Bayport Terminal
Encyclopedia
The Bayport Container Terminal, or simply the Bayport Terminal, is a major deep water port in the Greater Houston
area in Texas
(United States
). 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 further room for expansion. The Bayport Terminal is situated along the Bayport Ship Channel off Galveston Bay
, between La Porte, Texas
and Seabrook, Texas
(adjacent to Shoreacres
and El Jardin). This channel itself feeds into to the larger Houston Ship Channel
, which runs from Houston, through Galveston Bay
, to the Gulf of Mexico
.
The port sits adjacent to the Bayport Industrial District
, a large complex of firms primarily involved in petroleum
and petrochemical
processing.
The facilities at Bayport include a cruise ship
terminal, built at a cost of US$81 million. The terminal briefly saw use for cruises following Hurricane Ike
when ships were re-routed from the damaged Port of Galveston
to Bayport for nearly two months. , however, the cruise terminal is not in use.
The Army Corps of Engineers approved the permit, but stated in the Environmental Impact Statement that unavoidable impacts of increased noise in the area, increased levels of nitrous oxides, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, and cancer causing particulate matter would be emitted by the terminal. Homes are within 600 feet (182.9 m) of the docks. Due to the prevailing southeast wind and the proximity of the residents, the Corps of Engineers recommended a 30 feet (9.1 m) sound wall to block sound levels that they estimated to be as high as 70 dBA (as of 2010 the terminal was only approximately 30% in operation yet produced levels of 65 dBA). The Port of Houston approached residents who are affected by the pollution and noise and has attempted to buy an easement from these residents. In 2010, the mayor of Shoreacres
published a letter to the community raising concerns about the scope of the easement and rights residents might be waiving by accepting it. That same year residents of Shoreacres filed suit against the Port of Houston Authority for damages.
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 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...
(United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
). This relatively new terminal, part of the 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...
, is designed to handle standardized cargo containers and offload the nearby Barbours Cut Terminal
Barbours Cut Terminal
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...
, which has no further room for expansion. The Bayport Terminal is situated along the Bayport Ship Channel off 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...
, between La Porte, Texas
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 Seabrook, Texas
Seabrook, Texas
Seabrook is a city in Harris county, with some water surface area located within Chambers county in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 9,443 at the 2000 census....
(adjacent to Shoreacres
Shoreacres, Texas
Shoreacres is a city in Chambers and Harris Counties in the U.S. state of Texas, alongside State Highway 146. Established with a mayor-alderman form of city government, it was incorporated in 1949...
and El Jardin). This channel itself feeds into 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 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...
, 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...
.
The port sits adjacent to the Bayport Industrial District
Bayport Industrial District
The Bayport Industrial District is a large commercial real-estate development located in southeast Harris County, Texas, within the Bay Area of Greater Houston. It is one of the two industrial districts in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of La Porte...
, a large complex of firms primarily involved in petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
and petrochemical
Petrochemical
Petrochemicals are chemical products derived from petroleum. Some chemical compounds made from petroleum are also obtained from other fossil fuels, such as coal or natural gas, or renewable sources such as corn or sugar cane....
processing.
The facilities at Bayport 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, built at a cost of US$81 million. The terminal briefly saw use for cruises following Hurricane Ike
Hurricane Ike
Hurricane Ike was the second-costliest hurricane ever to make landfall in the United States, the costliest hurricane ever to impact Cuba and the second most active hurricane to reach the Canadian mainland in the Great Lakes Region after Hurricane Hazel in 1954...
when ships were re-routed from the damaged Port of Galveston
Port of Galveston
The 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...
to Bayport for nearly two months. , however, the cruise terminal is not in use.
Controversy
The Bayport Terminal was controversial since before its construction because of concerns raised about environmental impact and the general suitability of the site.The Army Corps of Engineers approved the permit, but stated in the Environmental Impact Statement that unavoidable impacts of increased noise in the area, increased levels of nitrous oxides, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, and cancer causing particulate matter would be emitted by the terminal. Homes are within 600 feet (182.9 m) of the docks. Due to the prevailing southeast wind and the proximity of the residents, the Corps of Engineers recommended a 30 feet (9.1 m) sound wall to block sound levels that they estimated to be as high as 70 dBA (as of 2010 the terminal was only approximately 30% in operation yet produced levels of 65 dBA). The Port of Houston approached residents who are affected by the pollution and noise and has attempted to buy an easement from these residents. In 2010, the mayor of Shoreacres
Shoreacres, Texas
Shoreacres is a city in Chambers and Harris Counties in the U.S. state of Texas, alongside State Highway 146. Established with a mayor-alderman form of city government, it was incorporated in 1949...
published a letter to the community raising concerns about the scope of the easement and rights residents might be waiving by accepting it. That same year residents of Shoreacres filed suit against the Port of Houston Authority for damages.
See also
- Barbours Cut TerminalBarbours Cut TerminalThe 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...
- Bayport Industrial DistrictBayport Industrial DistrictThe Bayport Industrial District is a large commercial real-estate development located in southeast Harris County, Texas, within the Bay Area of Greater Houston. It is one of the two industrial districts in the extraterritorial jurisdiction of La Porte...
- 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...