Construction Milestones at Keppel AmFELS for New Containerships

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – Keppel AmFELS reached a pair of construction milestones April 30 in the building of two containership vessels for Pasha Hawaii.

Executives from both companies were joined by Brownsville Navigation District Chairman John Reed and other federal, state and local dignitaries for the ceremonial keel laying for M/V George III and the cutting of the first steel plates for M/V Janet Marie, the two containerships currently being built at the Port of Brownsville. Delivery of the vessels is expected in 2020.

“We are pleased to be able to support the Pasha Hawaii fleet with the design, engineering and construction of the two new dual-fuel LNG containerships,” said Simon Lee, president of Keppel AmFELS. “Texas currently ranks third in the nation for domestic maritime jobs and we are proud to support a thriving skilled workforce in our local communit

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Port of Brownsville Update on KURV’s Radio Show

Port Director and CEO Eduardo A. Campirano was recently a guest on KURV’s radio show “The Valley’s Morning News”.

Campirano spoke about the LNG projects looking to set up at the Port of Brownsville and the Brazos Island Harbor Channel Improvement Project Funding Agreement the Brownsville Navigation District recently signed with NextDecade Corporation.

Listen to the interview HERE

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Port of Brownsville Receives Environmental Clearance on South Port Connector Road

BROWNSVILLE, Texas — The South Port Connector Road Project received environmental clearance on April 24, 2019 from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Pharr District Office, advancing the project to the construction phase.

The project is part of the Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority’s (CCRMA) East Loop Corridor plan.  When complete, the South Port Connector Road will span two miles and will connect Ostos Road at the Port of Brownsville with State Highway 4.

The project will enhance the port’s intermodal connectivity, further facilitating domestic and international trade throughout the Rio Grande Valley.

“The Port of Brownsville is a valuable asset to the Texas economy and a major economic force in the region,” said John Reed, Brownsville Navigation District Chairman. “Infrastructure improvements such as the South Port Connector facilitate our eff

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GOING DEEP: NextDecade Commits to Channel Improvements

BY STEVE CLARK / The Brownsville Herald

Article published Wednesday, Thursday, April 25, 2019

NextDecade Corporation, which plans to build a liquefied natural gas export terminal at the Port of Brownsville, signed a deal Wednesday with the Brownsville Navigation District committing the company to paying for deepening about half of the Brownsville Ship Channel. The project is officially known as the Brazos Island Harbor Improvement Project.

NextDecade said it will pay 100 percent of the cost of deepening the channel from the Gulf of Mexico to the site of its Rio Grande LNG project, which is roughly half the length of the BIH project, which the port began pursuing in 2007. The channel will be deepened to 52 feet from its current 42 feet in order to accommodate larger vessels. NextDecade also agreed to widen the bend near the entrance of th

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Port of Brownsville Update on KURV’s Radio Show

Port Director and CEO Eduardo A. Campirano was recently a guest on KURV’s radio show “The Valley’s Morning News”.

Campirano spoke about several key projects critical to the future of the Port of Brownsville and the Rio Grande Valley. These projects will further boost the direct job creation impacts of the port and help transform the overall economic landscape of our region.

Listen to the interview HERE

 

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BRG Named Railroad of the Year

The Brownsville & Rio Grande International Railway (BRG) received the Railroad of the Year Award after capping off a record-breaking year in 2018 for the movement of carloads.

The award was presented to Norma Torres, BRG president & COO; Fernando Gonzalez, BRG general manager; and Tony Chavez, BRG vice president of business development, during OmniTRAX’s annual National Leadership Meeting in February.

The recognition is given to the OmniTRAX-managed railroad that performs exceedingly well in each of six core company values.

“We are thrilled to receive this great honor and want to acknowledge that it wouldn’t be possible without the world’s greatest rail team back in Brownsville,” said Torres. “We also want to thank our many partners who helped make this possible – our shippers, the Port of Brownsville, the Class 1 railroads we interchange with and the U.S. and Mexi

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Port of Brownsville Posts Record Cargo and Total Operating Revenue in 2018

Ongoing Success and Positive Outlook Underscore Port’s Pivotal Role in North American Trade

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – March 19, 2019 – The Port of Brownsville set new records in tonnage and total operating revenue in 2018, moving 11.3 million tons of diverse cargos with operating revenues of more than $24.2 million. The results, announced today at the annual State of the Port Address, reveal a 6.6 percent increase in cargos, a 25 percent increase in rail movements, and a 2.5 percent increase in operating revenues from the previous year.

“Congratulations to our partners, customers, and port users who all contributed to these new high-water marks,” said John Reed, Chairman of the Brownsville Navigation District. “Steel was up, almost all petroleum categories were up, dry bulk cement and sugar were way up.”

The port’s Foreign Trade Zone No. 62 r

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Army Corps of Engineers finishes dismantling of historic STURGIS vessel

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers celebrated Friday, March 15, the completion of the decommissioning and dismantling of the historic STURGIS vessel that was formerly the world’s first floating nuclear power plant. This was marked by the final section of the former vessel being segmented and brought ashore for processing and recycling at the International Shipbreaking facility in the Port of Brownsville.

“We’re extremely proud of the work the team has done on the STURGIS decommissioning and dismantling,” said U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Project Manager Brenda Barber. “I also want to take this opportunity to thank the local Galveston and Brownsville communities and our local partners and stakeholders for their support as we implemented this complex project in both communities. The local support our team has received greatly contributed to the success of this project

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GFOA Recognizes Port of Brownsville for Excellence in Financial Reporting

BROWNSVILLE, Texas — For the seventh consecutive year, the Brownsville Navigation District has received the highest form of recognition for governmental accounting and financial reporting for its 2018 comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR).

“This recognition confirms the strong, transparent financial management brought forth by the Brownsville Navigation District commissioners and staff,” said John Reed, BND chairman. “I commend and thank the BND financial team, as well as the board of commissioners, for their hard work and diligence in our commitment to the district’s taxpayers.”

The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) presented the award to Lorena Hernandez, Port of Brownsville director of finance.

“It makes me very proud to represent a team that adheres to the highest principles of government accounting, as seen b

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Port of Brownsville Update on KURV’s Radio Show

BROWNSVILLE, Texas — Port of Brownsville Director and CEO Eduardo A. Campirano was a guest on KURV’s radio show “The Valley’s Morning News” Thursday, Feb. 7.

Campirano spoke with show hosts Sergio Sanchez and Tim Sullivan about the port’s nationally ranked Foreign Trade Zone No. 62, the steel industry, ship building at Keppel AmFELS, and other updates at the port.

Listen to the interview: https://soundcloud.com/kurv-710/port-of-brownsville-director-ed-campirano

 

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US shipments of wind power equipment soar

BY CHRIS BARNETT / Journal of Commerce

Article published Wednesday, January 30, 2019, in www.joc.com

 

Under the influence of a “super cycle” driven by tax credits, approximately 38,000 megawatts of wind farm development were under construction or in advanced development in the US by the third quarter of 2018, up 28 percent from the same period in 2017. Overall, total installed wind capacity had reached 90,550 megawatts in November, according to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA). When those projects are completed, installed capacity will have increased another 42 percent. And, thanks to the increasing viability of wind-based energy production and the vagaries of tax law, the building boom should continue through at least 2023.

For wind-related project cargo logistics, that equates to a lot of business, as

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Port of Brownsville Announces New Director of Communications

BROWNSVILLE, Texas — The Port of Brownsville announces the promotion of Jorge I. Montero as new director of communications, effective Dec. 17, 2018.

Montero has more than 14 years of experience in journalism, marketing and communications, previously serving as communications specialist for the port. He now oversees the department responsible for implementing internal and external communications and media relations efforts for the Port of Brownsville.

Prior to joining the port, Montero worked for the Brownsville Economic Development Council as marketing and design coordinator and assistant director of Spanish publications for the Brownsville Herald. He earned a B.A. from the University of Texas at Brownsville (now UTRGV).

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Port of Brownsville Foreign Trade Zone Ranks Second in Value of Exports

BROWNSVILLE, Texas — For the third straight year, Foreign Trade Zone No. 62 (FTZ) at the Port of Brownsville ranks second in the nation for the value of exports, according to the U.S. Foreign-Trade Zones (FTZ) Board’s annual report to Congress released Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018.

The port’s FTZ reported more than $3.5 billion in exported goods in 2017. Additionally, FTZ No. 62 ranked 18th nationally for the value of imports totaling more than $3.6 billion. The Port of Brownsville FTZ has consistently ranked in the top five nationally since 2012, earning the number 1 spot in the nation in 2012 and 2013. The port’s FTZ has ranked second in the list for three straight years now (2015, 2016, 2017).

“The Port of Brownsville continues to maintain a standard of excellence as the leading economic engine in the Rio Grande Valley,” said John Reed, Brownsville Navigation District Ch

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Port of Brownsville Chairman’s Award Presented to West Plains LLC

BROWNSVILLE, Texas—The Port of Brownsville presented West Plains LLC with its 2018 Chairman’s Award in recognition of the company’s investments and rehabilitation efforts of the port’s iconic grain elevator.

Brownsville Navigation District Chairman John Reed presented the award to West Plains CEO Amit Bhandari at the port’s annual customer appreciation luncheon, Dec. 4. The event was attended by nearly 200 guests, including local, regional and state public officials, port tenants, community and regional business leaders.

“West Plains’ dedicated investments at the port allow for more quality job opportunities in our region and provide South Texas farmers the opportunity for their products to reach international markets,” said Reed. “We are proud to partner with a company that believes in the port and the people of the Rio Grande Valley.”

West Plains entered in

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Survey Reveals Strong Support for Port of Brownsville as Positive Economic Driver for the Rio Grande Valley

More than 95 percent say port has positive economic impact; 57 percent plan for more port business next year

BROWNSVILLE, Texas — The Port of Brownsville, the only deepwater port located on the U.S.-Mexico border, completed its first public opinion survey of port tenants, logistics, stakeholders and other service personnel, revealing that 95 percent view the port favorably, with 57 percent of respondents planning to increase their port business activity in the next year.

“The Port of Brownsville’s strategic location combined with top dynamic economic industries—including energy and steel—provide the ideal hub for economic growth in the region and bilateral relationships between Mexico and the United States,” said Eduardo A. Campirano, port director and CEO of the Port of Brownsville. “The newly signed U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement creates a favorable business

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