Great Lakes receives notice to proceed for phase 1 of ‘Channel Deepening Project’

The Brazos Island Harbor (BIH) Channel Improvement Project continues to move forward, as Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Corporation today announced the receipt of Notice to Proceed to perform essential improvements to the Brownsville ship channel for NextDecade Corporation’s Rio Grande LNG project at the Port of Brownsville.

Great Lakes is set to commence Phase 1 of the project later this year.

The historic BIH project will deepen the 17-mile-long Brownsville ship channel from 42 to 52 feet, resulting in significant navigational safety improvements for commercial shipping in South Texas.

“The Brazos Island Harbor Channel Improvement Project is of monumental significance to the regional economy, strengthening the port as a critical player in the global supply chain,” said Port Director and CEO Eduardo A. Campirano. “As cargo volumes continue on an upward trend, we are excited to boost the port’s capabilities supporting sustainable growth for the diverse industries we serve.”

The BIH project, comprised of two phases, is funded through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Public-Private Partnership (P3) with the Port of Brownsville and NextDecade.

In 2019, NextDecade announced a landmark agreement with the Brownsville Navigation District to pay 100 percent of Phase 1 of the deepening project from the western boundary of its lease site along the ship channel to the entrance of the channel, as well as the development of two ship berths and a turning basin for the Rio Grande LNG facility. The Port of Brownsville and the USACE will execute Phase 2, which will deepen the channel from the turning basin area to Rio Grande LNG’s site. In March 2022, the federal government announced the allocation of $68 million for Phase 2, provided under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Appropriations Law.

“This exciting milestone project is the largest undertaken by Great Lakes in its 133-year history,” said Lasse Petterson, Great Lakes’ President and CEO, in a press release. “We look forward to working with NextDecade and other stakeholders, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Port of Brownsville, on this important improvement project that will benefit the navigation interests and allows for future development of the Port of Brownsville.”