12 American Journal of Transportation American Journal of Transportation ajot.com BEST IN BREAKBULK Heavy lift docks. Laydown storage. Oversized offloading. With connections throughout North America, the Port does it all to efficiently move breakbulk cargo. See all our capabilities at portofcc.com • Cargo docks with direct to rail discharge • BNSF, CPKC and UP service • Open and covered storage • Ro/Ro Ramp park with facilities for all kinds of industries, including manufacturing, energy, raw-material processing, etc. The Rio Grande LNG project, with a planned investment of up to US$36 billion, is already under con- struction and is expected to become one of the most significant liquefied natural gas energy projects on the US Gulf Coast. Similarly, the Texas LNG, a separate liquefaction project, is said to be worth about US$6 billion. In addition to LNG infrastruc- ture, the port is expected to host the proposed America First Refining project, announced by US President Donald Trump in March with mas- sive investments. “We have about 16 different projects (ship building, rare minerals, energy, metals, etc.) with an investment potential of $39 bil- lion,” Rico said. The port has been attracting near- shoring investments, with the Mexican company Forza Steel, for instance, com- pleting a $85 million, 650,000-square- foot facility, and Ternium building a $200 million development that includes a marine terminal. The termi- nal is expected to increase the port’s steel and metal cargo volume to more than 9 million tons a year. Other Mexican companies are also following this strategy, leveraging the port’s location and facilities to strengthen their presence in the US market. “Their presence here enables them to be near their customers and also be in close contact with them” Rico said. He highlighted that the Port of Brownsville is North America’s most strategic multimodal logistics hub. “Our strength also lies in offering con- nectivity to the eastern and midwest- ern United States through a network of highways, railroads, and the intra- coastal Waterway. In Mexico, we have direct links to Monterrey, Saltillo, and the northeastern region, thus enhancing our attractiveness for nearshoring and manufacturing. Besides direct access to the Gulf of Mexico, we offer con- nectivity to the European Union, Asia and South America,” he observed, adding that the port actively supports The Port of Brownsville is a critical gateway for international trade. (PROJECT – continued from page 11) nearshoring by providing ready-to-in- vest infrastructure. Rico said that the port’s key advantage is its multimodal connec- tivity, with an on-site rail service BRG, operated by OmniTRAX. With this network, the port is connected to railroads in the US, including the Union Pacific and the BNSF Railway to the north and the Canadian Pacific Kansas City (CPKC) to the south. The CPKC, Rico added, moves over two- unit trains of steel daily. Brownsville’s bonded facilities allow cargo to enter without immedi- ately paying tariffs or duties, making the port an attractive gateway for products destined for Mexico. Impact of SpaceX Expansion With SpaceX planning expansion of its Starbase operations in nearby Boca Chica, the Elon Musk-owned aerospace company’s operations would strengthen the port’s growth. The port receives launch towers, tanks, and other large aerospace com- ponents shipped from Cape Canaveral before being transported to Starbase. Port officials are also negotiating a lease agreement that would allow SpaceX to build its own dedicated dock within the Port of Browns- ville and establish direct connection to Starbase operations; the SpaceX expansion, port officials say, will create additional demand for logis- tics services, engineering capabilities, industrial suppliers, and specialized transportation providers throughout the region, including companies oper- ating in Mexico. projects requiring pipe and other break- bulk and bulk cargo. LOGISTEC’s focus on commod- ity diversification at Milwaukee and Burns Harbor terminals is proving to be a good solution for customers in the energy storage and bulk cargo sectors. “Our international commercial devel- opment effort in the first half of the year is expected to generate opportuni- ties that can flow into the Great Lakes network through inland logistics by vessel, rail and road,” says Robertson. “Looking ahead, strong project pipe- lines, growth in renewable energy, emerging domestic steel opportuni- ties plus the strength of LOGISTEC’s integrated North American terminal network, position LOGISTEC and the US Great Lakes region for a solid second half of 2026.” (OPTIMISTIC – continued from page 10)
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