Members of Port Houston’s GIS team at ESRI award ceremony.

Port Houston’s Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Data Model Project and its Enterprise GIS deployment were recently nominated for a Special Achievement in GIS (SAG) Award. From more than 100,000 organizations from around the world, Port Houston was among 175 recipients to receive the SAG Award for its outstanding work using GIS technology at the annual ESRI User Conference July 8-12.

The recipients of the award are organizations that have set new precedents throughout the GIS community. Port Houston was nominated by ESRI, a global market leader in GIS technology that builds some of the world’s most reliable mapping and spatial analytics software. Port Houston uses GIS technology to further develop advanced analysis for maritime activities.

The port’s GIS team analyzed numerous industry-focused data models to find the best functional fit structure for Port Houston’s GIS program over a six-month-long process. The GIS system, which is an internal program, enables port staff to make data-driven decisions to support various projects. Port Houston’s GIS program is expected to be developed for some external use in coming years.

“Over the last two years, the Enterprise GIS program at Port Houston has been revamped from the ground up to deliver powerful insights,” said Senior Director of Strategic Programs Charlie Jenkins. “The GIS team is no longer just focused on making maps, instead performing advance spatial data analysis and developing robust solutions to help solve organizational challenges. Being recognized with the ESRI SAG Award is a tremendous achievement for the GIS program and Port Houston. We have set high expectations for the future of the port’s GIS program and plan to achieve continued success in the future.”