Callan Marine completes Port Mansfield dredging project

The channel dredging project at the Port of Port Mansfield in Texas, US, is complete, the Willacy County Navigation District (WCND) said.

From the mouth of the jetties at the Gulf of Mexico entrance westward through the navigational channel, the Intracoastal Waterway junction, the Harbor, and into the turning basin, the authorized depth has been fully restored.

The Port Mansfield Navigation Channel, a man-made inlet originally constructed in the late 1950s and maintained as a federal project, serves as the sole direct gateway between the Gulf of Mexico and the Port.

Over time, natural shoaling had reduced navigable depths, constraining vessel traffic and raising operational risks. The recently completed maintenance dredging restored the channel to its authorized dimensions—approximately 15 feet deep and 125 feet wide—across the full length from the jetties through the Harbor and turning basin. Dredged material was used for beach and dune nourishment, habitat enhancement, and confined placement.

The project was made possible through federal funding secured after sustained advocacy by WCND leadership. In 2024 the District received significant Work Plan funds from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District.

The primary construction contract—a USD 21.4 million firm-fixed-price award to Callan Marine Ltd.—was funded with fiscal year 2025 Department of Defense operation and maintenance appropriations. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District served as the contracting activity. Permits were obtained following extensive environmental review, and work proceeded on schedule toward the July 31, 2026 completion target.

With authorized depth restored, the Port of Port Mansfield can once again reliably accommodate small commercial vessels, hopper barges, flat-deck barges, and fuel barges.

Callan Marine Ltd. executed the work with professionalism and without reported safety incidents, WCND said. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers provided essential technical and contracting support.

The project incorporated rigorous environmental protocols, including seagrass surveys, hydrodynamic modeling, avoidance of sensitive habitats, and beneficial use of dredged material for coastal resilience rather than simple offshore disposal.

Oscar Montoya Sr., Executive Director, Willacy County Navigation District, said: ”Coming on board mid-project gave me a clear view of both the challenges already overcome and the opportunity still ahead. The channel is now a better, safer, more reliable harbor. Looking forward, our focus is on translating this restored depth into tangible benefits—supporting the commercial and recreational fishing fleets that are the heart of this community, attracting new maritime and logistics users, and developing the Port’s available land in a way that strengthens Willacy County’s economy while protecting the Laguna Madre. The Board’s stewardship got us here. Now we build on it.”