Vol. 3, No. 6, May 2019
Photo courtesy of Rio Grande Guardian
Brownsville Navigation District Chairman John Reed, left, and NextDecade CEO Matt Schatzman, right, sign the Brazos Island Harbor Channel Improvement Project Funding Agreement during a signing ceremony held April 24 at the Port of Brownsville.
Landmark Agreement
BND and NextDecade Announce Partnership
to Fund Channel Deepening
The Brownsville Navigation District and NextDecade Corporation announced April 24 a landmark agreement set to transform the business landscape of the Rio Grande Valley.

The Brazos Island Harbor Channel Improvement Project (BIH) Funding Agreement commits NextDecade to privately fund key improvements to the Brownsville Ship Channel. The company will pay 100 percent of the deepening of the ship channel from the Gulf of Mexico to the western boundary of the proposed Rio Grande LNG project site at the Port of Brownsville. NextDecade will also fund the widening of the bend close to the entrance of the Brownsville ship channel to improve navigational safety.

"A wider, deeper channel not only benefits existing and future port customers, it also benefits our LNG partners," Brownsville Navigation District chairman John Reed said. "When complete, the deeper channel will make us among the deepest ports on the Gulf of Mexico, enhancing our competitiveness by closely matching the design features of the expanded Panama Canal."
Photo courtesy of NextDecade
Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Energy Dan Brouillette addresses the crowd during the Brazos Island Harbor Channel Improvement Project Funding Agreement held April 24 at the Port Brownsville.
The South Port Connector Road Project will improve traffic accessibility to the Port of Brownsville by providing another entry and exit to and from the port. It will eventually offer direct access to commercial lanes at the Veterans International Bridge.
South Port Connector Road Moves Forward
The South Port Connector Road Project received environmental clearance April 24 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.
Temporary Closure
of Foust Road Gate
Beginning May 6, the Foust Road gate and the port’s Overweight/Truck Permit Office will be closed due to construction work on Foust Road.

During the closure, the truck permit office will be managed out of the Harbor Master’s Office (HMO) at 400 Windhaus Road. The hours of operation will be Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to noon and from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Truck parking to acquire permits will be at a temporary staging area at the intersection of Foust and Windhaus roads.

Daily entry permits will not be sold at the temporary permit office. These permits will only be available for purchase at the SH550 gate.

Overweight permits may be purchased online at https://texas.promiles.com/brownsville/ .

The Foust Road gate and truck permit office will reopen after the construction work is complete.
Executives from Keppel AmFELS and Pasha Hawaii were joined by Brownsville Navigation District Chairman John Reed, fourth from left, and other federal, state and local dignitaries to commemorate the milestones achieved in the construction of two new containerships April 30.
Construction Milestones at Keppel AmFELS
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 community as a leading shipyard."

The Port of Brownsville is the only place in Texas where deep-draft ships are being built.

"Not only is Keppel AmFELS pioneering ship building at the Port of Brownsville, it’s introducing an entirely new industry to the Lonestar State, helping create 700 high-paying new jobs for our community," said John Reed, Brownsville Navigation District chairman. "This partnership between Pasha Hawaii and Keppel AmFELS allows the port to continue diversifying its assets, attracting new customers and industries to our region."
BROWNSVILLE NAVIGATION DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS

Chairman

Vice-Chairman

Secretary

Commissioner

Commissioner
PORT OF BROWNSVILLE ADMINISTRATION

Port Director & CEO


Contact Us:
Ph:  956.831.4592 / 800.378.5395
Fax:  956.831.5006
CALENDAR
May 10
Mother's Day (Mexico)

May 12
Mother's Day (U.S.)

May 15
BND Board Meeting

May 18
Armed Forces Day

May 20-22
Gulf Shipping Conference- Houston

May 22
National Maritime Day

May 22-24

May 27
Memorial Day - Port offices closed

May 29-30

June 1
2019 Atlantic Hurricane Season Begins
Chaplain Andreas Lewis heads the International Seafarer Center at the Port of Brownsville.
Home Away From Home
The International Seafarer Center provides spiritual respite and access to small comforts for all properly documented crew members visiting the Port of Brownsville since 1974. 

The center is led by Chaplain Andreas Lewis, who worked at the center as a chaplain’s assistant from 1981 to 1986 under the guidance of Reverend Will Aten.

As part of the center, Lewis meets individuals from all around the world and learns about their lives. Mariners frequently share noteworthy stories about their travels.

"We've had a ship come in where a seaman came and showed me, 'see where that bullet hole is? That’s where pirates shot at us.' These guys face many dangers depending on what routes they take. We hope that they stay safe and can find ports like this one," Lewis said.
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