SSA, CP SHIPS GET O.K. FOR GREENFIELD TERMINAL IN TEXAS

SSA, CP SHIPS GET O.K. FOR GREENFIELD TERMINAL IN TEXAS    The U.S. Corp of Engineers has approved the construction of a two-million-TEU capacity container terminal in Texas City to be operated by Stevedoring Services of America and CP Ships.
   The greenfield terminal is expected to compete against the neighboring port of    Houston, Texas.
   Construction of the Texas City terminal is due to start this summer, with operations scheduled to start in mid-2006. Phase one of the project will consist of 2,000 feet of berth, 125 acres of container yard, four cranes and a dedicated three-mile access road. The International Longshoremen’s Association will represent the dock labor.
   On completion of the third phase of development of the project, the terminal will feature 6,000 feet of berth, 400 acres of yard area, a 45-foot (13.7-meter) draft and a capacity of approximately 2 million TEUs a year.
   The Texas terminal is believed to be CP Ships’ first terminal outside Canada.