2008 ANNUAL STS AIChE HOUSTON SHIP CHANNEL TRIP

6:00 PM, SATURDAY, May 31, 2008

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Once again, the South Texas Section will journey down the Houston Ship Channel in the fully air-conditioned M/V Sam Houston on the evening of Saturday, May 31. The M/V Sam Houston will leave the dock at 6:00 PM sharp and return to the dock at approximately 8:00 PM.

The Houston Ship Channel is the largest concentration of chemical industry in the United States with more than 50 chemical processing facilities located along either side providing their products to commerce around the world. The list of companies that are located along the Houston Ship Channel reads like a who’s who of the chemical process and refining industries. The ship channel has more than 50% of the nation's basic petrochemical manufacturing capacity and nearly 50% of the capacity of first stage derivatives - almost three times larger than its closest competitor.

Barbecue and beverages will be served on the trip which is intended to be enjoyed by one and all, so please bring your spouse or significant other. Lenox Barbecue will again be providing beef, chicken and rib barbecue dinners with all the fixings including beans, potato salad, cole slaw, pickles, and lots of jalapenos plus dessert for those who are still hungry.

Because the trip is intended for a technical organization, no children under the age of 16 are allowed. The cost of the trip, the barbecue, and the beverages (open bar) is only $15.00. Because of the popularity of this annual trip, we regret that must impose a limit of only two (2) people per reservation. Also, people who fail to cancel their reservations by 12:00 noon on Thursday, May 29, to allow others who are on the wait-list to go on the trip are subject to being billed for the $15.00 per person cost.

Because of Port of Houston security requirements and the limited space available, reservations are required for the trip since the M/V Sam Houston can take only 60 people. Please make your reservation and prepay using the STS shopping cart at http://www.sts-aiche.org/zen-cart/. Reservations will be accepted starting on the night of the Thursday, May 1, STS-AIChE monthly dinner meeting until 2:00 PM, Thursday, May 29. Attendees of the May 1 STS-AIChE meeting will get to sign up during the meeting and have until Monday to prepay using the shopping cart. Starting May 2, other members may register and prepay using the shopping cart. When the reservations list is full, a wait-list will be started. Reservations can be canceled at any time up to 12:00 noon on Friday, May 30, online on the STS-AIChE Web site.

Reservations are limited to members of the STS-AIChE and one guest per member for a total of two people for each reservation. Please include the names and the telephone numbers or e-mail addresses for yourself and your AIChE membership number with your reservation so we can contact everybody to confirm all of the reservations and notify everybody in case the trip is cancelled (see the security notice above). Reservations are on a first come, first serve basis; however, we will maintain a wait list in case there are cancellations. Remember: reservations will be accepted beginning with the Thursday, May 1, STS-AIChE monthly dinner meeting.

All people going on the Houston Ship Channel Trip must have a picture ID to show to the guard at Gate 8 and to the crew member before boarding the M/V Sam Houston. Names will be compared to the reservations list by the guard.

We hope to see you on board the M/V Sam Houston when we weigh anchor.

Directions

The parking lot access is through Gate 8 of the Port of Houston, 7300 Clinton Drive. Exit I-10 (Baytown East Freeway) at McCarty and proceed south on McCarty to Clinton Drive. Turn right on Clinton and proceed west to Gate 8, which has a signal light and is just before Wayside. Turn left and enter Gate 8, then proceed to the pavilion at the Turning Basin, staying to the right. Once there, park in the parking lot and join us on board the M/V Sam Houston.

DO NOT EXIT AND GO DOWN WAYSIDE; THERE IS NO STREET CONNECTION FROM SOUTHBOUND WAYSIDE TO CLINTON.

For additional information, please e-mail Dennis Griffith at dennisgriff@sbcglobal.net or call him at 713-656-7794 (work) or 713-465-9347 (home).

Remember, a picture ID is required for all attendees.

Bon voyage!

Dennis Griffith

Annual Ship Channel Tour, May 31, 2008

SECURITY NOTICE

Because of the increased security requirements at the Port of Houston, the annual STS-AIChE Houston Ship Channel Trip is subject to cancellation at the last minute by the Port of Houston Authority. If this happens, we will notify all people with reservations and put a notice on our Web site:

http://www.sts-aiche.org/

Your understanding about this situation is appreciated.

For full details from the Port Authority, please check out http://www.portofhouston.com/samhou/samhou.html.