TEXAS PORTS ASSOCIATION HONORS USACE GALVESTON DISTRICT COMMANDER COL. VAIL AS 2021 PORT PERSON OF THE YEAR
GALVESTON, TX (March 1, 2021) – The Texas Ports Association (TPA) honored Col. Timothy R. Vail, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Galveston District Commander, as its 2021 Port Person of the Year at the USACE, Galveston District (SWG) Virtual Winter 2021 Stakeholder Partnering Forum.
Each year, TPA honors individuals for their work and support of Texas Ports. TPA President, Phyllis Saathoff, presented Col. Vail with the award in a surprise ceremony.
“The Galveston District is the most important district to our nation because of the economic vitality and activity generated by Texas Ports,” Saathoff said. “Under Col. Vail’s leadership, Texas Ports have seen enhanced collaboration which has resulted in federal funding for much-needed ship channel improvement projects, consistent maintenance of our nation’s waterways, and resiliency for our channels
Read MoreBRG Steams Ahead Breaking Record in 2020
The Brownsville & Rio Grande International Railway (BRG) ended 2020 riding an all-time high with 51,115 loaded railcars handled at the Port of Brownsville throughout the year.
This marks a 24 percent increase from the 41,207 railcar movements recorded in 2019, a considerable upward trend highlighted by growing movements of steel, wind energy components, grain and petroleum-based products.
Norma Torres, BRG president & COO, said the company is likely to continue handling a high volume of loaded railcars in 2021.
“We’ve hired additional staff in the transportation department and added three new management positions since October 2020,” said Torres. “We expect this year to exceed the numbers in the past and will hire more staff in the future.”
Formed in 1984 by the Brownsville Navigation District, the BRG provides consistent, safe and reliable service to Port o
Read MoreContainer-On-Barge Service Connects Texas With Florida
BY STEVE CLARK / The Brownsville Herald
Article published Thursday, January 28, 2021
A persistent shortage of truck drivers in the United States has helped pry open a window of opportunity for the Port of Brownsville in the form of container-on barge shipping.
The port has tried it before, more than a decade ago with a Florida company called Seabridge Freight Inc., which operated a tug barge line between Brownsville and Port Manatee, Fla., though in the end it didn’t work out. This time around, it’s a different story. Work Cat Trans Gulf LLC, also based in Florida, has been running a weekly short-sea shipping operation between Brownsville and Port Tampa Bay since mid-August consisting entirely of 53-foot shipping containers.
2020 Year In Review Highlights
The year 2020 brought many challenges to our port family and community. Despite these hurdles, the Port of Brownsville staff, tenants and business partners were able to navigate these rough waters and achieve important milestones throughout the year. Relive the promising announcements of 2020 that make 2021 a year to look forward to.
Dominion Energy Continues Development of First Jones Act Compliant Offshore Wind Turbine Installation Vessel
RICHMOND, Va., Dec. 16, 2020 — Dominion Energy announced it has reached a major milestone – the keel laying – in the construction of the first Jones Act compliant offshore wind turbine installation vessel, currently being constructed by the global marine shipbuilding firm Keppel AmFELS at its Brownsville, Texas shipyard. With several gigawatts of offshore wind capacity to be installed along the U.S. East Coast in the next decade, access to Jones Act compliant offshore wind turbine installation vessels is of strategic importance to the U.S. offshore wind market.
The companies celebrated the keel laying on Dec. 16 when fabrications from the first steel, supplied domestically, were laid to form the first part of the keel – the bottom-most central steel structural
Read MoreTEXAS LNG ANNOUNCES LONG-TERM LEASE AGREEMENT WITH THE PORT OF BROWNSVILLE
Houston, Texas, Dec. 17, 2020 — Texas LNG Brownsville LLC has entered into a long-term lease agreement with the Port of Brownsville, successfully securing the Texas LNG export project site for up to 50 years. The lease agreement is an important milestone bringing the FERC permitted project closer to a final investment decision (FID), while also confirming to liquefied natural gas buyers that Texas LNG is well-positioned to support the continued growth of the LNG market.
The lease agreement covers a 625-acre site located within the Port of Brownsville. Texas LNG plans to construct and operate a 4 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) LNG export terminal on a deepwater frontage site previously secured under an exclusive option to the Lease agreement.
Vivek Chandra, Founder and CEO of Texas LNG LLC (a minority owner of the Texas
Read MorePORT PROGRESS: 2020 was a Year of Milestones
BY STEVE CLARK/ The Brownsville Herald
Article published Sunday, January 3, 2021
Port of Brownsville officials have reasons to look back on 2020 with fondness despite the difficulties posed by the pandemic. The port started off the year by announcing its Foreign Trade Zone’s rank among the top three in the nation for value of exports according to the U.S. FTZ Board annual report to Congress based on figures from 2018. Then in May, officials were able to announce a record-setting $8.9 billion in combined imports and exports for 2019 within its FTZ No. 62.
The total value of export shipments through the FTZ hit $4.3 billion in 2019, up from $3.8 billion the year before. The port also saw $4.6 billion in imports, the highest in the FTZ’s 40-year history. The numbers were driven mainly by petroleum products, shipbuilding equipment, steel aluminum and wind-energy pr
Read MoreSixth U.S. Navy Ship to be Recycled in 2020 Arrives at Port
The USS Stephen W. Groves has completed her final journey to International Shipbreaking Ltd.’s facility at the Port of Brownsville where she will be recycled. Her arrival marks the sixth U.S. Navy vessel contract awarded ISL this year.
The USS Stephen W. Groves was moored at the former Philadelphia Naval Shipyard since having been decommissioned in 2012. She made her final journey to ISL’s facility where she arrived Nov. 19.
Armed with one MK 75 76mm/62 caliber firing gun, MK 32 ASW torpedo tubes (two triple mounts) and one Phalanx CIWS for anti-submarine warfare, she boasted 1-MK 13 Mod 4 launcher, 4-SSM McDonnell-Douglas Harpoon missiles and 36-GDC-Pomona Standard SM-1MR missiles. The guided missile frigate also had 1 OTO Melara MK 75 3″/62 cal., 1 Vulcan Phalanx CIS and 4-.50 cal. MGs guns.
During her 30-year career, USS Stephen
Read MoreThis Year, ‘Thank You’ Means More
By Sergio Tito Lopez/Brownsville Navigation District Chairman
Saying “thank you” is an often-underrated privilege, but 2020 requires an extra note of appreciation to those who continue to drive remarkable success at the Port of Brownsville for everyone’s benefit.
The port historically invites its customers and supporters to gather each December for the annual Customer Appreciation Luncheon, where “thank you” is the central theme. COVID-19 clearly altered our plans for an in-person event this year, but the pandemic has not dampened our enthusiasm for saying thanks. Our community continues to grapple with the pandemic’s effects upon our daily lives and wellbeing, but our shared experience has made us closer in many ways – even while being apart.
As the new Chairman of the Brownsville Navigation District, it is my privilege to offer thanks to those wh
Read MorePort of Brownsville Recognizes Keppel AmFELS with 2020 Chairman’s Award
BROWNSVILLE, Texas— December 3, 2020— The Port of Brownsville presented Keppel AmFELS with its 2020 Chairman’s Award in recognition of the company’s important work reintroducing shipbuilding to both the state of Texas and Brownsville.
Brownsville Navigation District Chairman Sergio Tito Lopez presented the award to Mohd Sahlan Bin Salleh, president and CEO of Keppel AmFELS, on Dec. 3 during a special presentation at the Port of Brownsville. Keppel’s important work has helped build the ship building industry locally, bringing approximately 1,400 fulltime jobs to the Rio Grande Valley community.
“For decades, Keppel AmFELS has not only brought new jobs and opportunities, but their skill and expertise has attracted new contracts and opportunities to residents of the Rio Grande Valley,” said Chairman Lopez. “For example, they are nearing comple
Read MoreSergio Tito Lopez Named BND Commission Chairman
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – Nov. 18, 2020 – Sergio Tito Lopez was unanimously elected to serve as chairman of the Brownsville Navigation District (BND) during the board’s regular meeting Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020.
Lopez also was sworn in as a commissioner, along with Ralph Cowen and John Reed, all reelected to the commission Nov. 3. Lopez serves as chairman alongside BND Vice Chairman Cowen and Secretary Esteban Guerra, who were also unanimously elected to serve as part of the executive board. Commissioners John Wood and Reed round out the board as assistant secretaries.
Lopez previously served as chairman from 2012-2014. The BND is the elected authority for the Port of Brownsville in Brownsville, Texas, setting policy and fiscal decisions for the port.
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Port of Brownsville Foreign Trade Zone Ranks Number 2 in the U.S. for Value of Exports
BROWNSVILLE, Texas — November 17, 2020 — For the eighth year in a row, Foreign Trade Zone No. 62 (FTZ) at the Port of Brownsville remains near the top in the nation for the value of exports, according to the U.S. Foreign-Trade Zones (FTZ) Board’s annual report to Congress released on November 13, 2020.
FTZ No. 62 ranks second in the country with more than $4.3 billion in exported goods in 2019, an increase from the $3.8 billion reported in 2018. Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, 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 number 18 in the nation for the value of imports totaling $4.6 billion, up from $3.69 billion in goods reported in 2018.
“These are the highest numbers we’ve seen in the zone’s history, which highlight the importance of the Port
Read MoreMexican Steel Mill to Benefit Brownsville
BY STEVE CLARK / The Brownsville Herald
Article published Sunday, November 8, 2020
A major steel mill expansion in Nuevo Leon, Mexico, is expected to have a big impact on the Port of Brownsville as a steel importer/exporter and boost job creation locally, according to port officials.
Port Director and CEO Eduardo Campirano said the multi-billion-dollar expansion of Monterrey’s Ternium Pesqueria mill, owned by Ternium S.A., the port’s largest steel customer and the biggest steel producer in Latin America, means more steel production at the mill.
More production requires more feedstock, which means more steel slab moving through the port — most of it from a Brazilian mill also owned by Ternium, he said. The Pesqueria mill largely supplies Mexico’s automobile manufacturing sect
Read MoreHamilton & CIA USA LLC Expands with New Port of Brownsville Office to Service the Gulf of Mexico Oil and Gas Industry
Hamilton USA & CIA USA LLC opened new offices at the Port of Brownsville, the only deepwater port on the US-Mexico border, to expand the company’s services to the region’s growing oil and gas industry.
Hamilton USA , a Transcoma Shipping Company, received its Steamship Agency Licenses at the Port of Brownsville in June and provides customs brokerage, freight forwarding and warehousing, engineering support, secured long-term and short-term covered and open storage, equipment preservation and other services for shippers. With the tax advantages that exist by conducting business within the Port of Brownsville’s Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ) – one of the top three in the nation specializing in petroleum products, steel and metals – Hamilton USA’s Brownsville office is ideally situated to take advantage of “twin plant” cross-border operations. The company offers expertise an
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