Esteban Guerra Named BND Commission Chairman
Brownsville Navigation District (BND) Commissioner Esteban Guerra was unanimously appointed to serve as chairman of the BND Board of Commissioners during the board’s regular meeting held Wednesday, May 18, 2022.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 Place 2, and Guerra, Commissioner Place 4, were re-elected to the board in the BND election on May 7.
Port of Brownsville Connector Cleared
The South Port Connector Road Project received environmental clearance from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Pharr District Office, advancing the project to the construction phase.The project is part of the Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority’s (CCRMA) East Loop Corridor plan. When complete, the South Port Connector Road will span two miles and will connect Ostos Road at the Port of Brownsville with State Highway 4.The project will enhance the port’s intermodal connectivity, further facilitating domestic and international trade throughout the Rio Grande Valley.“The Port of Brownsville is a valuable asset to the Texas economy and a major economic force in the region,” said John Reed, Brownsville Navigation District Chairman.
NextDecade in Rio Grande LNG Site Lease Deal
US LNG export project developer NextDecade Corporation signed a lease agreement with the Brownsville Navigation District (BND) for its Rio Grande LNG project.The proposed $15 billion Rio Grande LNG export terminal and pipeline at the Port of Brownsville, Texas, was considered and approved during a meeting of the BND Board of Commissioners.The lease agreement, which covers an approximately 984-acre parcel of land in Cameron County, Texas, carries an initial term of thirty years, with two options to renew and extend the term of the lease for periods of ten years each. The lease agreement supersedes exclusive site option agreements.On the site in the Port of Brownsville…
Texas Boats Combat Drug Cartels on the Rio Grande
Texas Marine Unit Uses Yellowfin-built Shallow Water Vessels for Border Patrol missions. Menaced by Mexican drug cartels, the Texas Department of Public Safety operates a fleet of six shallow-water vessels it commissioned in late 2011 and 2012 to patrol its borders. The agency purchased the boats from Bradenton, Florida-based manufacturer Yellowfin Yachts as threats along the Rio Grande escalated. Yellowfin custom builds its 34-foot fishing boats for military and police purposes…
First Multiagency Beach Rescue Exercise off South Padre Island
More than 50 people from three response agencies simulated a joint agency response to an incident involving 12 people off popular South Padre Island beaches, Texas, on Wednesday, August 28. The Coast Guard, City of South Padre Island Beach Rescue and Cameron County Beach Rescue joined together in the Beach Rescue Interagency Team Exercise, or BRITE, to evaluate communication and coordination between the agencies as they managed recovery, triage and transportation for all the victims at one time.
Keppel AmFELS Strengthens GOM Presence
In what could be construed as a sign that good times are indeed ahead for the Gulf of Mexico offshore business, Amfels Inc. was recently renamed Keppel AmFELS, Inc. leveraging the Keppel and FELS brand names in its vision to further strengthen its presence in the Gulf of Mexico. The renaming ceremony took place on November 15, 2004, at the Keppel yard in Brownsville, Texas. Guest-of-Honour, Honourable Congressman Solomon P. Ortiz of the 27th Congressional District Texas was present to unveil the new corporate identity for AMFELS. “The FELS name embodies a proud heritage of our CAN DO!
