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Port Police Chief Garcia Retires After 10 Years of Service

BROWNSVILLE – July 11, 2022 – After 10 years of service, Police Chief Carlos L. Garcia is retiring from the Port of Brownsville effective July 8, 2022. William Dietrich, former commander for the Brownsville Police Department, replaces Garcia as Chief of Police for the port beginning July 11, 2022.

Garcia joined the port in January 2012, after serving as the Chief of Police for the City of Brownsville for 10 years.

After retiring from the Brownsville Police Department, where he served for 30 years and five months, the Brownsville native was selected to take on as Chief of Police at the port. He rose to the occasion learning how to best serve a maritime port and the federal requirements needed for smooth

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Brazos Island Harbor Channel Improvement Project Signing Ceremony Propels Port Forward

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – July 6, 2022 – The Brownsville Navigation District and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) today, signed a joint agreement for Phase 2 of the Brazos Island Harbor (BIH) Channel Improvement Project.

The Project Partnership 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. The BIH project will further increase the port’s capabilities, allowing existing industries in the Rio Grande Valley to continue expanding while also attracting new economic opportunities for the region.

The Port of Brownsville is a major player in the movement of commodities across North America and the leading multimodal logistics hub for the Rio Grande Valley. In 2021, the port moved a record

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America’s Premier Ship Recycling Port

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – June 6, 2022 – When it comes to the ship recycling industry, the Port of Brownsville is among the most trusted in the nation. Home to three major ship recycling facilities, All Star Metals, International Shipbreaking Ltd./EMR, and SteelCoast, these companies capture over 85 percent of the U.S. Navy and MARAD ship recycling business.

Each of these experienced and safety-driven recycling companies continue to win a steady stream of major recycling contracts from the U.S. Government.

This year ship recycling projects at the port have continued to solidify the port’s reputation as the premier ship recycling port of the U.S. In early April, All Star Metals received two U.S. Navy Austin-class amphibious transport docks – the USS Nashville and USS Ponce – for recycling. SteelCoast on June 3 announced the completion of the recycling of the <

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Port of Brownsville Recognized for Excellence in Financial Reporting

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – June 6, 2022 – For the tenth consecutive year, the Brownsville Navigation District Finance Department earned the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) for its 2020 comprehensive annual financial report.

The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.

“I commend the Port of Brownsville’s finance team for this important recognition exemplifying strong financial stewardship, as well as my fellow commissioners for their fiscal responsibility,” said BND Chairman Esteban Guerra. “We will continue protecting the interest of our constituents, making prudent decisions while d

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‘Great days’: USS Kitty Hawk Veterans Bid Final Farewell

BY STEVE CLARK / The Brownsville Herald

Article published Wednesday, June 1, 2022

 

To bring a supercarrier like the former USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) in through the jetties of the Brazos Santiago Pass, everything has to be just right, and getting everything just right can take some time.

As such, the venerable warship was a couple of hours late making its appearance at the southern tip of South Padre Island Tuesday, May 31, en route to International Shipbreaking/EMR Group at the Port of Brownsville, finally entering the pass around 1 p.m. Nonetheless, hundreds of veterans and other spectators endured the heat and the delay to see the Kitty Hawk — commissioned in 1961 and decommissioned in 2009 — float majestically by under tow on the last stretch of its final voyage.

The new Cameron County Amphitheater served as an ideal venue for a ceremony honoring the veterans and

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Port Observes National Maritime Day

The Brownsville Ship Channel at the Port of Brownsville is the lifeline connecting businesses with markets and shippers around the world thanks to the work of merchant mariners.
On National Maritime Day, commemorated annually on the 22nd day of May, the Brownsville Navigation District recognizes the essential roles of merchant mariners to the port’s operations.
Merchant mariners are instrumental in ensuring that goods are available as our world emerges from the global COVID-19 pandemic. Tugboat captains, deckhands, harbor pilots, officers and crews of all U.S.-flagged vessels work tirelessly to sustain the movement of essential goods to medical professionals, manufacturing plants, businesses and communities. Despite the challenges faced in the national supply chain, the maritime workforce continues to be a vital part of the nation

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

BROWNSVILLE, Texas, May ­­­­23, 2022 – The Brownsville Navigation District (BND) proudly announces the recipients of the 2022 Port of Brownsville Scholarship, aimed at making a difference in the lives of local students pursuing higher education.

Thirty local high school graduating seniors will receive $1,000 scholarships upon enrollment in a college, university, or technical school. The scholarship winners – selected for their academic performance, community involvement, extracurricular activities, and work experience, as well as for essays penned as part of their applications – attend 15 public and private high schools in the Brownsville and Los Fresnos area.

“The Brownsville Navigation District is proud to support these scholars as they move forward in pursuit of their academic and career goals,” said BND Chairman Esteban Guerra. “These students have demonstrate

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Esteban Guerra Named BND Commission Chairman

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – May 20, 2022 – Brownsville Navigation District (BND) Commissioner Esteban Guerra was unanimously appointed to serve as chairman of the BND Board of Commissioners during the board’s regular meeting held Wednesday, May 18, 2022.

Guerra serves as chairman alongside BND Vice Chairman Ralph Cowen and BND Secretary of the Board John Wood, also unanimously appointed to serve as part of the executive board. Commissioners John Reed and Sergio Tito Lopez round out the board as assistant secretaries.

Wood, Commissioner Place 2, and Guerra, Commissioner Place 4, were re-elected to the board in the BND election on May 7. During the swearing-in ceremony, Wood was administered the Oath of Office by his son Frank Wood while Guerra was administered the Oath of Office by State District Judge Gabriela Garcia.

A longtime civic and communi

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Growing to New Depths

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.

Arguably, the most valuable asset of any port is the depth of its channel.

The depth of a port’s channel can be compared to the length of an airport’s runway. The longer the runway, the bigger the planes. The deeper the channel, the bigger the ships.

For example, with just one more inch of draft – or depth – a ship can carry 770,000 additional bushels of wheat valued at more than $60,000.

Through the Brazos Island Harbor Channel Improvement Project (BIH), the Port of Brownsville plans to deepen its channel from 42 feet to 52 feet – 10 feet deeper! With that much additional draft, the cost savings for shipping

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Keppel AmFELS Designated Texas Enterprise Zone

The Governor’s Office of Economic Development and Tourism (EDT) on Mar. 21,  announced the approval of a Texas Enterprise Zone project designation for an application submitted on behalf of Keppel AmFELS, Inc. (Keppel AmFELS) by the City of Brownsville. The capital investment project is estimated to result in a $27.6 million net benefit (after-tax abatement) for the city. The announcement noted that Keppel AmFELS would enable the retention of 500 jobs in Brownsville, ultimately impacting economic development within the region.

Keppel AmFELS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Keppel Offshore & Marine, a world leader in providing total solutions to the offshore, marine and energy industries with a global network of yards and offices. In Brownsville, Keppel AmFELS focuses on the construction, refurbishment, conversion, life extension and repair of a complete range of platforms and ves

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ISL Completes First EU Ship Recycling Project in the U.S.

Recycler EMR Group announced on April 25 the completion of the first European Union ship recycled in the United States by International Shipbreaking Ltd (ISL).

The project follows a $30 million investment in new equipment and processes at ISL’s site at the Port of Brownsville to meet the requirements of the rigorous EU Ship Recycling Regulation (EU SSR).

The MT Wolverine is a 158-meter-long chemical tanker with a carrying capacity of 16,000 tons. Prior to being decommissioned, she was sailing under the flag of Norway. Using innovative and sustainable recycling processes, ISL was able to recycle 97 percent of the materials removed from the MT Wolverine.

“The arrival of MT Wolverine at our Brownville site was a proud day for everyone at International Shipbuilding Ltd,” said Chris Green, Senior Manager at ISL. “By i

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Governor Abbott highlights Port of Brownsville as a key component of Texas’ booming energy industry

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – April, 5, 2022 – Texas Governor Greg Abbott highlighted the Port of Brownsville as a key component of Texas’ booming energy industry and as a critical asset to the Lone Star State’s economic success during an economic roundtable discussion with industry leaders and key stakeholders held at the port Wednesday, March 30.

“Ports are the gateway to the might of the Texas economy and the Port of Brownsville is vital infrastructure for our booming energy industry,” said Governor Abbott. “The Port of Brownsville is rapidly growing the economy of the Rio Grande Valley and bringing new opportunities to South Texans, and I look forward to continuing our state’s partnership with members of the port sector to unleash the full potential of all that the Port of Brownsville has to offer.”

As longshoremen unloaded steel slabs from a vessel docked in the

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Commemorating Western Hemisphere Ports Day

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – April, 5, 2022 – Remaining open for business throughout a tumultuous time brought by a global pandemic and challenging world markets, the Port of Brownsville embodies the 7th Annual ‘Western Hemisphere Ports Day’ theme of resiliency and sustainability.

Today the port, in partnership with the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA), commemorates the annual event that recognizes the port industry’s role in efficient goods movement, job creation and propelling the economy in nations they serve across the Americas. This year’s Ports Day theme, Resiliency & Building a Sustainable Future, explores the willpower, adaptability, and drive of the port industry, and how these qualities have continuously navigated this industry through challenging times.

Thanks to thoughtful

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Port Channel Project Scores Major Funding

By Steve Clark/ The Brownsville Herald

The Port of Brownsville will receive $68 million through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers toward deepening the Brownsville Ship Channel in order for the port to accommodate larger vessels and remain competitive. U.S. Representatives Filemon Vela and Vicente Gonzalez made the announcement Tuesday.

The funds are part of $79 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for “historic water infrastructure projects” in Brownsville and Galveston that will have a big impact on South Texas, according to the announcement.

“The $68 million investment to deepen the Brazos Island Harbor Channel at the Port of Brownsville in Texas will enable increased cargo movements, reduced transit times and improved operational safety,” they said. “Completing the (BIH) deep draft navigation project is a high priority for both the Rio Grande Va

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2022 State of the Port Address: Continued Progress at the Port of Brownsville Provides Positive Outlook for the RGV Economy

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – March 24, 2022 —The Port of Brownsville remains a stronghold for the Rio Grande Valley’s economy providing record-setting tonnage and robust operating revenues for FY 2021.

Brownsville Navigation District Board Chairman Sergio Tito Lopez highlighted these achievements at the 2022 State of the Port Address held today at the Rancho Viejo Convention Center in Rancho Viejo, TX.

The unaudited operating revenues for FY 2021 surpassed the $30 million mark for the second consecutive year at $34 million, while cargo tonnage amounted to 13.8 million tons, breaking a previous record of 11.6 million in 2020.

“The Port of Brownsville remains strong and focused on its mission. We have not only remained open for business, but we have also grown,” said Lopez. “As vessels continue to bring more cargo, more jobs are created and sustained. We continue to invest in

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