GALVESTON — Federal officials have completed side-scanning sonar sweeps and found no obstructions in the Galveston Ship Channel, said Mike Mierzwa, deputy director of the Port of Galveston.
Gerald Sullivan, chairman of the port’s governing board, said longshoremen would begin unloading the first ship at the public docks Wednesday.
Approaches to the Pelican Island Bridge were destroyed by Hurricane Ike, which roared ashore late Friday.
Sullivan said the bridge would be repaired by Monday.
Among other businesses and institutions, Pelican Island is home to Texas A&M University at Galveston and ship repair firm Gulf Copper, which employs several hundred people.
Gulf Copper is expected to return, prepared to service any ship that comes in, Sullivan said.
The storm sank four shrimp boats in the Intracoastal Waterway.
The U.S. Coast Guard was working to remove the vessels, Mierzwa said.
On Oct. 1, the first cruise ship will return to the port, Sullivan said.
Carnival’s cruise ships Conquest and Ecstasy, which homeport in Galveston, will resume sailing next week from the Port of Houston’s newly opened Bayport facility until they can return to the island port.
The 2,052-passenger Ecstasy will move to the $81 million Bayport facility and resume its four- and five-day Mexico schedule starting with a five-day cruise departing Saturday.
Carnival officials have said they are committed to return to the island, however.
Information about how much damage the port sustained during the storm was not immediately available.
But Sullivan said he was optimistic about recovery.
“I’m very positive about the future,” he said. “We will be back in business by next week.”
