Officials celebrate completion of the Corpus Christi dredging project

The Port of Corpus Christi yesterday hosted federal, state and local leaders at a historic event celebrating the forthcoming completion of the ship channel improvement project.

The project, which began in 2019, improved approximately 11.9 miles of channel, deepening it from 47 to 54 feet and widening it from 400 to 530 feet.

About five million cubic yards of dredged material from the project went into restoring marshes in the Corpus Christi and Nueces bays.

The overall channel improvement project will combat erosion within the channel by providing 395 acres of sacrificial erosion protection along with the construction of a 2,000-foot breakwater—to tie into a currently planned 4,000-foot breakwater—in the Nueces Delta.

“This project was a successful endeavor that highlights what can be accomplished when the ports and federal agencies work together,” said Harmon Brown, the USACE project manager overseeing the CCSCIP.

“This accomplishment is only possible because of the steadfast support and cooperation of our non-federal partner, the Port of Corpus Christi,” said Col. Rhett Blackmon, the Commander for the USACE Galveston District. “Along with the Port, stakeholders like the Texas General Land Office and the Coastal Bend Bays and Estuaries Program advocate for the communities we serve. In collaboration, we were able to deliver one of the largest beneficial use projects in the history of our district.”

“My fellow Commissioners and I are grateful to the Administrations and Congressional delegations who supported this initiative, as well as the Port of Corpus Christi staff – past and present – who worked diligently to make this vision a reality. The Corpus Christi Ship Channel Improvement Project unlocks a new era of economic growth for both the Coastal Bend and the nation,” said David Engel, Chairman of the Port of Corpus Christi Commission.

Construction on the transformative $625 million initiative commenced in 2017. The newly expanded waterway facilitates safe, navigable commerce for larger vessels and two-way traffic, enabling more efficient transport of crude oil, liquefied natural gas and other commodities. Annual transportation cost savings are estimated to exceed $200 million.