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Keppel AmFELS to Build the Largest U.S. Hopper Dredge at the Port

Keppel AmFELS announced in September its contract to build the largest high-specification Trailing Suction Hopper Dredge (TSHD) in the U.S. for Manson Construction Co.

This will be the first dredge built at Keppel AmFELS’ yard at the Port of Brownsville, adding to the growing number of shipbuilding projects and job opportunities in the South Texas region.

“We are pleased to be selected by Manson Construction Co. to build the largest U.S hopper dredge. It is a testament to the capabilities of our shipyard to build a wide variety of vessels for the Jones Act market,” said Mohamed Sahlan Bin Salleh, president of Keppel AmFELS. “This project will be supported by our highly-skilled local workforce and suppliers across the U.S. This is our first newbuild project with Manson and we look forward to supporting them as they grow their fleet of vessels.”

Once complete, the self-p

Brownsville Navigation District Reduces Tax Rate

Brownsville, Texas – September 22, 2020 – The Brownsville Navigation District Board of Commissioners approved lowering the overall tax rate for property owners living within the district with an effective date of October 1, 2020.

The measure, approved unanimously at a regular board meeting held September 9, sets the 2020 property tax rate for the BND at $.029778 per $100 valuation, a 17 percent decrease from the previous year’s adopted tax rate which was set at $.035920. The 2020 property tax rate is comprised of a debt rate of $.004864 per $100 valuation and a maintenance and operations rate of $.024914 per $100 valuation.

“The Brownsville Navigation District commissioners and port staff are focused on advocating for the best interest of the district’s taxpayers,” said John Reed, BND chairman. “This decision reinforces our commitment to the residents

Honoring America’s Truck Drivers

By John Reed, Chairman of the Brownsville Navigation District

The Port of Brownsville is proud to support the U.S. trucking industry by celebrating National Truck Driver Appreciation Week (Sept. 13-19). While we always owe our nation’s truckers a debt of gratitude, it feels especially poignant right now as they continue to bravely and relentlessly carry out their responsibilities to keep our world and our economies moving forward amid a global pandemic.

At the port, everything we do revolves around helping businesses provide seamless logistics and transportation of products and supplies on both sides of the border. Cargo moving to and from the port gets there by water, rail or road. It’s a relationship dependent upon well-coordinated cooperation between each mode of transportation, with truck drivers playing a vital role in our success.

WestPlains LLC loaded 34,000 metric tons of sorghum for export to China in August.

WestPlains Exports Rio Grande Valley Sorghum

For the first time in 13 years, the Port of Brownsville resumed the export of grains overseas via vessel.

WestPlains LLC, the operator of the port’s grain elevator, loaded 34,000 metric tons of sorghum onto the M/V Tian Fu in late-August. The sorghum was harvested from throughout the Rio Grande Valley.

This is the first of four vessels with sorghum that WestPlains will ship to China this ye

Labor Meets The Port That Works

A port community with all these exceptional benefits and active projects requires skilled and abundant labor. Local universities, colleges, technical schools, school districts and workforce development leaders are partnering with the port to meet growing demands. Fortunately, Brownsville is home to one of the nation’s most youthful populations, where the average age is 29. Educated, technically savvy, adaptable and motivated to succeed, these young people understand the meaning of hard work.

Many of those work for the port’s three skilled stevedoring operations, who collaborated on the movement of 11.3 million short tons of cargo last year: Dix Shipping Company, Schaefer Stevedoring and Gulf Stream Marine are the backbone and muscle of the port that works. Each has distinguished themselves with records of safety and efficiency, serving the focused needs of their clients, resulting

Strategic Partnership Seeks to Close the Digital Divide in Brownsville

Community-wide survey kicks off campaign to help identify connectivity needs

August 26, 2020 (Brownsville, TX) –The City of Brownsville, in partnership with seven strategic local stakeholders including the Port of Brownsville, Brownsville Public Utilities Board, Texas Southmost College, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Greater Brownsville Incentives Cooperation, Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation and the Brownsville Independent School District announces a new campaign to help bring faster internet and better internet access to online Brownsville citizens.

2020 Notice of Tax Rates in Brownsville Navigation District

This notice concerns the 2020 property tax rates for the Brownsville Navigation District. This notice provides information about two tax rates used in adopting the current tax year’s tax rate. The no-new-revenue tax rate would Impose the same amount of taxes as last year if you compare properties taxed in both years. In most cases, the voter-approval tax rate is the highest tax rate a taxing unit can adopt without holding an election. In each case, these rates are calculated by dividing the total amount of taxes by the current taxable value with adjustments as required by state law. The rates are given per $100 of property value.

2020 BND NOTICE OF TAX RATES

Construction Begins for South Port Connector Road

Brownsville, Texas – August 10, 2020 – Construction for the South Port Connector Road began today, August 10, 2020, a critical project aimed at improving urban traffic and access to the Port of Brownsville.

The $25.6 million project is made possible by a partnership of the Brownsville Navigation District (BND), Cameron County, the Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority (CCRMA), the Rio Grande Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization (RGVMPO) and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). The port connector is the first phase of CCRMA’s larger East Loop Corridor construction project.

“The Port of Brownsville’s steady growth in cargo movement and overall activity makes the south port connector road critical to the region’s future success in domestic and international trade,” said John Reed, BND Chairman. “The excellent partnership forged wit

Court Dismisses Lawsuit by City of Port Isabel Against Port of Brownsville Over LNG Leases

Brownsville, Texas – August 7, 2020 – On Aug. 5^th, a state district court dismissed a lawsuit against the Port of Brownsville by the City of Port Isabel related to land leases to three proposed LNG facilities at the port.

“The Port of Brownsville remains dedicated to creating a safe, secure and sustainable center for international trade that supports our growing communities and safeguards the local environment,” said Port of Brownsville Port Director and CEO Eduardo A. Campirano. “The court’s decision allows us to strengthen our focus on driving new job opportunities and significant economic progress for the Rio Grande Valley.”

The proposed projects by Annova LNG Brownsville, Rio Grande LNG LLC, and Texas LNG Brownsville LLC, represent a combined investment of more than $30 billion in Cameron County. Each of the projects successfully comple

Port Directory Feature: Trade with Mexico

The Port of Brownsville’s proximity to Mexico, Latin America’s second-largest economy, uniquely positions the port as the nation’s key transshipment gateway delivering goods and commodities to nearby multinational manufacturing centers on both sides of the border.

Ranking among the top U.S. steel ports, the Port of Brownsville moves more steel into Mexico than any other domestic competitor. In 2019, the port moved 3.2 million short tons of steel across the southern border.

Nearby Monterrey is a major industrial center in northern Mexico with a metropolitan population of nearly five million and home to dozens of commonly recognized international corporations. Monterrey is located 200 miles due west from the Port of Brownsville, where steel makers have come to rely upon the logistical efficiencies provided

Growing Forward: Establishing Financial Excellence

Editor’s Note: This article is featured in the new edition of the Port of Brownsville Directory.

With operating revenue records in five of the last six years, it’s now more likely and achievable for the Port of Brownsville to make significantly large infrastructure investments – even during trying fiscal decelerations.

Growing the port has never been more important. Doing it with thoughtful and strategic planning is a deliberate path forward set by the Brownsville Navigation District Commission to protect the interests of port tenants and users, constituents and port assets. To grow requires reliable and recurring revenue. It takes money and planning.

In FY 2019, the port set

Port of Brownsville Honors 32 High School Graduates with $1,000 Scholarships

Port Launches Scholarship Program to Help Deserving Students and Families Across the Greater Brownsville Area

BROWNSVILLE, Texas, May 28, 2020 – Thirty-two local high school graduating seniors will receive $1,000 scholarships from the Brownsville Navigation District in an inaugural Port of Brownsville program to help deserving students pursue their education and career dreams.

“On behalf of the entire Port of Brownsville organization, we are proud to support these local students and families at this time,” said John Reed, Chairman of the Brownsville Navigation District. “We are excited for the students as they continue their education and begin their careers, and in the future opportunities they are creating for themselves, their families and our communities.”

The 32 scholarship winners – selected for their acade

When the Bell Rings: Honoring U.S. Merchant Mariners

By John Reed/Brownsville Navigation District Chairman

This Memorial Day, as we rightfully honor the military men and women who gave their lives winning and protecting our freedoms, let us not forget an often-overlooked remembrance for the thousands of U.S. merchant mariners who also died serving our country in their own selfless ways.

In 1933, by a joint Resolution of Congress and by Proclamation of the President of the United States, May 22 was set aside as National Maritime Day to honor the sacrifices of U.S. merchant mariners during wartime and in peace. Since the founding of our country, thousands of men and women aboard American-flagged merchant ships have supplied the needs of our troops around the world, often becoming a tragic casualty of war themselves. During World War I and II, more than 8,600 merchant mariners perished – the highest rate of c

Port of Brownsville Excels Amid Challenging World Markets

Prudent Stewardship Allows Brownsville to Weather Economic Uncertainty While Remaining Competitive for Continued Job Creation and Development

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – May 15, 2020 – The Port of Brownsville ranks third among U.S. ports for “strong financial resilience” surveyed in a new report issued by Moody’s Investor Services, underscoring the ongoing value of the port’s prudent financial stewardship in light of economic impacts from the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic.

Moody’s analysis evaluated American ports on a range of key factors surrounding financial responsibility like the ability to handle the impact of a significant decline in cargo volume, financial liquidity

Crowds gather to kick off the celebration of the opening of the Port of Brownsville on May 16, 1936. When the two-day festivities came to a close the port that works was officially open for business.

On May 16, 2020, the Port of Brownsville observes its 84^th anniversary.

Opened in 1936 to the excitement of thousands of local residents, the Port of Brownsville signified a new hope for economic prosperity in the Rio Grande Valley region.

Thanks in part to the vision and commitment of Louis Cobolini, an Italian immigrant who set his sights on the