View source for Bayport Terminal

{{Infobox Port
| name = Bayport Container Terminal
| image =Bayport Container Terminal Aerial - Near Houston (43373625235).jpg
| image_size=300px
| image_caption =Aerial view of the Bayport Container Terminal
| country = [[United States]]
| location = [[Seabrook, Texas]]<ref name="POHA: Bayport">{{cite web | url=http://www.portofhouston.com/maritime/container/bayport/bayport.html | title=Bayport Terminal | publisher=Port of Houston Authority | accessdate=22 Jan 2010 | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100203111215/http://www.portofhouston.com/maritime/container/bayport/bayport.html | archivedate=3 February 2010 | url-status=dead }}</ref>
| coordinates ={{Coord|29|36|40|N|95|0|40|W|region:US-TX_type:landmark|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| opened = 2007
| operated = [[Port of Houston]] Authority
| owner = City of [[Houston]]
| type = Natural / artificial
| sizewater =
| sizeland =
| size =
| berths =
| wharfs =
| piers =
| employees =
| leadershiptitle =
| leader =
| blankdetailstitle1 =
| blankdetails1 =
| blankdetailstitle2 =
| blankdetails2 =
| blankdetailstitle3 =
| blankdetails3 =
| arrivals =
| cargotonnage =
| containervolume =
| cargovalue =
| passengertraffic =
| revenue =
| profit =
| blankstatstitle1 =
| blankstats1 =
| blankstatstitle2 =
| blankstats2 =
| blankstatstitle3 =
| blankstats3 =
| website = http://www.portofhouston.com
}}

The '''Bayport Container Terminal''', or simply the '''Bayport Terminal''', is a major deep water port in the [[Greater Houston]] area in [[Texas]] ([[United States]]). This relatively new terminal, part of the [[Port of Houston]], is designed to handle standardized [[cargo containers]] and offload the nearby [[Barbours Cut Terminal]], which has no further room for expansion.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.portofhouston.com/BayportTerminalProgress/index.html | title=Bayport Terminal Progress | publisher=Port of Houston Authority | accessdate=1 Feb 2010 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100216073026/http://www.portofhouston.com/BayportTerminalProgress/index.html | archive-date=2010-02-16 | url-status=dead }}</ref> The Bayport Terminal is situated along the Bayport Ship Channel off [[Galveston Bay]], between [[La Porte, Texas]] and [[Seabrook, Texas]] adjacent to [[Shoreacres, Texas|Shoreacres]]. This channel itself feeds into the larger [[Houston Ship Channel]], which runs from [[Houston]], through [[Galveston Bay]], to the [[Gulf of Mexico]].

The port sits adjacent to the [[Bayport Industrial District]], a large complex of firms primarily involved in [[petroleum]] and [[petrochemical]] processing.

The facilities at Bayport formerly included a [[cruise ship]] terminal, built at a cost of US$81 million.<ref name="Ike Miracle">{{cite news | author=Connelly, Richard | title=Hurricane Ike An Ike Miracle: Bayport Cruise Terminal To Actually Be Used | work=Houston Press | url=http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2008/09/an_ike_miracle_bayport_cruise.php | date=September 16, 2008}}</ref> The terminal briefly saw use for cruises following [[Hurricane Ike]] when ships like [[Carnival Cruise Lines]] ''[[Ecstasy (ship)|Ecstasy]]'' and ''[[Carnival Conquest|Conquest]]'' were re-routed from the damaged [[Port of Galveston]] to Bayport for nearly two months. Bayport Cruise Terminal was a planned port of call for both [[Princess Cruises]] and [[Norwegian Cruise Line]] in 2013-2014.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://globenewswire.com/news-release/2012/11/15/505636/10012824/en/Photo-Release-Princess-and-Norwegian-Cruising-Into-Port-of-Houston.html|title = Photo Release -- Princess and Norwegian Cruising into Port of Houston|date = 15 November 2012}}</ref> The cruise ships have since abandoned the terminal and the Port of Houston has dismantled the gangways.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/article/With-cruise-ships-gone-Port-of-Houston-decides-8425454.php|title = With cruise ships gone, Port of Houston decides to move on at Bayport|date = 27 July 2016}}</ref>

==Controversy==
The Bayport Terminal was controversial since before its construction due to concerns raised about environmental impact and the general suitability of the site.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.siteselection.com/ssinsider/snapshot/sf031027.htm | title=$1.2-B Houston Port Expansion Plan Still Knee-Deep in Debate | publisher= Interactive Publishing |date=May 2003}}</ref>
The [[United States Army Corps of Engineers]] approved the permit, but stated in the Environmental Impact Statement that unavoidable impacts of increased noise in the area, increased levels of [[nitrous oxide]]s, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, and cancer causing particulate matter would be emitted by the terminal. Homes are within {{convert|600|ft}} of the docks.<ref name="FEIS">{{cite book | title=Final Environmental Impact Statement | author=Corps of Engineers | date=May 2003 | at=sections 3.0 and 4.0 | url=http://www.swg.usace.army.mil/reg/pha/FEIS/BayportFEIS.pdf | access-date=2010-05-05 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090621170342/http://www.swg.usace.army.mil/reg/pha/FEIS/BayportFEIS.pdf | archive-date=2009-06-21 | url-status=dead }}</ref> Due to the prevailing southeast wind and the proximity of the residents, the Corps of Engineers recommended a {{convert|30|ft|adj=on}} sound wall to block sound levels that they estimated to be as high as 70 dBA (as of 2010 the terminal was only approximately 30% in operation yet produced levels of 65 dBA).<ref name="FEIS-2">{{cite book | title=Final Environmental Impact Statement | author=Corps of Engineers | date=May 2003 | at=sections 3.8-31-3.8-32 | url=http://www.swg.usace.army.mil/reg/pha/FEIS/BayportFEIS.pdf | access-date=2010-05-05 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090621170342/http://www.swg.usace.army.mil/reg/pha/FEIS/BayportFEIS.pdf | archive-date=2009-06-21 | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Bayport Mitigation">{{cite web |url=http://bayportmitigationsolution.com/ |title=Bayport Mitigation |publisher=Port of Houston Authority |accessdate=5 May 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527114035/http://www.bayportmitigationsolution.com/ |archivedate=2010-05-27 }}</ref> The Port of Houston approached residents who are affected by the pollution and noise and has attempted to buy an easement from these residents. In 2010, the mayor of [[Shoreacres, Texas|Shoreacres]] published a letter to the community raising concerns about the scope of the easement and rights residents might be waiving by accepting it.<ref name="Bayport Mitigation"/><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.cityofshoreacres.us/News2010-03.htm | title=Mayor Responds to Port Easement Proposal| publisher=City of Shoreacres |date= March 2010}}</ref> That same year residents of Shoreacres filed suit against the Port of Houston Authority for damages.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.moriarty.com/bayport/ | title=Bayport Terminal | publisher= Moriarty Leyendecker | accessdate=5 May 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.khou.com/home/Shoreacres-residents-turn-to-lawsuit-over-industrial-noise-89249532.html |title=Shoreacres residents turn to lawsuit over industrial noise |author=Reece, Kevin |work=KHOU |date=March 26, 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100328205425/http://www.khou.com/home/Shoreacres-residents-turn-to-lawsuit-over-industrial-noise-89249532.html |archivedate=2010-03-28 }}</ref>

{{-}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Texas}}
* [[Barbours Cut Terminal]]
* [[Bayport Industrial District]]
* [[Port of Houston]]
* [[Port of Texas City]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.portofhouston.com/maritime/container/bayport/bayport.html Port of Houston: Bayport Terminal]

{{Texas ports}}
{{Galveston Bay Area}}
{{Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown MSA}}
{{Texas}}

[[Category:Galveston Bay Area]]
[[Category:Greater Houston]]
[[Category:Ports and harbors of Texas]]
[[Category:La Porte, Texas]]
[[Category:Gulf of Mexico]]
[[Category:Transportation buildings and structures in Houston]]
[[Category:Container terminals]]