SULPHUR, La, April 9, 2009 – The West Calcasieu Port board of commissioners voted this
week to award Mike Hooks, Inc. the contract for the maintenance dredging of the port’s west
barge basin located on the north shore of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.
The successful bid of $1,951,425 was the lowest among six bids received by the port during its
competitive public bid process.
“The West Cal Port board of commissioners was encouraged to have received such a large
number of bid packets for the project,” said Larry Mashburn, president of the West Calcasieu
Port board. “The commissioners were equally impressed with the quality of the contractors that
were interested in the port’s project and spent a considerable amount of time reviewing all of the
data and information included in the packets.”
Lynn Hohensee, WCP director noted that the West Calcasieu Port will work closely with local,
state and federal officials to make sure that all dredging operations are in line with regulatory
permits for the project and that an aggressive time schedule is followed for the maintenance
dredging.
“Our port specializes in servicing commercial barge transportation operations along the Gulf
Intracoastal Waterway,” he said. “It is critical to the port and its tenants that we provide a fully
operational barge basin where barges can be safely secured in the facility’s west barge basin.”
He noted that the timing is critical so that the port’s barge transportation infrastructure can be at
100 percent efficiency asSouthwest Louisiana prepares for another hurricane season.
WCP Engineer Chuck Stutes with Sulphurbased Meyer & Associates has estimated that
approximately 180,000 cubic yards of spoil will need to be dredged in order to return the port’s
west barge basin to a depth of 12 feet. The dredged spoils will be deposited on a 40acre
spoils area at the port that has been approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Hohensee explained that the WCP’s largest tenant, Devall Towing, currently operates one of the
largest barge fleeting facilities along the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, and that demand for quality
barge docking space is essential if the company is to meet growing demand shallowwater
maritime transportation in Southwest Louisiana.
Significant funding support will come from a $1.5 million Port Priority Fund grant from the
Louisiana Department of Transportation & Development. Additional funding support is being
provided by the Federal Emergency Response Administration as a result of the destructive
impact that Hurricanes Rita and Ike had on the port’s barge basin.
Located 12 miles south of Interstate 10 and just west of Highway 27, the WCP offers 2,500 feet
of waterfront property on the GIWW.
Current tenant activity includes barge operations, maritime fueling service, dry cargo barge
cleaning, diesel repair, heavy equipment contracting and maritime supply operations.
# # # #
4/9/09
Download the story here.