Port of Corpus Christi Completes Deepest, Widest Gulf Coast Channel

The Port of Corpus Christi has completed the $625 million Ship Channel Improvement Project, making it the deepest and widest draft channel in the Gulf of Mexico with a depth increase from 47 to 54 feet and a width expansion from 400 to 530 feet. This project, which took 35 years of planning and seven years of construction, enables the port to accommodate larger vessels such as Very Large Crude Carriers and container ships, significantly enhancing its capacity to export crude oil, liquefied natural gas, and other commodities. The improvements are expected to save an estimated $200 million annually in transportation costs by allowing fewer ships to carry more cargo more efficiently. The port, already America’s largest export gateway for crude oil, anticipates that the deeper channel will foster new commercial opportunities, including the potential attraction of cruise ships. Federal, state, and local leaders celebrated the project’s completion with a ceremony on June 2, 2025, highlighting the port's growing role in global trade and regional economic development. Port CEO Kent Britton emphasized the transformative impact of the project on the port’s operations and its status as the energy port of America.