the power of
collaboration
State of the Port Recap
By Charles W. Zahn, Jr.
Chairman, Port Corpus Christi Commission
W
e have an important role in today’s economy - our suc-
cess and progress is a catalyst for this great nation of
ours. When the world is at odds with itself, there continues to
be a sharing of goods between ports that binds us together.
We take great pride in our role of internationalism.
The majority of crude oil leaving our port is destined for for-
eign markets, and earlier this year, Port Corpus Christi be-
came the #1 us crude oil exporter in the nation. We are the
4th largest US port in total tonnage, and we create $150
billion in economic activity for the United States. There are
$50 billion in privately funded industrial projects underway
in and around the Corpus Christi Ship Channel. The Coastal
Bend is becoming increasingly known worldwide as a region
where businesses come to thrive. The projects announced
in 2017 alone are estimated to produce over 600 permanent
jobs, 8,000 jobs during peak construction, over $240 million
of new earnings, and over $100 million in new taxes.
This year, we faced a challenge
unlike any we’ve experienced
before. When Hurricane Harvey
struck, the Corpus Christi Ship
Channel was closed for a record
six days, the longest closure in the
channel’s 90 year history. Thanks
to the around-the-clock work our
Emergency Operations Command,
the captain of the port re-opened
the channel on august 31st with re-
strictions. We are currently in the
process of restoring full maritime
operations.
For the first time in over three de-
cades we’re building new docks
to increase our capacity to load
and unload cargo. The recently
completed Nueces River Rail Yard
increased our rail capacity 4x what
it was. Construction of the new
Harbor Bridge is underway follow-
ing the successful implementation
of the Hillcrest buyout program.
The new, 205’ bridge will be the
longest cable-stayed suspension
bridge in the western hemisphere,
and will last us a century.
The largest project the port has on
the horizon is the Corpus Christi
Ship Channel Improvement Proj-
ect. After decades of work we’ve
recently signed a project partner-
ship agreement with the us army
corps of engineers to move for-
ward with the deepening and wid-
ening of the channel. For this to
happen, the port has agreed to ac-
celerate its cost share of the proj-
ect, approximately $102 million,
which allows construction to begin
ahead of the corps of engineers
receiving federal appropriations.