The Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority met Tuesday in a special meeting to consider the first dredge contract for Project 11, the Houston Ship Channel billion-dollar expansion and deepening program.
Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company, LLC was awarded up to $95,375,349 to dredge 11½-miles of the 52-mile channel, widening a major portion of the Galveston Bay reach from 530 to 700 feet. The work includes the construction of a new bird island and oyster mitigation.
Port Houston negotiated multiple options and selected the approach with the most reduction in overall NOx emissions, using more efficient equipment and providing for retrofitting emission-reduction technology. “It’s a big day for Port Houston and a big day for the region,” Port Houston Chairman Ric Campo emphasized after the vote.
During the meeting, commissioners, staff, and other interested parties acknowledged that Port Houston had successfully managed a highly complex effort, as it spearheaded consideration, communication, and collaboration, among stakeholders ranging from local communities to state and national interests, to continue its accelerated timeframe.