b'MARCH 22 - APRIL 4, 2021GULF COAST PORTS13Port of Galveston activity includes rail transport of wind energy components and unloading of a shipload of grain.(ADVERSITIEScontinued fromment Act of 2020 has cleared the way page 12) fortheundertakingtosignificantly pickedupslightlyin2020,withwidenportionsoftheMatagorda 607,000tonsofbananasandotherShipChannelwhilebringingdepths fruit being handled. to as many as 47 feet compared withAt Port Freeport, work proceeds on build-out of Berth 8 as a key component While the Port of Galveston wasthepresent38feet.Oncethechan- of the Velasco Terminal expansion project.the fourth-busiest U.S. cruise port innel project is complete in early 2023,Max Midstream, which is invest- toHoustonandCorpusChristifor 2019, that business ground to a haltthe Max Midstream facility should being$360millionintheeffort,is,inexportofPermianandEagleFord in 2020, thanks to the pandemic, butabletodirectlyaccommodateAfra- theinterim,reverselighteringexportbasincrudes,includingviaanewly theres some good news on that front,max and Suezmax tanker vessels andcrude onto the larger ships in a recentlyannounced connection to the Phillips asRoyalCaribbeanInternationalthus handle exports of as many as 20establishedoff-portzone.Calhoun(ADVERSITIEScontinued on plans to commence building in Aprilmillion barrels of crude per month. Port is being touted as a viable optionpage 15)of the third cruise terminal at the port. P ortf reePortThe $295 million Freeport Harbor Improvement Project, which received authorizationfromU.S.Congress backin2014,isnowatlastintheCHANGE CHANNELconstruction phase, with Great LakesYOURDredge & Dock Co. embarking this month on the first $15.4 million por-tionoftheendeavortoultimately bring depths ranging from 51 feet to 56 feet, compared with the present 46 feet. The project has been designatedNEW BERTH a new start by the U.S. Army Corps ofEngineers,withatotalof$43.9Coming Soonmillion in federal funding in 2020 and 2021 work plans.Meanwhile, build-out of Berth 8 is proceeding as an integral part of the expansion of Port Freeports Velasco Terminal. Upon completion in 2022,FUTURE CHANNEL DEPTHthe 925-foot-long berth is to be able to accommodateport-Panamaxcranes,To 56 Feet MLLWgreatly enhancing the ports contain- 1-HOUR TRANSITerized cargo operations. StabilizationFrom Pilot Station To Berthof 6 acres of backlands supporting the terminal was completed in mid-2020.In2020,PortFreeporthandled arecord1,136vesselcalls,upmore than10percentfromayearearlier, due largely to growth in roll-on/roll-off business and exports of liquefied petro-leum gas and liquefied natural gas.C alhounP orta uthorityCalhoun Port Authority officials areMove cargo more efficiently. enthused about advancement of plans to facilitate Max Midstreams exportationScale operations for future growth.of big volumes of Texas crude oil via expanded Calhoun Port facilities and aBig changes are happening here. Freeport Harbor Channelalready the shortest deeper, wider ship channel. on the Texas Gulfwill soon be the deepest channel in the state. Larger vessels December passage by Congress of theWaterResourcesandDevelop- will be moving through our port than ever before and well be ready for them with new berths and modern cranes. Best of all, we have over 500 acres of adjacent land ready for development.Its time to change your channel.Visit our website or schedule a tour today.1.800.362.5743 | PortFreeport.comPlans are advancing for development at Calhoun Port of a Max Midstream facility for exportation of Texas crude oil.'