The Georgia Ports Authority has received and is reviewing bids to replace the portion of Warehouse 3 that was destroyed in a massive fire at Ocean Terminal in early February, but no contract has been awarded, nor has a cause for the fire been determined.
According to Glenn Allen, public information officer for the state fire marshal’s office, the cause of the blaze remains under investigation, with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms in the lead.
“Our office assisted, but it is ATF’s investigation now,” Allen said. “I can tell you that, at this point, nothing has been ruled out.”
Allen also said it wasn‘t unusual for a fire investigations to take this long.
“All fires are different,” he said. “With some, the cause is fairly evident and resolution comes quickly.”
Others, like the port fire, are more complicated.
“This was a huge fire with no obvious cause,” he said. “Samples had to be taken and sent to the lab, interviews had to be conducted.
“There really is no set time. We’ll know when we know.”
While Allen wasn’t sure why ATF has taken the lead in the investigation, GPA chief operating officer Griff Lynch has said his understanding is that the federal agency was called in because the warehouse contained products of international trade.
As for the bids to replace the destroyed section of the warehouse, GPA spokesman Robert Morris said port officials are in the process of reviewing the bids and finalizing contract language.
The GPA board has authorized ports executive director Curtis Foltz to issue purchase orders and contracts totaling up to $20 million for the clean-up, site remediation and reconstruction associated with the fire, which destroyed the northern half of the warehouse and its contents, approximately 1,800 tons of palletized rubber valued at just under $2 million.
Jamie McCurry, director of administration and governmental affairs at the ports, said replacement of the full structure and close out of all claims is expected to be completed within 12 months of contract awards.
Water bill signing
The Georgia Ports Authority has received word that the president is scheduled to sign the Water Resources Reform and Development Act at 10 a.m. Tuesday in the Oval Office. That will allow the state and the U.S. Corps of engineers to begin finalizing their Project Partnership Agreement, the final step before construction of the Savannah Harbor Expansion Project to deepen the Savannah River channel to 47 feet at mean low tide.
Senior business reporter Mary Carr Mayle covers the ports for the Savannah Morning News and savannahnow. She can be reached at 912-652-0324 or at mary.mayle@savannahnow.com.
Shipping schedule
Following are the ships expected to call on Georgia Ports Authority’s Garden City and Ocean terminals this week. Schedules are supplied by GPA and are subject to change.
TERMINAL VESSEL ETA
GCT MSC MARTA Today
GCT NORTHERN DEDICATION Today
GCT MAERSK VIRGINIA Today
GCT SEA LAND EAGLE Today
GCT NYK DEMETER Today
GCT ZIM LUANDA Today
GCT YM MATURITY Today
GCT NORTHERN GENERAL Today
OT GRANDE GUINEA Today
GCT APL OMAN Saturday
GCT ANNA MAERSK Saturday
GCT CSAV LLANQUIHUE Saturday
GCT QUADRIGA Saturday
GCT ST LOUIS EXPRESS Saturday
GCT MOL PRECISION Saturday
OT BAHRI HOFUF Saturday
GCT HANJIN ELIZABETH Sunday
GCT HS COLUMBIA Sunday
GCT HANJIN SAN DIEGO Monday
GCT KAAN KALKAVAN Monday
GCT NYK RUMINA Monday
GCT NYK ARCADIA Monday
GCT PETROCHEM TRADER Monday
GCT HELVETIA Monday
GCT OOCL OAKLAND Monday
GCT HYUNDAI GOODWILL Monday
GCT HALIFAX EXPRESS Monday
OT TITANIA Monday
GCT MSC METHONI Tuesday
GCT MAERSK PITTSBURGH Tuesday
GCT UASC DOHA Tuesday
GCT MOL EFFICIENCY Tuesday
GCT CENTAURUS Wednesday
GCT ZIM RIO GRANDE Wednesday
GCT ROSSINI Wednesday
GCT MOZAMBIQUE Wednesday
GCT NEW YORK TRADER Wednesday
GCT MOL PARADISE Wednesday
OT ENDURANCE Wednesday
GCT ZIM SAN FRANCISCO Thursday
GCT SAFMARINE BANDAMA Thursday
GCT MSC PAMELA Thursday
GCT MAERSK WILLEMSTADT Thursday
GCT HANJIN MONACO Thursday