Port lease promises jobs, revenue

After months of negotiation, port leaders Monday approved a deal that promises more than 80 jobs, revenues for the cash-poor public docks and the awakening of an idle shipyard on Pelican Island. The Wharves Board of Trustees approved a lease agreement with Port Arthur-based Gulf Copper & Manufacturing Corp. by 6-0 vote with trustee William Clayton absent. Gulf Copper, a marine repair firm, said it planned to revive what locals call the old Todd Shipyard site on 110 acres left idle in September by First Wave Marine.