Good afternoon, my name is Esteban Guerra and I have the honor to serve as Chairman of the Brownsville Navigation District Board of Commissioners.
On behalf of the BND, I thank you for joining us today to observe a historic occasion that will undoubtedly not only shape the course of our future but also the economic landscape of this region.
The signing of the Brazos Island Harbor Channel Improvement Project agreement today by the United States Army Corps of Engineers and the Brownsville Navigation District sets in motion the next great evolution of the Port of Brownsville.
As most of you will know, great things take time. This is evident in the port’s 86-year history as multiple channel deepening projects have advanced the port’s progress over time.
The Port of Brownsville opened for business on May 16, 1936, and within a year after its grand opening, work began to deepen the channel from 25 to 28 feet.
In the decades that followed, the channel would undergo further dredging and widening to keep up with the growing demands of industries and markets across the world.
In 2007, the BND Commission authorized port staff to develop a strategy to deepen the ship channel from 42 to 52 feet. It has definitely been a long and arduous effort.
Our Board’s Vice Chairman, Ralph Cowen, and my fellow commissioners John Reed and Sergio Tito Lopez, have been involved with the process of the BIH project since the beginning. Secretary John Wood and myself would later join them in this great endeavor. In fact, Commissioner Wood was instrumental in the process as he was the commission liaison between port staff and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Together, along with the great leadership of Mr. Campirano and our committed and experienced staff, we have worked tirelessly to make this project a reality as we continue on the course of establishing a vital and dynamic center of industrial, commercial and shipping activity in South Texas.
I tip my hat to all of you, as I know you must be very proud of what we are witnessing today.
Continuing with our project timeline, in 2014 the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completed the feasibility study and issued the Chief’s report recommending deepening the channel to 52 feet.
In 2016, Congress authorized the channel deepening, making the BIH eligible for federal funding.
And in 2019, a year of milestones for our project, we announced:
· NextDecade Corporation’s commitment to fully fund Phase 1 of the channel deepening;
· The selection of our project as part of the Army Corps of Engineers P3 Pilot Program;
· And the key permit from the Corps to advance the BIH project to its construction phase.
Most recently, in March of this year Congressmen Filemon Vela and Vicente Gonzalez announced the allocation of $68 million for the project. These funds, provided under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, will go towards Phase 2 of the BIH project. Thank you Congressman Gonzalez and former Congressman Vela for your continued support of the Port of Brownsville.
So, what is the significance of these achievements?
The deepening of the channel results in greater navigational safety improvements for commercial shipping in South Texas. It enhances our capabilities to attract new industries and offers opportunities for our existing tenants to grow and thrive in competitive domestic and international markets. It promotes sustainability to maintain our standing as a strong link in our nation’s supply chain and a leader in international trade.
Just as the size of an airport’s runway determines the size of planes that can arrive at an airport, the depth and width of our ship channel determines the vessels and loads we can receive. Very simply, larger vessels require more depth to bring in heavier cargo loads, resulting in higher cost savings, but most importantly: high-paying jobs and a better quality of life for the families of our region.
When this project is complete, the Port of Brownsville will be one of the deepest ports in the Gulf of Mexico and will continue to proudly serve as the global gateway that connects businesses in the Rio Grande Valley to markets across the world.
Thank you.
Editor's Note: The above commentary was given by Esteban Guerra, chairman of the Brownsville Navigation District. Guerra made his comments at a signing agreement ceremony between the Port of Brownsville and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on July 6, 2022. Phase 2 of the Brazos Island Harbor Channel Improvement Project will see the channel deepened from 42 feet to 52 feet.
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