County report opposes Miami cement terminal

County report opposes Miami cement terminal The inspector general for Miami-Dade County has recommended that the Port of Miami stop plans to develop a cement terminal at the port, claiming trucks that haul dry bulk cement would increase traffic congestion and questioning the decision to award a no-bid contract for the terminal.
   The Port of Miami has historically shied away from bulk cargoes, but this year the County Commissioner tentatively approved a cement terminal that is being developed by Sermar USA, a two-year-old local company started by industry veteran Sergio Martinez. He has been involved in bulk cement trucking operations for 25 years.
   In May, inspector general Chris Mazzella said the county should hold off on the project. He has now issued a report suggesting that the port stop the project.
   The report questions whether Sermar is the most qualified company to operate a cement terminal at the port, and also says a terminal would create traffic problems and create potential problems with cement dust.
   Acting port director Bill Johnson, who took over the top management post at the port in June, said the report raised significant issues and that he plans to discuss the project with port staff to determine what the port did before recommending the no-bid contract.
   Former port director Charles Towsley said in May that no-bid contracts for such projects are not unusual. He said he supported the project because it offered a source of new port revenue at a time when the port is trying to offset increase security costs.
   The cement terminal had been planned for a site where an old port building is located. Sermar was tentatively slated to demolish the building as part of its development proposal.