Port Houston has proceeded with the Houston Ship Channel expansion project, often known as Project 11, with the dredging of the first section, known as Segment 1A, running from Bolivar Roads to Redfish, having been completed.
The Port of Houston Authority confirmed that the work was completed on time and under the proposed budget, while Project 11 is scheduled to be completed by 2025.
By eliminating daytime restrictions, the extension of this region is intended to assist promote safety, reduce congestion, and improve vessel transit times by nearly an hour, according to a port's statement.
“The deepening and widening of the channel is a US$1 billion commitment to our growing economy, the generation of more jobs in our region, and the safety of the nearly 20,000 vessels transiting the Houston Ship Channel every year,” stated Roger Guenther, executive director at Port Houston.
Long Bird Island is still being built and is scheduled to be finished later this year. The approximately 16,000 m² new island habitat features a lagoon, coastal protection and varied land elevations.
Additional dredging is now progressing in the Redfish to Bayport section of the Channel (Segment 1B), with completion planned for 2024.