GALVESTON, Texas – The Galveston District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded a second multi-million dollar contract for the Corpus Christi Ship Channel Improvement Project on April 8. Callan Marine, LTD, of Galveston, Texas, will receive $97.9 million, including the base contract and seven options, to dredge Lower Bay Reach as part of Corps efforts to deepen and widen the Corpus Christi Ship Channel. Five more options are contained in the contract and could be activated at a later date.
The Project will improve approximately 11.9 miles of the associated shipping channel, effectively widening the channel from the Harbor Island vicinity to approx. 2.7 miles west of the La Quinta, to 530 feet wide and deepening it from 47 feet to 54 feet authorized.
“This contract is vital for us to continue the deepening and widening of the existing Corpus Christi Ship Channel. The work will improve energy product transportation throughout at the Port of Corpus Christi by allowing larger vessels more efficient access, which will boost the economic competitive advantage and energy security of the United States for decades to come,” said Col. Timothy Vail, USACE Galveston District Commander. “The Corps is getting wide spread credibility for its rapid response to the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly with delivery of temporary hospitals. From my Civil Works perspective, Galveston’s COVID-19 mission is to deliver the program, which is vitally important to the economic recovery of the Nation after this public health crisis. This channel deepening project not only provides jobs, it gives the energy sector the confidence that they can continue to count on the Corps of Engineers to deliver this project - a project that will be incredibly significant to re-establishing energy independence and energy security for the Nation,”
“This contract award is the second major milestone for USACE Galveston work at Corpus Christi, following the successful award and completion of Contract No. 1 for the Corpus Entrance Channel,” said Carlos Tate, USACE Galveston District project manager. “The latest contract will include the creation of two new open-water beneficial use sites adjacent to the Lower Bay Reach channel. Both contract achievements can be attributed to a positive working relationship between the Corps and the Non-Federal Sponsor, Port Corpus Christi.”
According to Tate, work is scheduled to begin in early summer 2020, with the majority of dredging completed by late 2021. Auxiliary work will continue throughout 2022, with full project completion expected by no later than April 2023.
In 1880, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers established Galveston District as its first office in Texas, tasked with overseeing river and harbor improvements in the state. Today, the District’s main missions include navigation, flood risk management, regulatory oversight, emergency management, and ecosystem restoration.
As a leader among U.S. Crude Oil export ports and a major economic engine of Texas and the nation, Port Corpus Christi is one of the largest ports in the United States. Strategically located on the western Gulf of Mexico, Port Corpus Christi is a major gateway to international and domestic maritime commerce. Port Corpus Christi is "Moving America's Energy."
For more news and information, visit https://www.swd.usace.army.mil/Missions/SWD-Hurricane-Harvey-Supplemental-Program/ and www.swg.usace.army.mil. Find us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/GalvestonDistrict.