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Port
Freeport is one of the great natural resources of Brazoria
County. When the Texas
Freeport Sulfur Company began
production at Bryan mound on Nov. 12, 1912, the need for a good port
facility became imminent. With
direct access to the Gulf of Mexico the port has done a great deal
to help attract and sustain local industry.
Port Freeport’s 45 foot deep, 400 foot wide, and 3.5-mile
long channel quickly brings vessels up to 80,000 dead-weight tons
from the Gulf of Mexico to the harbor.
Port Freeport is
currently implementing an aggressive expansion program that has
dredged its deep berthing area to 70 feet and it is now actively
working toward the extension of “A” dock to 750 feet.
The port has a Gottwald 280 multi-purpose mobile crane, which
has the capacity to perform 25 container moves per hour, or to be
outfitted to handle lifts in excess of 100 tons.
In 1998 Port
Freeport moved nearly one million tons of cargo over the public
facilities. Over
300,000 tons was comprised of rice imports and exports.
Another 250,000 tons represented fruit imports.
Another quarter-million tons was made up of chemicals and
general cargo, both imports and exports.
In addition, Port
Freeport has an on-site warehouse and transit shed space in excess
of 400,000 square feet. The active FTZ#149, permits unique incentives to Port
Freeport’s clientele; it may allow for the deferral, reduction or
possible elimination of duties.
The port owns
some 8,000 acres of land for use by port-related companies
including: American Rice, BASF Corporation, Dole, The Dow Chemical
Company, Phillips Petroleum Company, and Trinity Industries, Inc. |
