Hundreds of people stood along the shoreline of South Padre Island on May 31, 2022, to behold the arrival of the USS Kitty Hawk, the sixth US Navy Aircraft Carrier to arrive at the port for recycling. ISL won the Navy contract and responsibility to recycle the Kitty Hawk, representing the fourth carrier it recycles.
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'Great days': USS Kitty Hawk Veterans
Bid Final Farewell
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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 the ship and an ideal vantage point for watching the massive vessel come in through the pass.
"The county has done a heck of a job," said ISL Vice President Robert Berry of the new facility.
Several veterans took turns at the podium recalling their time aboard the Kitty Hawk, and many contributed their signatures to a Kitty Hawk memorial flag.
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The USS Kitty Hawk arrived at the Port of Brownsville on May 31, after her 16,000-mile-long journey from Bremerton, Wash.
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America's Premier
Ship Recycling Port
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.
Throughout the second quarter of this year, ship recycling projects at the port have continued. 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 USS Petersburg, three months ahead of schedule and without a safety incident.
Hundreds of people stood along the shoreline of South Padre Island on May 31, to behold the arrival of the USS Kitty Hawk, the sixth US Navy Aircraft Carrier to arrive at the port for recycling. ISL won the Navy contract and responsibility to recycle the Kitty Hawk, representing the fourth carrier it recycles.
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Esteban Guerra Named BND Chairman |
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.
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10th Excellence in Financial Reporting Award Achieved |
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 displaying the highest financial standards in accuracy, clarity and transparency."
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Port Awards High School Grads Scholarships |
The Brownsville Navigation District in May announced 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 demonstrated that they are highly motivated to succeed, and the Port of Brownsville is committed to helping them expand their knowledge and skill sets for the future.”
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Texas LNG Appoints Technip Energies as Lead Project Contractor |
Texas LNG Brownsville LLC in May announced it has executed an agreement with Technip Energies USA, Inc. and Samsung Engineering Co., Ltd to lead the delivery of the facility via a joint venture.
Technip Energies will partner with Samsung Engineering, a firm who also holds a minority equity interest in Texas LNG at the Port of Brownsville. Under a project financeable structure, the two companies will be responsible for all facets of the liquefaction facility’s delivery including engineering, construction coordination, start-up, and commissioning.
"We’re proud to have selected such preeminent businesses as Technip Energies and Samsung Engineering to build our Texas LNG export facility," said Glenfarne CEO and Founder Brendan Duval. "With the help of these partners, Texas LNG will be one of the cleanest LNG export facilities in the world, powered by renewable energy and providing access to secure energy supply for economies across the world."
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BROWNSVILLE NAVIGATION DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS
Chairman
Vice Chairman
Secretary
Commissioner
Commissioner
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PORT OF BROWNSVILLE ADMINISTRATION
Port Director & CEO
Contact Us:
Ph: 956.831.4592 / 800.378.5395
Fax: 956.831.5006
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June 5-7
June 14
Flag Day
June 15
BND Board Meeting
June 15-16
June 19
Juneteenth/
Father’s Day
June 21
First Day of Summer
July 4
Independence Day-Port offices closed
July 6
BND Board Meeting
July 20
BND Board Meeting
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The Port of Brownsville has made preparations for the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season, which began June 1 and ends Nov. 30.
In preparation, port staff participated in seasonal alert meetings and reviewed and updated its hurricane preparedness plan.
During this time, the Port of Brownsville operates under the U.S. Coast Guard’s Port Hurricane Condition IV, with all emergency equipment inspected and personnel prepared for severe weather events.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season will be "above-normal" with 14 to 21 named storms, of which 6 to 10 could become hurricanes , including 3 to 6 major hurricanes. NOAA provides these ranges with a 70 percent confidence.
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