The Port needs most of that acreage to fill with dredgedmaterial from the widening of the Houston Ship Channel, but a20-acre tract is needed for access to the voter-approved BayportContainer Terminal, which it hopes to start building in 2002. Portofficials intend to negotiate with Olin Corp., owner of 400 acres,and Dow Chemical, owner of another 157.4 acres, near the JacintoTerminal in Channelview, according to Tom Kornegay, the Port'sexecutive director. The 20-acre parcel would be used for road andrail access to Bayport.

The Port says it may use its power of eminent domain to acquirethis acreage plus a four-acre tract from American Acryl to be usedfor a truck entrance to Bayport. Bayport will require theexpenditure of $88.5 million for essential real estatetransactions, such as relocating the road to Bayport and providingfor truck access. It also faces a $35.3-million bill forimprovements to the existing Barbour's Cut Container Terminal atMorgan's Point and $26.6 million for improvements to the shipchannel's turning basin.

No wonder the Port's board voted a boost in rates chargedshippers at the turning basin, Jacintoport, Woodhouse, Barbour'sCut and Galveston Container Terminal. The cumulative increase hastotaled 3%, except at the Galveston Terminal, where the increase is1.8%.