Port Houston starts implementing GIS Road Map created by NSGIS

The Port of Houston Authority hired NSGIS (NorthSouth GIS) in 2016 to prepare a five-year GIS Road Map. This far-reaching plan details dozens of ways in which the port authority can utilize geospatial technologies to improve its competitiveness, operational efficiency, safety and security. The plan described the required steps to move the port’s geospatial technology investment to the level proven to be successful in other internationally significant ports like Long Beach, Rotterdam and Vancouver. The port has begun implementing NSGIS’s recommendations by adjusting its GIS budgets, staffing levels and place in the organization.

The port has recently rebranded itself as Port Houston, and published a new website. NSGIS is pleased to highlight that one of its GIS Road Map recommendations, that the port leverage ArcGIS Online to disseminate information to the public, has been translated into action now. By embedding an interactive Esri-based web map depicting its terminal locations in pages like http://porthouston.com/portweb/container-terminals/ and http://porthouston.com/portweb/breakbulk-and-project-cargo/, Port Houston is spearheading the use of GIS in ports by expanding GIS beyond an internal-only tool to one that is used to communicate directly with its stakeholders.

NSGIS applauds Port Houston’s commitment to leveraging geospatial sciences and technologies.