Vol. 8, No. 4 September 2023 | |
In June, the Brownsville ship channel played host to a fascinating juxtaposition of two containerships. One recently built and the other arriving for recycling. Pasha Hawaii's new MV Janet Marie docked at Seatrium AmFELS' shipyard, while Signet Maritime's tugboats towed Pasha's retired SV Horizon Pacific to berth at SA Recycling/SteelCoast. | |
Modern Marvels
Legacy Industries Repurpose the Past and Build the Present
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Two containerships crossing paths at the Port of Brownsville’s 17-mile-long ship channel in June illustrated the modern-day ship life cycle. As Pasha Hawaii’s newly completed MV Janet Marie containership docked at Seatrium AmFELS’ shipyard, Pasha’s retired SV Horizon Pacific containership was drawn by Signet Maritime’s tugboats to berth at SA Recycling/SteelCoast for recycling.
Known as the premier ship recycling port of the United States, securing 85% of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD), and U.S. Navy contracts, the Port of Brownsville is also the primary shipbuilding port of Texas. In 2022, one of the three major ship recycling companies at the port, SteelCoast merged with SA Recycling to become the company’s only ship recycling facility in the United States, employing 237 employees at the port.
For over 30 years, Keppel AmFELS, now known as Seatrium AmFELS, has been the top fabricator of jackups, oil platforms, vessels including containerships, and wind turbine installation vessels, providing thousands of jobs to the region. Currently, AmFELS employs 1,800 workers at the port, contributing to the local economy.
"Pasha Hawaii came to us interested in building two 2,525 TEUs Dual Fuel Containerships. Seatrium AmFELS jumped on this opportunity, leveraging our group’s strength and came up with a design that met the needs of our customer. Seatrium AmFELS had previously built smaller ships before, but George III and Janet Marie are much bigger in size," said Fok.
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The Port of Brownsville’s Foreign Trade Zone No. 62 saw a boost in the value of goods transported in 2022, reaching a total of $13.9 billion in exports and imports. The export value in 2022 was over $8.2 billion while the value of imports registered $5.7 billion. | FTZ No. 62 Tops $10B for Value of Imports and Exports | |
The Port of Brownsville’s Foreign Trade Zone No. 62 (FTZ) saw a boost in the value of goods transported in 2022, reaching a record total of $13.9 billion in exports and imports – a notable increase from the $9.7 billion recorded in 2021.
The U.S. Foreign-Trade Zones Board’s 2022 report to Congress, published Aug. 22, revealed that FTZ No. 62 held its position as the second highest-ranking FTZ in the country for the value of exported commodities. The export value in 2022 was over $8.2 billion, continuing an upward trajectory from the $5.2 billion reported in 2021.
Additionally, FTZ No. 62 ranked 20th in the nation for imports, with a notable value of $5.7 billion.
"Our foreign trade zone serves as a crucial connection for manufacturers, suppliers, and retailers, leading the charge in international trade for the region," said Port Director and CEO Eduardo A. Campirano. "We take great pride in fostering a thriving business hub within the Port of Brownsville, one that creates opportunities for both our workforce and community as the port continues to expand".
| Deputy Port Director of Operations Gives Business Park Update | This article is originally featured at www.riograndeguardian.com | |
Arturo Gomez, Deputy Port Director of Operations for the Port of Brownsville, provided details about a new 118-acre shovel-ready business park being built at the Port of Brownsville.
In a speech at the 2nd Industrial Warehouse Summit held in Pharr, Gomez said the new industrial project will leverage the Port’s logistical advantages to support manufacturing companies and industry clusters with a base of operations that combines access to efficient multimodal transportation and robust storage capabilities.
| Photo taken during Governor Abbott’s visit to the Port of Brownsville on March 30, 2022. | |
Abbott: Port of Brownsville
a Centerpiece of Future Economic Expansion for RGV
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Texas Governor Greg Abbott spoke on regional collaboration at the RGV Economic Summit held in Edinburg on Aug. 17. Governor Abbott highlighted the Port of Brownsville's transformative impact on the Rio Grande Valley and South Texas.
"The entire region in this area is going to benefit from every expansion that occurs at the Port of Brownsville," said Governor Abbott.
"What’s going on at the port cannot be overstated. We are working with billion-dollar businesses that are expanding operations in the Port of Brownsville. This port is incredibly important as an international transfer point. It already provides well over 50,000 jobs and $3 billion in economic activity," Governor Abbott added. "But the future of the port, and what it will do for this region, is the most important thing. Mark my words, the Port of Brownsville is going to be a centerpiece of future economic expansion for this entire region."
During a visit to the port on March 30, 2022, for an economic roundtable discussion, Governor Abbott touted the Port of Brownsville as a critical asset and a key component of the state’s energy sector.
|  | Port Abilities: Exporting Agricultural Commodities | In August, WestPlains, LLC, the grain elevator operator at the Port of Brownsville, loaded more than 30,000 metric tons of regionally grown sorghum on to the Ocean Victoria from Dock 11. The shipment of South Texas grains is destined for China. | |
BROWNSVILLE NAVIGATION DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS
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Vice Chairman
Secretary
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Commissioner
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PORT OF BROWNSVILLE ADMINISTRATION
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September 6
BND Board Meeting
September 10- 13
NAFTZ Conference
September 10-16
National Truck Driver Appreciation Week
September 11
Patriot Day
September 16
Mexican Independence Day
September 18- 24
Rail Safety Week
September 20
BND Board Meeting
September 23
First Day of Fall
September 26-28
Breakbulk Americas- Houston
October 6
YTexas Summit
| Could Mexico Help Texas Become the U.S.’ Largest Economy? | This article is originally featured at www.freightwaves.com | |
Watch out California. Texas is coming for you.
That was the thrust of a panel discussion recently at the North American Development Bank’s 2023 summit in San Antonio.
The summit included federal, state and municipal authorities, along with business organizations, academia, financial institutions, investors, project developers and experts, from both the U.S. and Mexico, with the aim of spurring the development of infrastructure in the border region.
Shifting global supply chains in Mexico, increasing cross-border trade and a business-friendly climate in the region are helping the Lone Star State outpace California in population growth and gross domestic product, experts said.
| Celebrating National Truck Driver Appreciation Week | |
The Port of Brownsville will join the American Trucking Associations and the entire trucking industry in celebration of National Truck Driver Appreciation Week from Sept. 10-16, 2023.
Truck Driver Appreciation Week is a time to acknowledge and show gratitude for the tireless efforts of the 3.5 million professional truck drivers who work tirelessly to deliver the essential goods and resources to communities across the nation.
In 2022 alone, the Port of Brownsville recorded 438,000 truck movements, averaging around 1,200 truck movements per day. The impact of truck drivers is felt in every corner of the country, as more than 80% of U.S. communities rely exclusively on trucks to meet their freight transportation needs.
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