Houston Ship Channel
-
- Metalcraft Marine Delivers for the Port of Houston Maritime Reporter, Jun 2014 #14
Houston’s New FiFi Fleet
The Port of Houston Authority’s firefighting team recently received the third and last in series of high-performance emergency response vessels, a fleet of new vessels designed to keep one of the country’s busiest and strategically important waterways safe: The Houston Ship Channel. The Port of Houston Fire Department operates three fire stations stationed along the 52-mile-long Channel, and emergency professionals respond to marine and land fires and other emergencies along the upper ship channel. The three new vessels – the Firestorm 70 command center and high-speed response vessel built by MetalCraft – is a central piece to completing its missions safely and efficiently.
The new Firestorm 70 has quad diesel inboard engines to propel the boat to a top speed of 45 knots, versus the port authority’s current fleet which clocks in at 14-16 knot range. When selecting the new boats, the improvement in speed was deemed important to providing fire protection for the ship channel. But the vessels are not simply fast, as they are designed to be highly maneuverable, able to make quick stops and direction changes within three boat lengths.
Part firehouse, part boat, the vessel enables the crew to stay on station for extended periods. The cabin includes a primary care berth with four secondary berths in the cuddy. Portable berths can be positioned in the aft equipment cabin to handle injuries during incident.
Four firefighting pumps can produce flow meter results of 13,600 gpm at 150 PSI and 17,000 GPM at 130 PSI and stream up to 450 ft. with a roof-mounted Stang monitor, which is a stark improvement to the Authority’s current fleet and is three times the discharge rate of any of the Port Authority fireboats being retired. As a shore hydrant, the FireStorm 70 can pump 7,000 GPM at 70 PSI through 1,000 ft. of hose from a 5 in. Storz outlet before staging pumps are required.
Each fireboat is 70 ft., 10 in. long with a breadth of 22 ft., 10 in. and a draft of 34 inches. Funds for these vessels come mostly from federal grants to replace the three aging fireboats commissioned in 1973 and 1983.
MetalCraft Marine is a fully integrated designer and manufacturer of custom high-performance fire, rescue, patrol, research and other specialized work boats. The business was established in 1987 has emerged as a leader in the design and manufacturing of aluminum water-jet propelled craft with more than 550 hulls built to date.
History
In 1924, a fire in the hold of a steamship carrying cotton prompted the Houston Fire Commissioner to declare that the Port of Houston needed adequate firefighting apparatus to attack fires from water as well as land. A bond election to pay for the city’s first fireboat passed with a wide margin. This election occurred just one day after a fire along the banks of the Houston Ship Channel spread to oil on the water and burned for more than two hours, with flames as high as 40 ft. As a result, the fireboat Port Houston was built in 1925 and delivered the following year to the delight of thousands of spectators watching its arrival. The following day, another 4,000 citizens turned out for a demonstration of the fireboat pumping water. In 1950, a new replacement fireboat, the Captain Crotty, was purchased, christened and put into service. The crew fought five ship fires and six refinery fires in the boat’s first year of service. In fact, at a fire at the General American Tank Storage Terminal, the fireboat spent 44 continuous hours at the scene, pumping for 36 hours nonstop.
Houston Ship Channel industries began to install manifolds on their docks in the 1950s to ensure that water would reach incidents at their facilities. The Channel Industries Mutual Aid group was also formed at this time. In 1971, the state legislature gave the Port Authority specific duties that included providing “for the prevention, detection, control and fighting of fires and explosions on and adjacent to the waterways, channels and turning basins within its jurisdiction.”
With such increased responsibility, fire-fighting capability had to be improved. The fireboat Captain W.L Farnsworth was acquired in 1973. In 1981, the decision was made to retire the Captain Crotty and purchase two newer fireboats, the J.S. Bracewell and the Howard T. Tellepsen.(As published in the June 2014 edition of Maritime Reporter & Engineering News - http://magazines.marinelink.com/Magazines/MaritimeReporter)
-
- Newpark Shipbuilding Opens Gas-Freeing Facility In Houston Maritime Reporter, Aug 1978 #36
Newpark Shipbuilding & Repair, Inc. has opened a $2-million barge-cleaning and gas-freeing facility on the Houston Ship Channel, capable of providing a wide range of vessel-cleaning services with extensive environmental safeguards. John W. Sansing, president of Newpark Shipbuilding & Repair, said
-
- New Waste Oil Dehydrator Operating On Houston Channel Maritime Reporter, Jan 15, 1977 #40
A revolutionary new commercial waste oil dehydrator is presently beginning "on stream" operations after its recent installation on the Houston Ship Channel. The new, multi-effect dehydrator will be operated by Oil Processors of Texas under a franchised lease agreement covering virtually all of
-
- DOMESTIC DREDGING: U.S. Ports Require a Diverse Fleet Marine News, Nov 2019 #80
solicitations for many of the most high-profile port deepening, widening and maintenance dredging projects in the United States, such as in the Houston Ship Channel, Baltimore, Savannah, Charleston, Port Canaveral, Boston, and San Juan, Puerto Rico.Example Dredging projects and Local Restrictions:Savannah
-
- Firm Changes Name To Houston Marine Services Maritime Reporter, Jul 15, 1980 #24
or barge, dockside, in the Houston, Galveston, or Texas City harbors. The company operates tugs and barges from its marine facility on the Houston Ship Channel, which is currently undergoing a ^-million expansion. Houston Marine Services is structured as a wholly owned subsidiary of GT Energy Corp
-
- AWO Reports $2.9 Billion In New Waterways Plants In First Half Of 1979 Maritime Reporter, Jan 15, 1980 #4
, docks and wharves, and 58 are general manufacturing installations. The Mississippi River accounts for 49 facilities, the Ohio River 26, the Houston Ship Channel 24, the Tennessee River 17, the Arkansas River 15, the Missouri River and Gulf Intracoastal Waterway 13 each, and the Columbia River and
-
- T i d e w a t e r M a r i n e Tows M o b i l e Supply Vessel Eleven Thousand Miles Maritime Reporter, Jan 1980 #6
Tidewater Marine's Ramey Tide, a 190-foot, 4,300-horsepower towing supply vessel, has started an 11,000-mile tow f r om the Houston Ship Channel to the Seychelles Islands in the Indian Ocean. The Ramey Tide is towing the Wareship II, a former U.S. Navy LSD converted by Amoco Drilling Services Inc.
-
- Port Houston Marine Offers Services And Facilities Brochure Maritime Reporter, Apr 1980 #46
the facilities and services of Port Houston Marine, Inc., Houston, Texas. Port Houston Marine, Inc. is located at the turning basin of Houston Ship Channel, and has a berth for vessels up to 600 feet long and 2 0 - f o o t d r a f t . Compressed air, water and electric p o w e r supplies are
-
- AWO Reports 15,000 Jobs Created Along Waterways Maritime Reporter, Jul 1978 #46
, and the remainder were general manufacturing and miscellaneous installations. The Mississippi River accounted for 31 of the plantsites, the Houston Ship Channel 12, the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway 10, and the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway and Columbia River eight each. This brings the total
-
- James Sessions Named President At Newpark — Haskew And Lehman Appointed VPs Maritime Reporter, Aug 15, 1981 #39
president of Newpark Shipbuilding and Repair, Inc., a shipyard with barge cleaning and gas freeing facilities situated on 22 acres on an island in the Houston Ship Channel. Newpark also announced the appointments of Stephen R. Haskew and Kimble R. Lehman as vice presidents of the company. Mr. Sessions
-
- Port Of Houston Terminal Installs Three LeTourneau 50-Ton Straddle Hoist Cranes Maritime Reporter, Jan 1977 #30
Terminal will offer the newest and finest intermodal facilities of any port on the Gulf of Mexico. Located just off the 40-foot-deep Houston Ship Channel, the $53- million Barbours Terminal development is just two and a half hours from the Gulf, as opposed to the port's current turning basin
-
- Dixie Carriers To Build And Operate Barges For Norwegian Firm Maritime Reporter, Sep 1988 #13
Dixie to handle certain domestic transportation needs involving cargoes to and from OWL Tankers at its Baytank Marine Terminal on the Houston Ship Channel, thus saving costly port time for the ships. The Port of Houston serves as home port for OWLT's fleet of advanced chemical tankers. Dixie
-
)
April 2023 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 32Today Curtin Maritime is dredging in its single largest ing for cleaner-than-required engines, equipment, and other awarded contract, the Houston Ship Channel deepening and sources of air pollution, is a positive example of technology expansion – Project 11, a project that will widen the channel
-
)
March 2021 - Marine News page: 26WRDA 2020 au- dredged material management plan, due in one year, and thorized more than 40 dredging projects, including the then updated annually. Houston Ship Channel. Beyond speci? c projects, though, The plans need to address the following: Hanson cited the larger importance of keeping WRDA • Dredging
-
)
March 2020 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 21for an eventual $1 billion deepening and widening project for the Houston Ship Channel. Plans include widening the Galveston por- tion of the Houston Ship Channel from its exiting width of 530-feet to a width of 700 feet. To this end, the Port of Houston also received funding from the Army Corps’ In- vestiga
-
)
December 2019 - Marine News page: 14Aalund additionally serves on 14 regional and/or national com- President, mittees and boards, including such groups as Director at Large, Houston Ship Channel Security District, Lone Star International Propeller Harbor Safety Committee, Area Maritime Security council Club (AMSC), South East Texas
-
)
Mar/Apr 2019 - Maritime Logistics Professional page: 27Port Houston Chairman Ric Campo wants to fast-track with container volume nearly six percent ahead of our ?nan- the widening and deepening of the Houston Ship Channel and to cial plan for the ?rst eight months of our ?scal year,” said Jim harden and strengthen the resiliency of the port to withstand the
-
)
March 2016 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 28Simulation and Resource Center) have the in-house capacity of developing exercises areas and ship models. I can ask my 3D developer to build the Houston Ship Channel and ask my ship modeler to develop speci? c ship models. It means this particular pilot group will have speci? c training with exercises adapted
-
)
January 2016 - Marine News page: 30.” In the considerable shadow cast by the San Jacinto Me- And, says Arrowood, this particular degree in Maritime morial, and overlooking the Houston Ship Channel, the Transportation is geared towards those looking for posi- San Jacinto College Maritime Technology and Training tions on vessels. January
-
)
September 2015 - Marine News page: 47work in the tight con? nes of slips in the upper reaches of HP: ...................................................................2,575 x 2 the Houston Ship Channel. In addition, the in? nite thrust Speed: ....................................................................12 kt angles from the z-drives
-
)
Q1 2015 - Maritime Logistics Professional page: 19ethane is being used, delaying the development of long-term demand. Some relief could come from proposed ethane export ter- minals slated for the Houston Ship Channel and near Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania, which are designed to provide an annual export capacity of more than 100 million barrels when com- pleted
-
)
May 15, 1977 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 2in marine repa rs; sandblasting and painting; and construction of inland and offshore marine equipment. Located on Brady Island on the Houston Ship Channel • One (1) Drydock: 1500 Tons (76' x 150') • Two (2) Marine Railways: lOOOand 2C)COTons • Covered Fabrication Facilities • 4,000 Feet
-
)
September 15, 1977 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 5in marine repairs; sandblasting and painting; and construction of inland and offshore marine equipment. Located on Brady Island on the Houston Ship Channel. • Two (2) Drydocks: 1 -1500 tons (76' x 150') 1 -1200 tons (76' x 130') • Three (3) Marine Railways: 1000 to 2000 tons • Covered Fabrication
-
)
October 15, 1977 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 18in marine repairs; sandblasting and painting; and construction of inland and offshore marine equipment. Located on Brady Island on the Houston Ship Channel. • Two (2) Drydocks: 1 -1500 tons (76' x 150 ) 1 -1200 tons (76' x 130 ) • Three (3) Marine Railways: 1000 to 2000 tons • Covered Fabrication
-
)
November 15, 1977 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 2in marine repairs; sandblasting and painting; and construction of inland and offshore marine equipment. Located on Brady Island on the Houston Ship Channel. • Two (2) Drydocks: 1 -1500 tons (76' x 150") 1 -1200 tons (76' x 130') • Three (3) Marine Railways: 1000 to 2000 tons • Covered Fabrication
-
)
January 15, 1980 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 2and wharves, and 58 are general man- ufacturing installations. The Mississippi River accounts for 49 facilities, the Ohio River 26, the Houston Ship Channel 24, the Tennessee River 17, the Ar- kansas River 15, the Missouri River and Gulf Intracoastal Wa- terway 13 each, and the Columbia River
-
)
June 2014 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 14to pay for the city’s ? rst ? reboat passed with a wide margin. This election occurred just one day after a ? re along the banks of the Houston Ship Channel spread to oil on the water and burned for more than two hours, with ? ames as high as 40 ft. As a result, the ? reboat Port Houston
-
)
April 1980 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 42the facilities and services of Port Houston Marine, Inc., Houston, Texas. Port Houston Marine, Inc. is located at the turning basin of Houston Ship Channel, and has a berth for vessels up to 600 feet long and 20-foot draft. Com- pressed air, water and electric power supplies are provided
-
)
April 1980 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 7Channel Pelican Island Phone: (713) 744-2888 (dock) (713) 763-4343 (office) Houston Houston Marine Services, Inc. Location: Beacon 126 Houston Ship Channel Phone: Dock (713) 424-4502 Office (713) 455-8819 Radio: Channel 16 Lake Jackson Channel Fueling Service, Inc. Location: Gulf Intracoastal
-
)
May 1980 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 13Channel Pelican Island Phone: (713) 744-2888 (dock) (713) 763-4343 (office) Houston Houston Marine Services, Inc. Location: Beacon 126 Houston Ship Channel Phone: Dock (713) 424-4502 Office (713) 455-8819 Radio: Channel 16 Lake Jackson Channel Fueling Service, Inc. Location: Gulf Intracoastal
-
)
May 15, 1980 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 26the first quarter of 1981, and delivery of the second unit will be July 1981. Texas Shipbuilding's yard is located near Jacintoport on the Houston Ship Channel. The facil- ity, acquired by the present own- ers in 1979, has the capability for marine repairs and construction of jackup drilling units
-
)
July 1980 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 24towing since 1895 1927 - Suderman & Young tug "Propeller", built in 1920, assisting French Line's "S. S. Lafayette" in negotiating Houston Ship Channel on her maiden voyage. Suderman & Young's modern powerful fleet of tugs continues to assist shipping on the Texas Gulf Coast 24 hours a
-
)
July 1980 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 21Channel Pelican Island Phone: (713) 744-2888 (dock) (713) 763-4343 (office) Houston Houston Marine Services, Inc. Location: Beacon 126 Houston Ship Channel Phone: Dock (713) 424-4502 Office (713)455-8819 Radio: Channel 16 Lake Jackson Channel Fueling Service, Inc. Location: Gulf Intracoastal
-
)
July 1980 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 19Channel Pelican Island Phone: (713) 744-2888 (dock) (713) 763-4343 (office) Houston Houston Marine Services, Inc. Location: Beacon 126 Houston Ship Channel Phone: Dock (713) 424-4502 Office (713) 455-8819 Radio: Channel 16 Lake Jackson Channel Fueling Service, Inc. Location: Gulf Intracoastal
-
)
July 15, 1980 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 22barge, dockside, in the Houston, Galveston, or Tex- as City harbors. The company operates tugs and barges from its marine facility on the Houston Ship Channel, which is currently undergoing a ^-mil- lion expansion. Houston Marine Services is structured as a wholly owned sub- sidiary of GT Energy
-
)
August 1980 - Maritime Reporter and Engineering News page: 19Channel Pelican Island Phone: (713) 744-2888 (dock) (713) 763-4343 (office) Houston Houston Marine Services, Inc. Location: Beacon 126 Houston Ship Channel Phone: Dock (713) 424-4502 Office (713) 455-8819 Radio: Channel 16 Lake Jackson Channel Fueling Service, Inc. Location: Gulf Intracoastal