Posted on May 17, 2016
By Anne Kallas, Ventura County Star
The Port of Hueneme will not be shutting down when construction begins later this year on an $8 million effort to deepen the port — a project that will increase the amount of cargo shipped in by 200,000 tons a year, port officials say.
“Under no circumstances will we close the port for the construction project,” said Port CEO Kristin Decas, adding that the commercial port operations have an agreement with the U.S. Navy to use its berths if necessary. “There will be some financial hit to the port, but not to workers. No one will lose their jobs because of the project.”
The deepening effort, set to begin in December, will smooth out the bottom of the man-made port, taking it down to 40 feet from its current average of 35 feet. Decas described it as taking out “moguls” that dot the floor.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will oversee the project, which also includes improvements to the port’s infrastructure. Work is expected to last until next summer.
John Demers, the port’s chief operations officer, said the real challenge will be configuring where cargo can be loaded and unloaded while construction is under way.
“We’ll just be moving things around,” said Demers, who likened the problem to a Rubik’s Cube puzzle. “I don’t think it will have a huge impact overall.”
The budget for fiscal year 2016-17, which was presented to the Oxnard Harbor District commissioners last week, includes money to cover any unexpected costs.
“We’re building into the budget cushions of around $1 million to be extremely conservative,” Decas said.
Once the port is deepened, it will be able to handle ships carrying more cargo, Demers said.
Currently, the port can handle ships that have 30 feet submerged. Once deepened, it will be able to accommodate a 35-foot draft, so the ships can be heavier — laden with more cargo.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is underwriting 65 percent of the cost of the deepening project, or $5.2 million.
Concurrently, the $12.3 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery — TIGER — grant the port received last year will be used to increase the strength of the docks and to refurbish the railroad spur that runs to the port.
Decas estimates that the project will create 563 new direct and indirect jobs at the port itself and at companies affected by the increase in cargo. It is also expected to bring in an additional $28 million in revenue, along with $4.6 million more in taxes.
Decas said the increased traffic is not expected to substantially increase the environmental impact to the area, so a new environmental impact report isn’t necessary.
“The current EIR allows for 780 trucks to run through port, and now we’re near 300 a day, well within our environmental threshold for now,” Decas said.
There’s one more benefit to the project, she noted: Sand from the harbor may be used to help replenish Port Hueneme’s beaches. She said the sand will be tested to make sure it is clean enough to be pumped onto the beaches in conjunction with the regularly scheduled Channel Islands Harbor dredging this fall and winter.
Source: Ventura County Star
