PHA Commission Approves $74 Million for Next Bayport Wharf

HOUSTON, Jan. 22, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- The Port Commission of The Port of
Houston Authority (PHA) approved advertising for the construction of an
additional wharf at the Bayport Terminal complex, a contract estimated to value
up to $74 million. Additionally, the Commission approved $9 million for the
purchase of unleaded gasoline and Texas low-emission diesel fuel (TXLED), and H.
Thomas Kornegay, PHA executive director, gave PHA's year-end review,
highlighting another record-breaking year, at the regular January 22 meeting.

Kornegay reported that PHA achieved its eighth consecutive year of
record-breaking revenue in 2007.

"We could not have reached this achievement without the leadership of our
dedicated port commissioners and port staff, who have remained committed to the
business priorities that serve as the benchmark to the measurement of our
success," he said.

Kornegay highlighted eight system-wide priority areas in which PHA achieved
record-breaking success: economic impact; premier container, cargo and cruise
port; financial strength; safe and secure port; improving facilities and
waterways; environmental protector, steward; strong community, industry and
government relations; and a strong workplace.

The PowerPoint of his presentation, "2007 - A Record-Breaking Year," is
available on the PHA Web site, www.portofhouston.com.

BAYPORT MATTERS

(Agenda K1) The Commission authorized advertising and receipt of competitive
sealed proposals for Bayport Terminal Complex Phase 1 Wharf for up to $74
million. Plans and specifications for the construction of about 1,330 feet of
additional wharf, including associated dredging and material disposal on site,
have been prepared.

BARBOURS CUT MATTERS

(Agenda G3) Commissioners awarded a construction contract to Forde Construction
Company, Inc., for pavement replacement at Barbours Cut Terminal for $1,000,000.
This contract will facilitate periodic maintenance of the pavement in the
storage yards and wharf areas in container terminals C1 through C6 as well as
the ro/ro transit shed area at Barbours Cut terminal.

ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS

(Agenda G6) Commissioners awarded a contract to TRC to provide air quality
consulting, and monitor and maintain particulate samplers at the Bayport
Terminal construction project. It is expected to be a two-year, $225,000
contract. To comply with the Army Corps of Engineers permit for the PHA Dust
Plan for Bayport Container and Cruise Terminal, the PHA has been monitoring
nonpoint source air pollution from two stations since the construction of
Bayport began in June 2004.

(Agenda K2) Commissioners authorized specifications and advertising and receipt
of competitive sealed proposals for the purchase of unleaded gasoline and Texas
low-emission diesel fuel (TxLED) for Barbours Cut Terminal, Bayport Container
Terminal and Turning Basin Terminal and also two storage fuel tanks for Barbours
Cut Terminal for a two-year period for $9.2 million. This two-year port-wide
proposal reflects an expected $2.5 million increase over the previous two-year
contract, due to expanded operational needs and current and future mandates from
the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) regarding fuels for the
Houston area.

GENERAL MATTERS

(Agenda M1) The Commission authorized an Industrial District Agreement with the
city of Seabrook. Pursuant to the Memorandum of Settlement Agreement with the
city of Seabrook entered into by the PHA in November, the Commission agreed to
consider entering into an Industrial District Agreement with the city of
Seabrook. The agreement would provide that during its 15-year term, certain
Bayport Container Terminal property belonging to the port authority would
maintain its newly enacted extraterritorial status within the district and
outside the city, and be exempt from certain city powers. Earlier this month,
the city of Seabrook authorized the agreement.

This news release is not a substitute for the official PHA agenda. To view the
complete agenda, please visit:
http://portofhouston.com/publicrelations/meetings.html

The Port of Houston Authority owns and operates the public facilities located
along the Port of Houston, the 25-mile long complex of diversified public and
private facilities designed for handling general cargo, containers, grain and
other dry bulk materials, project and heavy lift cargo, and other types of
cargo. Each year, more than 7,000 vessels call at the port, which ranks first in
the U.S. in foreign waterborne tonnage, second in overall total tonnage, and
10th largest in the world. The Port Authority plays a vital role in ensuring
navigational safety along the Houston Ship Channel, which has been instrumental
in Houston's development as a center of international trade. The Barbours Cut
Container Terminal and Central Maintenance Facility are the first of any U.S.
port facilities to develop and implement an innovative Environmental Management
System that meets the rigorous standards of ISO 14001. Additionally, the port is
an approved delivery point for Coffee "C" futures contracts traded on the New
York Board of Trade's Coffee, Sugar & Cocoa Exchange.

For more information, please visit www.portofhouston.com

The Port of Houston Authority logo is available at
http://www.primenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=720

To access the port's web site photo gallery, please visit
http://www.portofhouston.com/publicrelations/publicrelations.html and click the
link for PHA Photo Gallery.

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CONTACT: Port of Houston Authority
Lisa Ashley-Whitlock, Communications Manager
(713) 670-2644
Cell: (832) 247-8179
lwhitlock@poha.com
Argentina M. James, Director of Public Affairs
(713) 670-2568
Cell: (713) 306-6822
ajames@poha.com