The Port of Corpus Christi Authority (PCCA) Commission and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have finally signed a Project Partnership Agreement (PPA) for the deepening and widening of the Corpus Christi Ship Channel (CC Ship Channel).
After 27 years of waiting, ceremonious signing of the PPA was held Friday, October 20, at the Corpus Christi Country Club, with the Port Executive Director John LaRue, and Col Lars Zetterstrom of the Army Corps signing the deal.
Congressman Blake Farenthold and Port Commission Chairman Charles Zahn provided remarks for this historic event as well.
The CC Ship Channel Improvement Project (CIP) will widen the CC Ship Channel to 530 feet, plus add additional barge shelves, to allow for two way vessel and barge traffic, and deepen the CC Ship Channel to 54 feet MLLW (Mean Lower Low Water) for the safe and efficient passage of the modern fleet of world-class deep draft vessels.
The entire project is estimated to cost $327 million with the USACE proportionate cost-share projected to be $225 million and the PCCA proportionate cost-share projected at $102 million.
The PPA allows the PCCA to accelerate its portion of the project cost-share, thereby allowing construction to commence ahead of federal appropriations up to $102 million. These funds are intended for use in the design and construction of the deepening of the CC Ship Channel from the Gulf of Mexico to Harbor Island.