Vol. 3, No. 5, April 2019
Brownsville Navigation District Chairman John Reed congratulates partners and customers for a record-setting 2018 during the State of the Port Address March 19.
State of the Port:
Port of Brownsville on the Verge of Transformational Change
The Port of Brownsville set new records in tonnage and total operating revenue in 2018, moving 11.3 million tons of diverse cargos with operating revenues of more than $24.2 million.

The results were announced at the annual State of the Port Address which revealed a 6.6 percent increase in cargos, a 25 percent increase in rail movements, and a 2.5 percent increase in operating revenues from the previous year.

"Congratulations to our partners, customers, and port users who all contributed to these new high-water marks," said John Reed, Chairman of the Brownsville Navigation District. "Steel was up, almost all petroleum categories were up, dry bulk cement and sugar were way up."

The port’s Foreign Trade Zone No. 62 ranked second in the nation with exported goods valued at $3.6 billion, setting another record. Due to its unique location and proximity to key markets, the port remains a critical gateway for steel products entering Mexico’s industrial centers from across the globe.
Special Keynote Speaker Jon Roberts, principal and managing director of TIP Strategies, discusses Brownsville's unique economic environment during the State of the Port event held March 19.
Port Director & CEO Eduardo A. Campirano discusses the port's performance during a press conference prior to the State of the Port Address March 19.
Next Decade and Shell Execute LNG Sale Purchase Agreement
NextDecade Corporation announced April 1 a 20-year sale and purchase agreement (SPA) with Shell for the supply of two million tons per annum of liquefied natural gas from NextDecade’s Rio Grande LNG export project in Brownsville.
Pursuant to the SPA, Shell will purchase LNG on a free-on-board basis starting from the commercial operation date of Rio Grande LNG, currently expected in 2023, with approximately three-quarters of the purchased LNG volumes indexed to Brent and the remaining volumes indexed to domestic United States gas indices, including Henry Hub.
USACE Completes Recycling of STURGIS
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers celebrated in March the completion of the decommissioning and dismantling of the historic STURGIS vessel. The STURGIS was formerly the world’s first floating nuclear power plant.

"We're extremely proud of the work the team has done on the STURGIS decommissioning and dismantling," said U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Project Manager Brenda Barber. "I also want to take this opportunity to thank the local Galveston and Brownsville communities and our local partners and stakeholders for their support as we implemented this complex project in both communities. The local support our team has received greatly contributed to the success of this project."
Brownsville Navigation District commissioners and staff pose for a photo with the latest CAFR award. From left to right: Sergio Tito Lopez, BND Vice Chairman; John Reed, BND Chairman; Lorena Hernandez, Port of Brownsville Director of Finance; John Wood, BND Commissioner; and Esteban Guerra, BND Commissioner.
BND Receives GFOA Award For Excellence in
Financial Reporting
For the seventh consecutive year, the Brownsville Navigation District received the highest form of recognition for governmental accounting and financial reporting for its 2018 comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR).

"This recognition confirms the strong, transparent financial management brought forth by the Brownsville Navigation District commissioners and staff," said John Reed, BND chairman. "I commend and thank the BND financial team, as well as the board of commissioners, for their hard work and diligence in our commitment to the district’s taxpayers."

The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) presented the award to Lorena Hernandez, Port of Brownsville director of finance.

"It makes me very proud to represent a team that adheres to the highest principles of government accounting, as seen by this annual accomplishment." said Hernandez.

The GFOA established the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting Program (CAFR Program) in 1945 to encourage and assist state and local governments to go beyond the minimum requirements of generally accepted accounting principles to prepare comprehensive annual financial reports that evidence the spirit of transparency and full disclosure.
BRG staff receives the Railroad of the Year award during OmniTRAX's National Leadership Meeting in February. The short line rail provider recorded a record-breaking 2018 for the movement of carloads.
BRG Railway Named Railroad of the Year
The Brownsville & Rio Grande International Railway (BRG) received the Railroad of the Year Award from OmniTRAX after capping off a record-breaking year in 2018 for the movement of carloads.

The award was presented to Norma Torres, BRG president & COO; Fernando Gonzalez, BRG general manager; and Tony Chavez, BRG vice president of business development, during OmniTRAX's annual National Leadership Meeting in February.

The recognition is given to the OmniTRAX-managed railroad that performs exceedingly well in each of six core company values.
 
The BRG reported a nearly 20 percent increase in revenue for 2018 and has experienced a 25 percent year over year carload growth. In 2018, the BRG set a new company record for cars moved in a single year with 46,043 carloads handled by the short rail provider. The previous record was set back in 2006 when it moved 40,113 cars.
Dock-Dash 2019
This year’s Dock Dash attracted more than 420 avid walkers and runners from around the Rio Grande Valley and Mexico who joined the highly anticipated event to promote healthier habits and community friendships.

We thank all of our partners including The Challenge-RGV, H-E-B, Rio Grande LNG, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority, Tip of Texas Family Outreach, and Fit Body Boot Camp. Your support is greatly appreciated and we look forward to next year's event .
BROWNSVILLE NAVIGATION DISTRICT BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

Chairman

Vice-Chairman

Secretary

Commissioner

Commissioner
PORT OF BROWNSVILLE ADMINISTRATION

Port Director & CEO


Contact Us:
Ph:  956.831.4592 / 800.378.5395
Fax:  956.831.5006
CALENDAR
April 7
World Health Day

April 15
Tax Day (Federal and state tax-filing deadline)

April 17
BND Board Meeting

April 19
Good Friday - Port Offices Closed

April 21
Easter

April 22
Earth Day

April 24
Administrative Professionals' Day

April 25-26

May 1
BND Board Meeting
May Day

May 5
Cinco de Mayo
Ramadan
Port Connector Road to Link with SpaceX
The South Port Connector Road was in the works long before SpaceX appeared on the horizon, though it will come in very handy in terms of the Port of Brownsville’s relationship with the rocket company, by connecting the port with S.H. 4 just down the road from SpaceX’s Boca Chica launch complex.

At the annual State of the Port event on March 19, Brownsville Navigation District Chairman John Reed said in his presentation that "the port expects to play an important role in the operation of SpaceX, similar in scope to what’s happening at Cape Canaveral in Florida."
Texas LNG Receives FERC Environmental Impact Statement
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued in March its Final Environmental I mpact Statement (FEIS) for Texas LNG's proposed project at the Port of Brownsville.

The FEIS is the final step in the environmental review process leading towards the June 13, 2019 Federal Authorization Decision Deadline and anticipated FERC approval.

Vivek Chandra, Co-Founder and CEO of Texas LNG LLC said, "We are very pleased with the FEIS report conclusions, and appreciate the hard work and effort involved in the generation and compilation of the FEIS, especially from FERC and all the supporting agencies."
Port of Brownsville Police Chief Carlos Garcia, left, promotes patrol officer Juan Valles to sergeant during the BND regular board meeting April 3.
Port PD Officer
Promoted to Sergeant
The Port of Brownsville Police and Security Department has a new sergeant.

Patrol officer Juan Valles, from Brownsville, was promoted to sergeant during the Brownsville Navigation District Commissioners regular board meeting held
April 3.

Valles served in the Marine Corps from 2007 to 2013. During his service, he was deployed to Afghanistan in 2011 as a bomb-sniffing dog handler and received a Certificate of Commendation for his service. He was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds sustained during combat.

Valles has been a member of the port's police department since 2014.
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