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$142.5m awarded for deepening Houston Ship Channel

Photo: Houston Port Houston Ship Channel aeriel view
The US Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) FY22 work plan for the Infrastructure Investments includes an award of $142.5m for the deepening and widening channel improvement programme of Houston ship channel.

Port Houston Commission Chairman Ric Campo noted that "with this funding, we are one step closer to building a better port for the next generation of Texans and Americans."

Houston is the only port in Texas to receive construction funding in the USACE investment plan and will allow the terminal and Usace to keep the $1Bn Project 11 on track.

"This federal funding is essential to keep Project 11 on track and achieve a safer, faster and cleaner navigation channel for all users," said Port Houston CEO Roger Guenter.

The completion of the deepening and enlargement of the channel will facilitate the handling of larger container vessels at this terminal, a critical step in increasing the efficiency of the country's logistics infrastructure.

The country's total container volumes increased 8% in 2021, while at Port Houston they grew 15% year over year.

In late December, Port Houston also received a $18m federal grant from the Department of Transportation's Maritime Administration (MARAD) to develop and expand the Bayport Container Terminal. This support will help create a new container yard, taking advantage of the increased capacity of the expanded navigation channel to accommodate deeper draught vessels carrying more cargo containers.

MARAD has attributed $241m for improvements in US ports in 2022.