Author: Oriol

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – March 6, 2023– The first step in Phase 2 of the Brazos Island Harbor (BIH) Channel Improvement Project is underway as the Port of Brownsville’s dredged material placement area improvement project began in early February.  The historic BIH Channel Improvement project will deepen the 17-mile-long Brownsville ship channel from 42 to 52 feet.

The Brownsville Navigation District (BND) Board of Commissioners at a regular board meeting held Feb. 1, unanimously voted to award a $13.6 million contract for the channel improvements to RLB Contracting, Inc.,  for Placement Areas 5B, 7 and 8. A placement area is a federally authorized disposal site for dredged material.

As part of the dredging process, materials collected are placed in approved disposal sites or for beneficial use purposes. Dredging for Phase 2 is estimated to remove 12 to 16 milli

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – February 6, 2023 – Since its establishment in 1936, the Port of Brownsville has maintained its commitment to serve as the leading maritime port for the Rio Grande Valley and Northern Mexico.

Throughout 2022, more than 15.2 million tons of diverse cargo moved through the port supporting various industries with efficient and reliable logistical services according to unaudited cargo volume reports. This forecast represents a 10.2 percent increase from the 13.8 million tons of cargo recorded in 2021, a new record for the Port of Brownsville.

The skilled workforce at the port has streamlined operations to move essential commodities such as break bulk like steel, and aluminum; liquid bulk petroleum products; project cargo such as wind energy and space industry components; and dry bulk like grains, aggregates, pet coke and cement.

Break bulk co

Throughout 2022, the Port of Brownsville remained resilient and focused on its mission as the leading economic developer in the region through infrastructure expansions and business development to meet growing local and global demands.

Among notable accomplishments, the bellwether announcement was the historic Brazos Island Harbor Channel Improvement (BIH) project signing ceremony to establish the joint agreement between the Brownsville Navigation District and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for Phase 2 of the BIH project.

The agreement advances the project’s timeline to begin work on deepening the 17-mile-long ship channel from 42 feet to 52 feet, resulting in significant navigational safety improvements for commercial shipping in South Texas.

Exciting projects in progress and on the horizon at the Port of Brownsville  provide a favorable outlook for a productive and trans

When the Port of Brownsville first opened in May 1936, many people celebrated the promise of economic opportunities that would bring them closer to the American dream.

Richard “Dick” Ostos was one of those individuals, coming to Brownsville from New York in 1936 to work for Philen-Miller, a steamship agent and stevedore company that brought the first vessel to the newly minted port of the Rio Grande Valley.

Over a decade later in 1947, Dick embarked on that opportunity and founded DIX Shipping Company-Shipping Agents and Stevedores at the Port of Brownsville. Thanks to his entrepreneurial spirit, resilience and dedication, that company celebrates its 75^th anniversary this year.

Dick’s legacy of contributions to the port was commemorated by the Brownsville Navigation District in 1996, when the road on the south side of the Brownsville ship channel was renamed R.L

Editor’s Note: This article is featured in the latest edition of the Port of Brownsville Directory. Click HERE to view directory or to request a copy.

After years of effort, planning and success, the Port of Brownsville is ready to begin one of its most important infrastructure projects to date, the Brazos Island Harbor (BIH) Channel Improvement Project. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Congress have authorized the deepening of the port’s channel from 42 feet to 52 feet. The project may cost upwards of $300 million and construction, divided into two phases, is expected to commence at the end of 2022. Deepening the port’s channel means bigger ships, more cargo, and more jobs for the Rio Grande Valley.

The port expects to pay for the project with a combinat

BY TAD THOMPSON/ American Journal of Transportation

Texas’ seaports enjoy a variety of project cargo. That’s a broad industry category. Along Texas’ Gulf Coast, though, there are a couple dominant trades.

Components for commercial wind turbines is the largest project cargo for ports in Brownsville and Galveston.

At the Port of Brownsville, the largest single project cargo category is components for commercial wind turbines, according to Eduardo Campirano, CEO and port director.

Rodger Rees, Galveston Wharves port director and CEO, indicates that in 2021, the Port of Galveston set a record for wind turbine cargo, importing 3,172 turbine pieces with a total weight of 212,000 tons. As a result, wind project cargo is a top revenue and jobs generator at the port.

“Project cargo, particularly wind turbine components, makes up a large share of the Port of Galves

Phase I of the expansion brings company’s total storage capacity in the region to nearly 900,000 barrels; Phase II will add an additional 700,000 barrels of storage and up to 125,000 barrels of liquified petroleum gas

SAN ANTONIO, Texas – Motus Energy LLC announced Sept. 29 the completion of the first phase of the company’s expansion project at its T1 and T2 terminals located in the Port of Brownsville, Texas. The company also executed multiple contracts with leading customers in the region, including independent and major energy corporations, in support of the expansion, which allows increased movement of commodities between the United States, Mexico and other international markets.

Phase one of the expansion project included the construction of eight new storage tanks with a total of 370,000 barrels of capacity, increasing total storage capacity at the facility to

By Esteban Guerra, Brownsville Navigation District Chairman

Dear friends of the Port of Brownsville, it is my honor to invite our communities to join the Brownsville Navigation District as we proudly celebrate National Truck Driver Appreciation Week, from September 11- 17, 2022. This week, we recognize our highway heroes and their contributions to help keep commerce moving.

In the last two years, the challenges brought by COVID-19 have renewed our appreciation for our professional drivers who keep our economies and households running. Their commitment to safety and dependability ensures our quality of life remains intact – even during a global pandemic.

Truck drivers are a vital part of our economy, they transport the goods we need and the products that keep our businesses, schools, and hospitals open. As essential workers, trucking’s 3.6 million p

Foreign Trade Zone No. 62 (FTZ) at the Port of Brownsville recorded an increase of 28% for the total value of exports in 2021, surpassing the $5 billion mark for the first time.

According to the U.S. Foreign-Trade Zones Board’s 2021 report to Congress released on August 29, FTZ No. 62 ranks second in the country with more than $5.2 billion in exported goods in 2021, an increase from the $4.1 billion reported in 2020.

The port’s FTZ has consistently ranked in the top three for exports out of 193 FTZs nationwide since 2012. Additionally, FTZ No. 62 ranks 20th in the nation for the value of imports totaling $4.5 billion.

“This continued upward trend for our foreign trade zone is a reflection of the port’s growth and commitment to be the leading multimodal logistics hub in the Rio Grande Valley,” said Eduardo A. Campirano, Port Director, and CEO. “Our infrastru

A tax rate of $0.029658 per $100 valuation has been proposed by the governing body of BROWNSVILLE NAVIGATION DISTRICT.

PROPOSED TAX RATE                                         $0.029658 per $100
NO-NEW-REVENUE TAX RATE                                  $0.028604 per $100
VOTER-APPROVAL TAX RATE                                   $0.029658 per $100

The no-new-revenue tax rate is the tax rate for the 2022 tax year that will raise the same amount of property tax revenue for BROWNSVILLE NAVIGATION DISTRICT from the same properties in both the 2021 tax year and the 2022 tax year.

The voter-approval rate is the highest tax rate that BROWNSVILLE NAVIGATION DISTRICT may adopt without holding an election to seek voter approval of the rate.

The proposed tax rate is greater than the no-new-revenue tax rate. This means th

The Brownsville and Rio Grande International Railway (BRG) recently completed the first phase of the expansion of the Palo Alto Yard at the Port of Brownsville.

The upgrade includes the addition of three tracks of rail line, increasing the total static capacity of railcars at the yard to 398. The Palo Alto Yard is BRG’s largest interchange switchyard at the port.

BRG President and COO Norma Torres said that as business increases, phase two and three of the project will be constructed adding space for an additional 260 railcars and bringing the yard’s total static capacity to 658 railcars.

In 2021, the shortline railroad set an all-time high record of 65,865 loaded railcars handled, a 22 percent increase from its 51,115 railcar movements in 2020. In June, BRG handled 6,117 loaded railcars, bringing its year-to-date total to 36,749, on track for another record-breaking year.

BROWNSVILLE – July 28, 2022 –  Hawaii-based Pasha Hawaii, together with Texas-based Keppel AmFELS, proudly announced the delivery of the MV George III, the first Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) powered vessel to fuel on the West Coast and the first to serve Hawaii. The 774-foot LNG-fueled containership is the first of two new ‘Ohana Class containerships to join Pasha Hawaii’s fleet, serving the Hawaii/Mainland trade lane.

Operating fully on natural gas from day one, the new Jones Act vessel surpasses the International Maritime Organization (IMO) 2030 emission standards for ocean vessels, representing the most technologically advanced and environmentally friendly vessel to serve Hawaii. Energy efficiencies are also achieved with a state-of-the-art engine, an optimized hull form, and an underwater propulsion system with a high-efficiency rudder and propeller.

The ‘Oha