Barbours Cut Terminal
Encyclopedia
The Barbours Cut Container Terminal, or simply the Barbours Cut Terminal, is a major deep water port in the Greater Houston
area in the U.S. state
of Texas
. Part of the larger Port of Houston
complex, Barbours Cut is the largest of the terminals and the first port in Texas to handle standardized cargo containers. The terminal is situated along the Barbours Cut Ship Channel between La Porte
and Morgan's Point, Texas
. This channel, located at the mouth of Buffalo Bayou
on Galveston Bay
, is itself a tributary to the larger Houston Ship Channel
, which runs from Houston, through the bay, to the Gulf of Mexico
.
Opened in 1977 the Barbours Cut Terminal was built at a cost of US$53 million (US$ in today's terms). The new terminal had a distinct geographical advantage over the old Turning Basin terminal. Whereas Turning Basin, situated upriver at the navigational head of Buffalo Bayou, is 6 hours or more from the Gulf, Barbours Cut requires only three hours travel time.
In 2007 the terminal handled 15.4 million short tons (17.0 million metric tons) of cargo including more than one million cargo containers. The terminal both directly and indirectly contributes thousands of jobs to the Galveston Bay Area
and is a key factor in the economy of Greater Houston
.
Barbours Cut was the first port in the United States to implement the ISO 14001 environmental management standard, a rigorous set of requirements for minimizing a business' effects on the environment. Nevertheless, the Natural Resources Defense Council
, an environmental advocacy group
, has given Barbours Cut and the Port of Houston a grade
of "F" citing "its deplorable treatment of local residents and its few noteworthy programs to reduce the effects of its operations on air and water quality."
Barbours Cut is located near the Battleground Industrial District, a major industrial complex in the jurisdiction of La Porte.
with 6000 feet (1,828.8 m) of continuous wharfs. The loading area covers 230 acres (93.1 ha), with 255000 square feet (23,690.3 m²) of warehouse/storage space. The channel depth is 40 feet (12.2 m) at low tide.
The facilities at Barbours Cut include a cruise ship
terminal. Until 2007 Norwegian Cruise Line
ran cruises from this terminal but currently there are no cruise lines operating from the terminal.
Greater Houston
Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown is a 10-county metropolitan area defined by the Office of Management and Budget. It is located along the Gulf Coast region in the U.S. state of Texas...
area in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. Part of the larger Port of Houston
Port of Houston
The Port of Houston is a port in Houston—the fourth-largest city in the United States. The Port is a 25-mile-long complex of diversified public and private facilities located a few hours' sailing time from the Gulf of Mexico...
complex, Barbours Cut is the largest of the terminals and the first port in Texas to handle standardized cargo containers. The terminal is situated along the Barbours Cut Ship Channel between La Porte
La Porte, Texas
La Porte is a city in Harris County, Texas within the Bay Area of the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 31,880...
and Morgan's Point, Texas
Morgan's Point, Texas
Morgan's Point is a city in Harris County, Texas, United States located on the shores of the Galveston Bay at the inlet to the Houston Ship Channel, near La Porte and Pasadena. It earned fame in Texas' early history for being the home of the legendary Emily West , known as the Yellow Rose of Texas...
. This channel, located at the mouth of Buffalo Bayou
Buffalo Bayou
Buffalo Bayou is a main waterway flowing through Houston, in Harris County, Texas, USA. It begins in Katy, Fort Bend County, Texas and flows approximately east to the Houston Ship Channel and then into Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico...
on Galveston Bay
Galveston Bay
Galveston Bay is a large estuary located along the upper coast of Texas in the United States. It is connected to the Gulf of Mexico and is surrounded by sub-tropic marshes and prairies on the mainland. The water in the Bay is a complex mixture of sea water and fresh water which supports a wide...
, is itself a tributary to the larger Houston Ship Channel
Houston Ship Channel
The Houston Ship Channel, located in Houston, Texas, is part of the Port of Houston—one of the United States's busiest seaports. The channel is the conduit for ocean-going vessels between the Houston-area shipyards and the Gulf of Mexico.-Overview:...
, which runs from Houston, through the bay, to the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
.
Opened in 1977 the Barbours Cut Terminal was built at a cost of US$53 million (US$ in today's terms). The new terminal had a distinct geographical advantage over the old Turning Basin terminal. Whereas Turning Basin, situated upriver at the navigational head of Buffalo Bayou, is 6 hours or more from the Gulf, Barbours Cut requires only three hours travel time.
In 2007 the terminal handled 15.4 million short tons (17.0 million metric tons) of cargo including more than one million cargo containers. The terminal both directly and indirectly contributes thousands of jobs to the Galveston Bay Area
Galveston Bay Area
The Galveston Bay Area is a region that surrounds the Galveston Bay estuary of Southeast Texas in the United States within the metropolitan area. Residents of Houston and surrounding areas typically call it simply the "Bay Area"...
and is a key factor in the economy of Greater Houston
Economy of Houston
The economy of Houston is primarily based on the energy industry , however, biomedical research and aerospace are a large sectors of the city's economy. The Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown area Gross Metropolitan Product in 2005 was $308.7 billion, up 5.4 percent from 2004 in constant dollars...
.
Barbours Cut was the first port in the United States to implement the ISO 14001 environmental management standard, a rigorous set of requirements for minimizing a business' effects on the environment. Nevertheless, the Natural Resources Defense Council
Natural Resources Defense Council
The Natural Resources Defense Council is a New York City-based, non-profit, non-partisan international environmental advocacy group, with offices in Washington DC, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Beijing...
, an environmental advocacy group
Advocacy group
Advocacy groups use various forms of advocacy to influence public opinion and/or policy; they have played and continue to play an important part in the development of political and social systems...
, has given Barbours Cut and the Port of Houston a grade
Grade (education)
Grades are standardized measurements of varying levels of comprehension within a subject area. Grades can be assigned in letters , as a range , as a number out of a possible total , as descriptors , in percentages, or, as is common in some post-secondary...
of "F" citing "its deplorable treatment of local residents and its few noteworthy programs to reduce the effects of its operations on air and water quality."
Barbours Cut is located near the Battleground Industrial District, a major industrial complex in the jurisdiction of La Porte.
Facilities
The terminal has six berthsBerth (moorings)
A berth is a location in a port or harbour used specifically for mooring vessels while not at sea.-Locations in a port:Berth is the term used in ports and harbors to define a specific location where a vessel may be berthed, usually for the purposes of loading and unloading.Most berths will be...
with 6000 feet (1,828.8 m) of continuous wharfs. The loading area covers 230 acres (93.1 ha), with 255000 square feet (23,690.3 m²) of warehouse/storage space. The channel depth is 40 feet (12.2 m) at low tide.
The facilities at Barbours Cut include a cruise ship
Cruise ship
A cruise ship or cruise liner is a passenger ship used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are part of the experience, as well as the different destinations along the way...
terminal. Until 2007 Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Cruise Line is a company operating cruise ships, headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida. It began operations in 1966 under the name Norwegian Caribbean Line. The company is best known for its Freestyle Cruising concept, which means that there are no set times or...
ran cruises from this terminal but currently there are no cruise lines operating from the terminal.
See also
- Bayport TerminalBayport TerminalThe Bayport Container Terminal, or simply the Bayport Terminal, is a major deep water port in the Greater Houston area in Texas . This relatively new terminal, part of the Port of Houston, is designed to handle standardized cargo containers and offload the nearby Barbours Cut Terminal, which has no...
- Port of GalvestonPort of GalvestonThe Port of Galveston is the port of the city of Galveston, Texas. It was established by a proclamation issued by the Congress of Mexico on October 17, 1825, while the land known today as Texas was still part of Mexico...
- Port of HoustonPort of HoustonThe Port of Houston is a port in Houston—the fourth-largest city in the United States. The Port is a 25-mile-long complex of diversified public and private facilities located a few hours' sailing time from the Gulf of Mexico...
- Port of Texas CityPort of Texas CityThe Port of Texas City is a major deepwater port in Texas City, Texas at Galveston Bay, United States. Its location on the bay, which is used by the Port of Houston and the Port of Galveston, puts Texas City in the heart of one of the world's most important shipping hubs...