The Port of Brownsville reported Friday that the Brownsville Navigation District (BND) and the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) held a groundbreaking ceremony for Phase 2 of the Brazos Island Harbor (BIH) Channel Improvement Project .
The project will deepen the 17-mile-long Brownsville Ship Channel from 42 to 52 feet , improving navigation safety and allowing larger commercial vessels to access South Texas.
“The Brazos Island Harbor Channel Improvement Project is critical to the continued success of the Port of Brownsville. We are moving forward to improve the safety of navigation in the channel while securing our position in the global marketplace. BND is proud to partner with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and NextDecade to ensure lasting economic benefits and opportunities for families in the Rio Grande Valley,” said Esteban Guerra, BND President.
The BIH project cements the port’s role as a vital gateway for global trade. It also promises lasting benefits for the regional economy, driving significant economic activity and job creation throughout the Rio Grande Valley. According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the project is estimated to generate more than 6,000 jobs at peak construction and create more than 800 permanent, full-time positions.
The project promotes business development while conserving the regional ecosystem . An environmental assessment conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) found no anticipated impacts to aquatic environments or critical habitats during and after project completion.
“The groundbreaking ceremony at BIH marks a milestone in our journey to shape the future of the Port of Brownsville. With the BIH project, we are strengthening our role as a catalyst for business growth and demonstrating our responsibility to the community by transforming the Port into a dynamic hub for value-added industries,” said Port of Brownsville Director and CEO William Dietrich.
According to USACE’s 2022 annual report, the Port of Brownsville ranked 50th out of 150 U.S. seaports for waterborne cargo, handling 9.1 million tons in 2022. The port witnessed a banner year in 2023 with 17.8 million tons of cargo moving through the port’s docks, a 17 percent year-over-year increase.
The BIH project is funded through an innovative two-phase Public Private Partnership (P3) led by USACE, the Port of Brownsville, and NextDecade Corporation, parent company of Rio Grande LNG.
“The P3 program is part of USACE’s strategy to revolutionize its civil works program to advance the delivery of our national infrastructure by synchronizing actions, developing new tools, and streamlining activities,” said USACE Galveston District Commander Col. Rhett Blackmon.
In 2019, NextDecade committed to fully fund Phase 1 , a $400 million investment, to deepen the channel from the western edge of its lease site, where they are building Rio Grande LNG, to the channel entrance near South Padre Island. This portion of the project began in 2023 and is expected to be completed in 2026.
Phase 2, managed by the Port of Brownsville and USACE, will deepen the channel from the switching basin to the NextDecade site. The $139.5 million cost of Phase 2 is supported by $68 million in federal funding through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Appropriations Act, with the Port of Brownsville contributing $71.5 million. In October, the Port of Brownsville secured a $43 million loan from the Texas Department of Transportation to assist with funding the project. In October, the Port of Brownsville secured a $43 million loan from the Texas Department of Transportation to assist with funding the project.
The second phase of the BIH project began in 2023 with the portion of the project dedicated to improving the dredged material placement area. As part of the dredging process, collected materials are placed at approved disposal sites. Dredged material is often used for beach nourishment projects led by the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).
In August, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) awarded a $104 million contract to Callan Marine Ltd. for the second phase of the BIH project. The contractor is required to remove approximately seven million cubic yards of material using a pipeline dredge. The estimated completion date for the second phase of the project is 2026 .
The Port of Brownsville is the only deepwater seaport directly on the U.S.-Mexico border and encompasses 40,000 acres, the largest public land-owning port authority in the country. The port transships more steel to Mexico than any other U.S. port and is home to world-class energy, shipbuilding and ship recycling industries. As a major multimodal transportation hub serving the Rio Grande Valley and northern Mexico, the Port of Brownsville supports investment and employment opportunities. Activity at the port is responsible for adding more than $2 billion to the regional economy, $3 billion to the Texas economy and the creation of more than 51,000 jobs statewide.
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