The Port Kicks-Off the La Quinta Channel Extension Dredging Project
CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS – Ending a month of celebration commemorating its 85th Milestone, Port Corpus Christi will honor the Kick-off of the dredging of the “La Quinta Channel Extension” project. The event will take place at the La Quinta Trade Gateway future site located at 4832 Hwy. 181, Portland, Texas. The event will be held from11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., on Monday, September 26. Port Commissioners and staff will be joined by local, state and federal elected officials. U.S. Congressmen Blake Farenthold (TX-27) and Henry Cuellar (TX-28), whom were instrumental on securing the funding, will lead the program.
The project for navigation and ecosystem restoration, is part of the Corpus Christi Ship Channel – Channel Improvement Project authorized by Section 1001(40) of the Water Resources Development Act of 2007. Funding for the construction contracts was approved for funding on May 17, 2011 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) as part of its 2011 work plan for the Army Civil Works program. The Projects include the following navigation and ecosystem restoration elements:
- Extend the La Quinta Ship Channel approximately 1.4 miles at a depth of –41’ MLT.
- Construct an ecosystem restoration feature
- Create a beneficial use site
Extending the La Quinta Ship Channel will allow economic benefits to be achieved while enhancing the economy of the region by providing deep channel access to the Port’s proposed multipurpose/container facility. The Ecosystem Restoration component to be constructed near Ingleside-on-Bay, Texas will consist of an offshore rock breakwater and shore protection and will protect and enhance approximately 45 acres of seagrass habitat. In addition, the improvements include the construction of approximately 200 acres of shallow water habitat created by the beneficial use of dredged material.
Construction contracts for the La Quinta Channel Extension and the Ecosystem Restoration projects were awarded in September 22, 2011 to King Fisher Marine Service, LP of Port Lavaca, Texas and LECON, Inc. of Houston, Texas, respectively, for a total cost of approximately $41 million. Cost for the projects will be cost shared between the Port and the Federal government. Extending La Quinta Ship Channel will provide support to the development at La Quinta Terminal as well as TPCO American Corp. Steel Pipe mill in Gregory, Texas, Cheniere Energy’s proposed gas processing plant, and the Gulf Cotton Compress Coop. “As we continue to develop strategic business partnerships with countries in the Eastern Hemisphere, the dredging of the La Quinta Channel extension, along with the enhancement of the Port’s relationship with the Panama Canal Authority two weeks ago, is a key infrastructure component towards diversification of cargo efforts. It will support the linking of our port with ports in Asia and the Pacific Ocean,” said Mike Carrell, Chairman of Port Commission.
La Quinta Trade Gateway Terminal (Project) is a major component of the Port of Corpus Christi Authority’s (Port) long-term development plan. Located on a 1,100-acre greenfield site on the north side of Corpus Christi Bay, when completed, this fully permitted project will provide a state-of-the-art multi-purpose dock and container facility. Project features consist of the Federal extension of the 45’ deep La Quinta Ship Channel, construction of a 3800’ long, three (3) berth ship dock with nine ship-to-shore cranes, 180 acres of container/cargo storage yard, an intermodal rail yard, and over 400 acres for on-site distribution and warehouse centers. The facility will have the capacity to handle approx. 1 million TEUs annually. The Project is sited adjacent to US 181/IH 37.