The Port of Houston Authority announced that the first dredging contract to begin work on the Houston Ship Channel billion-dollar widening and deepening expansion plan, known as Project 11, could be awarded as soon as October.
Port Houston and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) formally presented their Project Partnership Agreement (PPA) last week, committing the former to act as Project 11’s local non-federal sponsor, according to a news release.
The PPA document laid out terms of the Houston Ship Channel infrastructure expansion and permitted the start of dredging. The first dredging contract could be awarded in October, Port Houston said.
Project 11 is the 11th major improvement of the channel in its more than 100-year history.
"Our port serves as the anchor for our Texas region," said Port Houston Executive Director Roger Guenther. "It is a critical step to provide a wider, deeper channel that maintains two-way vessel traffic to more safely and efficiently deliver everyday goods and petrochemical products to and from the region. This expansion project will help us continue to lead as the top port in the nation, supporting over 3.2 million U.S. jobs – including more than 1.35 million Texas jobs – and bringing $802 billion in economic value to the nation."
U.S. House Representatives Congressmen Kevin Brady, Brian Babin, Al Green, and Jodey Arrington provided remarks illuminating this milestone's importance at the project presentation. Representatives from U.S. Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz's offices expressed accolades on their behalf as well.
The offices of U.S. House Representatives Congresswomen Sheila Jackson Lee, Sylvia Garcia, Lizzie Fletcher, and Congressman Dan Crenshaw were present along with USACE and Port Houston staff.
Last year, the Army Corp of Engineers ranked the Houston Ship Channel as the busiest port in the nation – the channel handles as much vessel traffic as the three largest U.S. ports combined.
The Port of Houston statement said the 52-mile-long Houston Ship Channel is a vital economic engine for the Houston region, the state of Texas, and the U.S., and that once widened and deepened, the waterway will continue to help support and benefit more than 200 private and public facilities alongside it.
