The Port of Houston is the port A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land. Port locations are selected to optimize access to land and navigable water, for commercial demand, and for shelter from wind and waves. Ports with deeper water are rarer, but can handle larger, more economical of Houston, Texas Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States and the largest city in the state of Texas. As of the 2009 U.S. Census estimate, the city had a population of 2.2 million within an area of 600 square miles (1,600 km2). Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area—the, the fourth-largest city in the United States ^ b. English is the de facto language of American government and the sole language spoken at home by 80% of Americans age five and older. Spanish is the second most commonly spoken language. 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 The Gulf of Mexico is the eleventh largest body of water in the world. Considered a smaller part of the Atlantic Ocean, it is an 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. It is the busiest port in the United States in terms of foreign tonnage, second-busiest in the United States in terms of overall tonnage, and sixteenth-busiest This is a list of the world's busiest seaports by cargo tonnage, the total mass of actual cargo transported through the port. The cargo rankings based on tonnage should be interpreted with caution since these measures are not directly comparable and cannot be converted to a single, standardized unit in the world.^[2] Though originally the port's terminals were primarily within the Houston city limits, the port has expanded to such a degree that today it has facilities in multiple communities in the Greater Houston Greater Houston 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. It is situated in Southeast Texas, just west of the Golden Triangle area. In particular the port's busiest terminal, the Barbours Cut Terminal, is located in Morgan's Point, Texas Morgan's Point is a city in Harris County, Texas, United States. The population was 336 at the 2000 census.

The Port of Houston consists is a cooperative entity consisting of both the port authority In Canada and the United States a port authority is a governmental or quasi-governmental public authority for a special-purpose district usually formed by a legislative body (or bodies) to create and support economic development within that area, which operates the major terminals along the Houston Ship Channel The Houston Ship Channel, located in the Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown metropolitan area, is part of the Port of Houston — one of the United States's busiest sea ports, and more than 150 private companies situated along Buffalo Bayou and Galveston Bay The bay has been historically important during Texas' history. The island of Galveston was home to eastern and coastal Texas' earliest major settlement and, during the later 19th century, it was Texas' largest city. The island's port, on the bay side, became one of the top ports in the U.S. During the 20th century as the oil boom in Texas took.^[3] Many petroleum corporations have built refineries along the channel where they are partially protected from the threat of major storms in the Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico is the eleventh largest body of water in the world. Considered a smaller part of the Atlantic Ocean, it is an 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. The petrochemical complex associated with the Port of Houston is one of the largest in the world.^[4]

History

The original Port of Houston was located at the confluence of Buffalo Bayou Buffalo Bayou is a main waterway flowing through Houston, in Harris County, Texas, USA. It begins on the west side of the county near Katy, Texas and flows approximately 53 miles east to the Houston Ship Channel and then into Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way the bayou receives several significant tributary bayous, such as White and White Oak Bayou in downtown Houston by the University of Houston–Downtown. This area is called "Allen's Landing" and is now a park.^[5] It is the birthplace of the City of Houston.

Shipping points grew at multiple locations on the Buffalo Bayou including the port of Harrisburg (now part of Houston) and the docks on the Allen Ranch. By the end of the 19th century The 19th century was a period in history marked by the collapse of the Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Holy Roman and Mughal empires. This paved the way for the growing influence of the British Empire, the German Empire and the United States, spurring military conflicts but also advances in science and exploration Buffalo Bayou had become a major shipping channel with traffic beginning to rival Galveston.^[6]

The citizens of Harris County Harris County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. As of 2000 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 3,400,578 , making it the most populous county in Texas and the third most populous county in the United States. Its county seat is Houston, the largest city in Texas approved creation of the modern port in 1909 1909 was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar), believing that an inland port would better serve the region after the destructive Galveston Hurricane of 1900 The Hurricane of 1900 made landfall on the city of Galveston, Texas on September 8, 1900. It had estimated winds of 135 miles per hour at landfall, making it a Category 4 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. President The President of the United States is the head of state and head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in the United States by influence and recognition. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is one of only two nationally elected federal officers Woodrow Wilson Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States. A leader of the Progressive Era, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913. With Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft dividing the Republican Party vote, Wilson was elected President as a officially opened the port to traffic as the World Port of Houston and Buffalo Bayou on November 10, 1914 1914 was a common year that started on a Thursday in the Gregorian calendar (or on Wednesday in the Julian calendar). It was the year that saw the start of what became known as World War I.^[7] Early supporters would prove to be correct; the port has grown to be one of the world's largest, overtaking the nearby 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. The Port of Galveston is the oldest port in the Gulf of Mexico west of New Orleans. During the late 1800s, up until the Galveston in significance.^{[citation needed]}

In 1977 the Port of Houston opened the Barbours Cut Terminal, Texas' first cargo container terminal, at Morgan's Point Morgan's Point is a city in Harris County, Texas, United States. The population was 336 at the 2000 census. This new terminal, in the Bay Area, quickly became the port's most important terminal.^[8] The opening of the Bayport Terminal in 2006 further extended the port authority's reach outside the city of Houston.^[9]

The port today

Approximately 215 million tons of cargo moved through the Port in 2005, about half of which was containerized cargo. The Port has three separate terminals dedicated to the handling of cargo containers: Barbours Cut (at Morgan's Point Morgan's Point is a city in Harris County, Texas, United States. The population was 336 at the 2000 census), Galveston East End (leased from the Port of Galveston, the Port's long-time rival), and Bayport (in Pasadena, opened in October 2006). The Barbours Cut terminal was, in fact, the port's first terminal specifically designed for these shipments. Additional general cargo terminals include Turning Basin, Jacintoport, Woodhouse, and Care.^[10]

The Port offers a 90-minute free cruise aboard the M/V Sam Houston, details of which can be found on its website. Since the Houston Ship Channel is closed to recreational traffic, this is the only means by which the general public can view port operations, and thus the tours are highly popular.^[11]

Most Volkswagen Volkswagen is one of the world's largest automobile manufacturers. The company is headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. Volkswagen is the original marque within the Volkswagen Group, which includes the car marques Audi, Bentley Motors, Bugatti Automobiles, Automobili Lamborghini, SEAT, Škoda Auto and heavy goods vehicle manufacturer (and Audi Audi AG is a German manufacturer of automobiles marketed under the Audi brand, German pronunciation: [ˈaʊdi]) automobiles An automobile, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor. Most definitions of the term specify that automobiles are designed to run primarily on roads, to have seating for one to eight people, to typically have four wheels, and to be constructed principally for the sold in North America North America is the northern continent of the Americas, situated in the Earth's northern hemisphere and in the western hemisphere. It is bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southeast by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west by the North Pacific Ocean; South America lies to the southeast pass through the port of Houston.^[12]

The Port is operated by the Port of Houston Authority, an independent political subdivision of the State of Texas. The Authority is governed by a seven-member Commission. The City of Houston and the Harris County Commissioners Court each appoint two commissioners; these two governmental entities also jointly appoint the chairman of the Port Commission. The Harris County Mayors and Councils Association and the City of Pasadena Pasadena is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. It is the second-largest city in Harris County, 15th-largest in Texas, and 159th largest in the United States. The area was founded in 1893 by John H. Burnett of Galveston. Burnett named the area after Pasadena, California because he thought each appoint one commissioner. Daily operations are overseen by an Executive Director who serves at the will of the Commission.^[13]

Trade data

The Port of Houston is a major point of international trade for the United States. The following is the trade volume by world region reported by the Greater Houston Partnership as of 2006.^[14]

• Europe Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus region (Specification of borders) and the Black Sea to the southeast. Europe is bordered by the 32%
• Latin America Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages (i.e., those derived from Latin) – particularly Spanish, Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,501 km² (7,880,000 sq mi), almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area. As of 2009, its 22%
• Asia Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.6% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 4 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population. During the 20th century Asia's population nearly quadrupled/Pacific Rim The Pacific Rim refers to the countries and cities located around the edge of the Pacific Ocean. There are many economic centers around the Pacific Rim, such as Auckland, Busan, Brisbane, Guangzhou, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Kobe, Lima, Los Angeles, Manila, Melbourne, Nagoya, Osaka, Panama City, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, Santiago, 15%
• North America North America is the northern continent of the Americas, situated in the Earth's northern hemisphere and in the western hemisphere. It is bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southeast by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west by the North Pacific Ocean; South America lies to the southeast 13%
• Middle East The Middle East is a region that encompasses southwestern Asia and Egypt. In some contexts, the term has recently been expanded in usage to sometimes include Afghanistan and Pakistan, the Caucasus and Central Asia, and North Africa. It's often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East. The corresponding adjective is Middle-Eastern 7%
• Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area. With a billion people (as of 2009, see table) in 61 territories, it accounts for about 14.72% of the world's human population 12%

List of Firsts

Despite being one of the youngest major ports in the world (the port will not reach its 100th birthday until 2014) it has already racked up an impressive list of firsts.^[15]

Most notable firsts include:

• The first port to be built with Federal funds and local matching funds, thus guaranteeing local support (every port since 1910 has had a local match requirement)
• The first direct shipment of cotton Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll around the seeds of the cotton plant. The plant is a shrub native to tropical and subtropical regions around the world, including the Americas, Pakistan, India and Africa. The fiber most often is spun into yarn or thread and used to make a soft, breathable textile, which is the most widely to Europe Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian Sea, the Caucasus region (Specification of borders) and the Black Sea to the southeast. Europe is bordered by the (November 1919 via the M/V Merry Mount)
• The first container cargo Containerization is a system of intermodal freight transport using standard intermodal containers that are standardised by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). These can be loaded and sealed intact onto container ships, railroad cars, planes, and trucks ship (April/May 1956 via the Ideal X)
• The first double-stack container train (1981)
• When the Baytown Tunnel was removed in 1997 to allow deepening and widening of the Houston Ship Channel (it was replaced by the Fred Hartman Bridge), it was the largest tunnel so removed (35' diameter by 1,041' length) without closing the Channel, losing time due to accidents, or impacting the navigational safety of the Port.
• The first Port to conduct air emissions testing of its off-road equipment (2000)
• The first Port to meet ISO 14001 The ISO 14000 is a family of internationally recognized standards for environmental management systems that is applicable to any business or organization, regardless of size, location or income. These standards are developed by the International Organization for Standardization , which has representation from committees all over the world. The ISO standards for environmental excellence (2002), and the first Port to be recertified to ISO 14001 The ISO 14000 is a family of internationally recognized standards for environmental management systems that is applicable to any business or organization, regardless of size, location or income. These standards are developed by the International Organization for Standardization , which has representation from committees all over the world. The ISO standards (2004)

Notes

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f} "PHA and Bond Fast Facts". Port of Houston Authority. http://www.portofhouston.com/bondfacts/bondfacts.html. Retrieved 26 Jan 2010.
2. ^ POHA | Overview
3. ^ "Overview". Port of Houston Authority. http://www.portofhouston.com/geninfo/overview1.html. Retrieved 1 Feb 2010.
4. ^ Weisman, Alan (2008). The World Without Us. New York: Macmillan. p. 166. ISBN The International Standard Book Number is a unique numeric commercial book identifier based upon the 9-digit Standard Book Numbering (SBN) code created by Gordon Foster, now Emeritus Professor of Statistics at Trinity College, Dublin, for the booksellers and stationers W.H. Smith and others in 1966 0312347294. http://books.google.com/?id=UEt_xWoju_MC. "The industrial megaplex that begins on the east side of Houston and continues uninterrupted to the Gulf of Mexico, 50 miles away, is the largest concentration of petroleum refineries, petrochemical companies, and storage structures on Earth."
5. ^ Cartwright, Gary (July 1978). "On the Waterfront". Texas Monthly: 88. http://books.google.com/books?id=MiwEAAAAMBAJ.
6. ^ Houston Ship Channel from the Handbook of Texas The Handbook of Texas is a comprehensive encyclopedia of Texas geography, history, and historical persons published by the Texas State Historical Association . The original Handbook was the brainchild of TSHA President Walter Prescott Webb of The University of Texas history department. It was published as a two-volume set in 1952, with a Online. Retrieved 1 Feb 2010. Texas State Historical Association.
7. ^ "WELCOME TO PASADENA, TEXAS !". Pasadena Chamber of Commerce. http://www.pasadenachamber.org/about/aboutpasadena.html. Retrieved 12 Sept 2009.
8. ^ Cartwright, Gary (July 1978). "On the Waterfront". Texas Monthly: 161–162. http://books.google.com/books?id=MiwEAAAAMBAJ.
9. ^ "Bayport Terminal Progress". Port of Houston Authority. http://www.portofhouston.com/BayportTerminalProgress/index.html. Retrieved 1 Feb 2010.
10. ^ "Maritime Operations". Port of Houston. http://www.portofhouston.com/maritime/maritime.html.
11. ^ Port of Houston magazine (Harris County Houston Ship Channel Navigation District, Port of Houston Authority) 39. 1997.
12. ^ "Factbox: Five facts about the Port of Houston". Reuters. 13 Dec 2009. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE5BD04Q20091214.
13. ^ "Administration: The Port of Houston Authority Commissioners". Port of Houston Authority. http://www.portofhouston.com/geninfo/admin.html. Retrieved 1 Feb 2010.
14. ^ 2006 Seaborne Trade with the World "Houston: Open for Business: Houston Highlights". Greater Houston Partnership. http://www.regione.sicilia.it/Cooperazione/internazionalizzazione/info_paese_usa/Texas/Presentazione_Texas.ppt#280,30,Houston’s 2006 Seaborne Trade with the World. Retrieved 1 Feb 2010.
15. ^ "Firsts". Port of Houston. http://www.portofhouston.com/pdf/pubaffairs/POHA-firsts.pdf.

External links

• Port of Houston Official Website
• Port of Houston Facts
• City of Pasadena, Texas Official Website

Categories: Geography of Houston, Texas | Ports and harbors of Texas | Economy of Houston, Texas | Greater Houston

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• Houston: Encyclopedia
• Sam Houston: Encyclopedia
• Greater Houston: Encyclopedia
• Sports In Texas: Encyclopedia
• Port Arthur, Texas: Encyclopedia

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