A major infrastructure project 35 years in the making has finally reached completion at the Port of Corpus Christi, making it the deepest draft port in the entire Gulf of Mexico.
The Ship Channel Improvement Project, which took seven years to complete, has deepened the channel from 47 to 54 feet for approximately 30 miles. The channel was also widened from 400 to 530 feet.
"I think this deeper depth will open up a whole new era of innovation and commercialization of this ship channel. I think we'll be able to now receive deeper ships than we would have been able to previously, and so we'll be looking at larger crude carriers as well as potentially container ships," Kent Britton, CEO of Port of Corpus Christi, said.
The completion was marked by a symbolic ribbon cutting featuring a ship's horn blast, signaling a new chapter for the port's capabilities.
The $625 million project was funded through a partnership between the federal government, which contributed $425 million, and the Port of Corpus Christi, which covered the remainder.
Port officials are also considering the economic feasibility of attracting cruise ships to the newly improved channel.
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