Tag Archives: Brownsville Navigation District

Port of Brownsville Breaks Ground on Channel Deepening

The Brownsville Navigation District and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers held a groundbreaking ceremony on Dec. 6 for Phase 2 of the Brazos Island Harbor Channel Improvement Project. The project will deepen the 17-mile-long Brownsville Ship Channel from 42 feet to 52 feet, improving navigational safety and enabling larger commercial vessels to access South Texas. “The Brazos Island Harbor Channel Improvement Project is paramount to the Port of Brownsville’s…

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BND Appoints Port Director and CEO

William Dietrich

At a regular board meeting last week, the Brownsville Navigation District Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to appoint William Dietrich as port director and CEO. Dietrich becomes the ninth port director and CEO in the port’s 88-year history. In December, the BND Board named Dietrich interim port director and CEO while the navigation district conducted a national search for a new port director and CEO. “I would like to congratulate…

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Port of Brownsville Honors High School Graduates

2023 Port of Brownsville Scholarship recipients

Thirty-two local high school graduating seniors will receive $1,000 scholarships from the Brownsville Navigation District via the 2023 Port of Brownsville Scholarship. The program is in support and encouragement to the pursuit of higher education for students within the district. The scholarship winners – selected for their academic performance, community involvement, extracurricular activities, and work experience, as well as for essays penned as part of their applications – attend 16…

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BND Board Supports Conservation of Regional Ecosystem

The Brownsville Navigation District Board of Commissioners, seated, John Wood, Esteban Guerra; standing, John Reed, Ralph Cowen, Sergio Tito Lopez, Eduardo A. Campirano and William J. Irwin.

At a regular board meeting on Mar. 15, the Brownsville Navigation District Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to pass a resolution recognizing the value of unique environmentally sensitive areas located within the 40,000 acres of the Port of Brownsville. The resolution highlights the BND’s commitment to environmental stewardship through projects including the Bahia Grande Restoration Project, the Endangered Cat Corridor Project, the Peregrine Fund Project for the Protection of the…

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BIH Project Begins With Placement Area Improvements

Port of Brownsville BIH Project

The first step in Phase 2 of the Brazos Island Harbor Channel Improvement Project is underway as the Port of Brownsville’s dredged material placement area improvement project began in early February. The BIH Channel Improvement project will deepen the 17-mile-long Brownsville ship channel from 42 to 52 feet. in February, the Brownsville Navigation District Board of Commissioners unanimously voted to award a $13.6-million contract for the channel improvements to RLB…

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Port of Brownsville Recognizes DIX Industries

DIX Industries President Lee Ostos accepts the Chairman’s Award from Brownsville Navigation District Chairman Esteban Guerra. (photo Port of Brownsville)

DIX Industries is the Port of Brownsville 2022 Chairman’s Award honoree in recognition of the company’s accomplishments throughout its 75-year history at the port. Brownsville Navigation District Chairman Esteban Guerra presented the award to Lee Ostos, president of DIX Industries, on Dec. 8 during the annual Customer Appreciation Luncheon at the Ambassador Event Center. DIX Industries was established in 1947 by Richard Ostos at the Port of Brownsville. The family…

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International Trade Booms At Port of Brownsville

Windmill blades are among the top commodities moving through the Port of Brownsville's Foreign Trade Zone No. 62. These colossal components are transported via vessel, barge, rail and truck to wind energy projects across North America. (photo Port of Brownsville)

Foreign Trade Zone No. 62 at the Port of Brownsville recorded an increase of 28 percent for the total value of exports in 2021. This increase amounts to the FTZ surpassing the $5-billion mark in exports for the first time. According to the U.S. Foreign-Trade Zones Board’s 2021 report to Congress on Aug. 29, FTZ No. 62 ranks second in the country with $5.2 billion in exported goods in 2021.…

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Improvement Project Signing Ceremony Propels Port Forward

The Brownsville Navigation District and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers signed a joint agreement on July 6 for Phase 2 of the Brazos Island Harbor Channel Improvement Project. The agreement advances the project’s timeline to begin work on deepening the ship channel from 42 feet to 52 feet. This will result in significant navigational safety improvements for commercial shipping in South Texas. The BIH project will further increase the…

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Guerra Appointed As Port Chairman

Esteban Guerra

Brownsville Navigation District Commissioner Esteban Guerra was unanimously appointed to serve as chairman of the BND Board of Commissioners during the board’s recent regular meeting. Guerra serves as chairman alongside BND Vice Chairman Ralph Cowen and BND Secretary of the Board John Wood, also unanimously appointed to serve as part of the executive board. Commissioners John Reed and Sergio Tito Lopez round out the board as assistant secretaries. Wood, Commissioner…

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Port of Brownsville Opens South Port Connector Road

The Port of Brownsville officially opens the 1.9 mile-long South Port Connector Road on March 4. (courtesy)

The new 1.9 mile-long South Port Connector Road is now open at the Port of Brownsville. The new $25.6-million port connector road improves port access while easing urban traffic in the Brownsville area. The road project was a collaborative effort between the Brownsville Navigation District, Cameron County, the Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority, the Rio Grande Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Texas Department of Transportation. At a March 4…

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