The Galveston County Daily News

GALVESTON — The federal government awarded the cash-strapped Port of Galveston a $10 million grant to repair Hurricane Ike damage to docks and to make improvements that would allow more cargo vessel calls, officials say.

The port will use the grant, administered by the Economic Development Administration — a division of the U.S. Department of Commerce — to make repairs to piers 14-18, said Port Director Steve Cernak.

“These funds are desperately needed to revitalize the port’s operations and will allow us to meet the needs of our customers and grow our business,” Cernak said.

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn helped the port to win the grant, which would supplement a state loan the port acquired to repair docks.

Just before Hurricane Ike, the port secured a $28 million from the state to restore some of its aged and rotting docks through the Texas Industry Development loan program.

Piers 14-18 on the East End play a large role in the port’s long-term development, Cernak said.

But the current slip configuration, built in 1948, can’t handle large vessels.

Redevelopment plans call for filling in the slips at Pier 14 with about 600,000 cubic yards of material, more than doubling the uplands area for cargo storage and handling, Cernak said.

The port also plans to create a new, 1,100-foot deepwater channel side berth connecting Pier 10 and Pier 16-18, allowing for more ship calls and ultimately more employment for longshoremen, Cernak said.

The port also credits Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, and Rep. Ron Paul for securing the funding.

“Additionally, the staff at the Houston-Galveston Area Council, Galveston City Manager Steve LeBlanc and Jeff Sjostrom of the Galveston Economic Development Partnership, worked closely with the port to guide the application through the process and were critical to our success in obtaining this funding,” said Gerald Sullivan, chairman of the Galveston Wharves Board of Trustees, which governs the port.