Houston authority wins Guanta port study

Venezuela's Anzoategui state ports authority (Pasa) has awarded a consulting team led by the US' Houston port authority (POHAIC) a US$225,000 feasibility study on modernization plans for Guanta's cargo shipping terminal, POHAIC announced. "Work toward completing the study is underway," a POHAIC spokesperson told BNamericas, adding the study will take from "a few to several months" to complete. The project, sponsored by the US Trade & Development Agency (TDA), entails creating a commodity forecast, market analysis, as well as a technical and financial evaluation of Guanta port's cargo terminal expansion plans, reads the POHAIC statement. In addition to analyzing short- and long-term environmental impacts, the consulting team will develop rate models for cargo handling and storage and tariff schedules. Works also entail recommending port security upgrades and developing a timetable for implementing changes and investments. Other team members include Moffatt & Nichol Engineers, Martin Associates and Schaffer & Associates. Pasa manages Guanta, a state-run facility some 1,100m-long with a six-to-eight-ship capacity.