioners approved about $15m in new contracts for the Bayport container terminal, mostly for dredging to accommodate larger vessels. That $12.8m contract went to Orion Construction. The job includes dredging to the east and west of the wharves and construction of new mooring points. The Port of Houston Authority Commission also approved a $1.25m change order to an existing Orion dredging contract for the Bayport cruise terminal. Orion requested the additional money after encountering tires and debris in the dredge area, which complicated the job, port officials said. The first phase of the cruise terminal, which is under construction, is scheduled to open in the spring of 2008. The first phase of the container terminal opened earlier this year. [Source: Houston Chronicle]