Texas Department Of Transportation News

On Friday, March 8, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) christened its new ferry in Galveston Bay.Named for the first female chair of the TxDOT and first Latina Secretary of State, Esperanza “Hope” Andrade, the vessel was designed by the The Shearer Group and built by Gulf Island Fabricators in Louisiana.Stretching 293 feet, the double-ended ferry showcases cutting-edge propulsion technology and pioneering battery energy storage systems.The ferry is outfitted with diesel-powered and electrical engines and Siemens Energy’s BlueDrive PLUSC power and propulsion system…

The Port of Brownsville’s Cargo Dock 3 reconstruction project has secured an $11.5 million grant under the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT) new Maritime Infrastructure Program.On September 28, the Texas Transportation Commission approved $240 million in funding for Texas ports to help increase trade, improve safety, and provide a more robust supply chain for the state and the nation. The Port of Brownsville’s Cargo Dock 3 project is one of 31 projects selected to receive funding.The TxDOT grant will assist in funding the comprehensive overhaul of Cargo Dock 3…

Much has changed since Marine News’ 2022 shipbuilding report published in March last year, and business opportunities in certain market segments continue to grow. But the shipyards that are looking to cash in are still facing many of the same challenges.For example, many American shipyards and their partners throughout the shipbuilding supply chain are still finding it difficult to attract and retain the workers they need. If you’re a skilled craftsperson looking for a job in shipbuilding, you’re in luck, because there are plenty of openings at shipyards across the country.

With travel and tourism nearing pre-2020 levels, and transit systems benefiting from a return to work, passenger vessels have seen renewed activity. In its year-end review, John Groundwater, Executive Director of the Passenger Vessel Association (PVA), which advocates for the sector in Washington, D.C. wrote: “As we are nearing the end of the calendar year, we are delighted to report that our industry, and our members, are reporting far and wide that they have experienced very…

The Shearer Group, Inc. (TSGI) announce it has been awarded another five-year indefinite deliverable contract with the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT).The Houston-based naval architecture and marine engineering firm will provide engineering services required for the preparation of plans, specifications and estimates (PS&E), related documents and construction services to update existing passenger-vehicle ferry vessels and marine shore-side facilities.

Callan Marine's newest fleet asset, the 28” cutter suction dredge (CSD) General Bradley, was christened in Morgan City, La. on Tuesday. The General Bradley will immediately commence work at the Port Bolivar Ferry Landing for the Texas Department of Transportation.At 341 feet in length and 54 feet wide, General Bradley has a maximum digging depth of 60 feet and a dredge pipe diameter of 28” inches. Constructed at the Halimar Shipyard in Morgan City, La., the diesel-electric driven General Bradley is equipped with three ABC 12DZC engines that supply 9,260 horsepower combined.

Galveston-based dredging contractor Callan Marine is the prime contractor to the Texas Department of Transportation for a maintenance dredging project located at the Bolivar Ferry Terminal. The project consists of the removal of 369,000 cubic yards of material and returning the landings to the required depth of 22 feet.The dredged material has been hydraulically transported via 4,000 feet of pipeline to placement area BU-1, located northeast of the dredging location.Callan expects the project to be complete in mid-July by the company’s fleet dredge the General Patton.

Lockport, La.-based Bollinger Shipyards has acquired Gulf Island Fabrication’s shipyard facilities in nearby Houma for approximately $28.6 million.The purchased site encompasses 437 acres on the west bank of the Houma Navigation Canal, of which 283 acres is unimproved land that is available for expansion. The facility includes 18,000 square feet of administrative and operations facilities, 160,000 square feet of covered fabrication facilities and 20,000 square feet of warehouse facilities. It also has 6,750 linear feet of water frontage, including 2,350 feet of steel bulkheads.

In 2017, The Shearer Group, Inc. (TSGI) was awarded a five-year Indefinite Deliverable contract with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). TSGI was tasked to provide the detail design of a double-ended diesel-electric ferry with energy storage capable of carrying construction 495 passengers / 70 cars, providing service from Galveston Island to Bolivar Peninsula. The ferry is currently being built at Gulf Island Shipyard in Jennings, Louisiana. TSGI will provide construction…

American manufacturer of marine vessels used in the energy sector, Gulf Island Fabrication Inc. (GIFI) has received an award for the construction of a (70) seventy vehicle ferry from the Texas Department of Transportation.The fabricator of complex steel structures, modules and marine vessels said in a press note that the delivery is scheduled for late 2021.The ferry will operate between Galveston and Bolivar Island, Texas, it said.“I am pleased to have been selected to build this ferry for the Texas Department of Transportation," said Kirk Meche, Gulf Island’s President and Chief Executive Officer.“This award is another example of our commitment to diversify outside of our traditional oil and gas markets to provide opportunities for our employees and returns for our shareholders…

The South Port Connector Road Project received environmental clearance from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Pharr District Office, advancing the project to the construction phase.The project is part of the Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority’s (CCRMA) East Loop Corridor plan. When complete, the South Port Connector Road will span two miles and will connect Ostos Road at the Port of Brownsville with State Highway 4.The project will enhance the port’s intermodal connectivity, further facilitating domestic and international trade throughout the Rio Grande Valley.“The Port of Brownsville is a valuable asset to the Texas economy and a major economic force in the region,” said John Reed, Brownsville Navigation District Chairman.

The Shearer Group, Inc. (TSGI) said it was awarded a five-year Indefinite Deliverable contract with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to provide design, engineering and construction oversight services for a new 500 passenger, 70 car ferry providing service from Galveston Island to Bolivar Peninsula.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced the appointment of 29 new members to the Marine Transportation System National Advisory Committee (MTSNAC). Established in 2010, MTSNAC is comprised of leaders from commercial transportation firms, ship construction, repair and recycling, trade associations, state and local public entities, labor organizations, academics, and environmental groups that advise the Secretary and the Maritime Administration on policies to ensure that the U.S. Marine Transportation System is capable of responding to projected trade increases. The Committee advises the Secretary on solutions to impediments hindering effective use of short sea transportation and other matters as the Secretary determines.

Southwest Shipyard of Houston, partner of Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG), has been selected by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to build the third vessel in a new class of 28-car ferries for the city of Port Aransas. Two ferries of the new class were delivered in 2011, and construction of the latest vessel, which is a diesel-electric version, will begin this fall. EBDG will serve as the owner's representative. EBDG has provided support to TxDOT since 2008. Following…

Commissioner William P. Doyle's remarks at the Commission Briefing on Mid-Atlantic and Northeast Port Congestion Forum, November 13 2014 in Baltimore, MD. On October 1, 2014, Commissioner Lidinsky and I hosted the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast Port Congestion Forum at the World Trade Center in Baltimore, Maryland. I want to thank all the FMC staff for their participation in setting up and managing the day’s event. David Tubman and Jewel Jennings-Wright worked tirelessly for weeks helping to locate attendees and participants. Thank you both.

The recent enactment of the Waterways Resources Reform and Development Act of 2014 (WRRDA) has brought a sense of optimism to inland waterways mariners, operators and industries across the nation. Our inland waterways are poised for success, and key to that success is the anticipated support provided in that bill. Of course, follow on appropriations and carefully planned implementation is critical to assure continued success of our waterways system. One segment of that system, the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (GIWW) is growing in importance and value to the nation.

Elliott Bay Design Group (EBDG), a naval architecture and marine engineering firm with offices in Seattle, New Orleans and Ketchikan, Ala., has been selected by the New York Department of Transportation (NYC DOT) to design a new class of ferries that will operate between the boroughs of Staten Island and Manhattan. The project scope consists of a complete design package, including contract drawings, specifications and other documents for vessels to replace the existing Barberi and Kennedy Class ferries. Also included in the scope are modifications to the existing Molinari Class ferries to retrofit a new propulsion system, something the city says is necessary to establish consistency between the new ferries and those that will remain in the fleet. Senator Charles E.

The U.S. Coast Guard is ramping up efforts to clean oil in the Ports of Texas City and Galveston Wednesday, as expected afternoon weather will likely hinder or cease operations due to safety concerns for responders. Storms may keep responders from being able to safely collect oil on the water and along the shoreline. Response efforts will focus heavily on cleaning Pelican Island and north to the Texas City Dike until weather makes operations too hazardous for responders. The weather is also expected to flush out pockets of oil that were unreachable to responders over the past few days. Once weather abates, responders will be re-assessing the area to update cleanup plans for immediate action.

Notable accomplishments in revenue generation, cargo throughput, professional performance and international recognition highlighted today's monthly meeting of the Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority (PHA). Executive Director Roger Guenther, in his first meeting since being named to the post, characterized January's numbers as "a very exciting start to the new year" with operating revenue of more than $20 million. Guenther cited across-the-board increases in all major areas of cargo as the driver behind a 3-million-ton month for January, which was 15 percent higher than the year before. A contributor to that January figure was 400…

The Port Commission approved U.S. Army Corps of Engineers MOA’s  for Maintenance Dredging at Barbours Cut and Bayport. Two Memoranda of Agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for maintenance dredging were approved by the Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority at its recent meeting, including up to $550,000 for maintenance dredging of Barbours Cut Terminal berths and up to $400,000 for maintenance dredging for Bayport Terminal berths. Executive Director Len Waterworth said that the Port Authority garnered a substantial savings for each contract by combining its requirements with channel maintenance and using the Army Corps of Engineers contracts for these projects.

Executive Director Len Waterworth has  implemented a reorganization of the management structure of the Port of Houston Authority designed to enhance efficiencies, drive higher profitability and ensure greater accountability, consistent with the Port Authority's vision and mission. The reorganization shifts to a structure that is based on collaborative teams with specific operations. Waterworth, who was appointed to his post in April, has named a leadership team at the Deputy Executive Director level to lead the new operational divisions.

The first two of a new class of vessels designed by Seattle-based Elliott Bay Design Group LLC (EBDG) and built for the Port Aransas Ferry Service went into operation on July 1. EBDG was selected by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), Corpus Christi District, to prepare the design for this new 160-ft, double-ended ferry serving as a continuation of Texas State Highway 361 across the Corpus Christi Channel, between Port Aransas and Harbor Island. The new vessels, the Michael W. Behrens and the Charles W. Heald, are named for former directors of the transportation department.

Alan C. McClure Associates (ACMA), a naval architecture and engineering firm, recently announced that the company has been selected to develop shipyard construction-level detail drawings for the next generation of TxDOT ferries. ACMA will also be responsible for ABS and USCG compliance, as well as weight monitoring for assembly lifts during the construction period. The 160-ft double-ended, geared diesel-powered automobile and passenger ferries will have the ability to carry approximately 28 vehicles and 150 passengers. They will join the fleet operated by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) that offers free ferry service between Port Aransas on Mustang Island, and Harbor Island, a continuation of Texas State Route 361.