Port of Corpus Christi Keeps Commerce Flowing
Published May 27, 2008
The Port of Corpus Christi is one of only two ports in the country designated by the Department of Defense as a strategic military seaport.
The Port of Corpus Christi – the sixth-largest in the country – is poised for an even greater role in the nation’s shipping future.
Blessed with a warm, dry climate, a great location 150 miles north of the Mexico/U.S. border, excellent highway and rail access, and more than 295,000 square feet of covered dockside storage, the port offers unmatched advantages on the Gulf Coast.
“We are the cleanest port in America,” says Ruben Bonilla, port commission chairman. “Dolphins swim in our shipping channels, while other ports often have reduced hours as a result of not being in air attainment [failing to meet federal air-quality standards].
“We have a strong and capable workforce, abundant water and we’re a deep-draft port – the first to be at 45 feet anywhere on the Gulf,” he adds. “We consider Corpus Christi to be the gateway to the world.”
Bonilla points to the port’s immediate access to the Gulf as a major selling point, as compared to Houston’s distance from the water.
The port is also one of only two – the other is Beaumont – designated by the Department of Defense as a strategic military seaport. The Corpus Christi port, along with Beaumont, has shipped about 50 percent of all the military cargo that has gone to support the war in Iraq.
Not content to stand still, several years ago port officials recognized that increased containerized shipping worldwide was creating congestion at many ports, and that more ocean ports were needed. Especially crucial would be ports that could provide efficient transportation and warehousing options.
Looking ahead, the port acquired 1,100 acres on Corpus Christi Bay and set about planning a state-of-the-art, world-class containerized shipping port called the La Quinta Trade Gateway.
In November 2005, port officials entered into an agreement with Dragados-S.P.L of Madrid, one of the world’s largest port operations companies, to develop the gateway.
“Trading routes are shifting from East-West to North-South,” Bonilla says. “The Gateway will offer shippers the most immediate path to centers of trade in South America. La Quinta positions us to build a container terminal that will exponentially increase our port’s importance. It’s really a rebirth.”
The project will be a major economic shot in the arm for the entire city, Bonilla says. Initially, some 2,000 construction jobs will be created, but downstream commerce will be most affected, as truck and ship traffic increases dramatically and workers are needed for warehousing, security, loading and unloading ships, and other crucial jobs. Tentatively, the project may be built out by 2008.
“It’s pretty remarkable, really,” Bonilla adds. “This is a transformation of not just Corpus Christi and the waterfront, but the whole region. Folks will be surprised by our growth – and the responsible way we’ll manage it.”
Story by Laura Hill
Photo by Michael W. Bunch
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