Houston Ship Channel Receives Funding For Project 11

The Corps of Engineers recently awarded $131 million to the Houston Ship Channel as part of the Corps’ newly announced FY2025 Work Plan. $98 million of the allotted funding will be used for dredging and maintenance, while the remaining $33 million will go toward work on Segment 1B of Project 11, the expansion project of the Houston Ship Channel.

The Houston Ship Channel extends 52 miles from Texas City Channel to Galveston Bay. The project breaks the channel into nine segments. Segment 1B extends more than 8 miles from Redfish Reef to Bayport Ship Channel. Once Project 11 is complete, the Houston Ship Channel will extend 700 feet along Galveston Bay, a 170-foot increase, and will deepen in areas up to 46.5 feet. The project is expected to be completed in 2029.

The funding will also support progress on Section 1C, which stretches roughly five miles from the Bayport Ship Channel to Barbours Cut. Approval for this section of the channel was approved in 2022. Dredging of Segment 1C is expected to be completed by the third quarter of 2025, with other maintenance to Galveston Bay scheduled to be completed in the fourth quarter.

According to the Port of Houston’s website, Project 11 is expected to reduce transportation costs, increase channel efficiency, safety and maneuverability, develop environmentally suitable dredged material palcement and reduce high shoaling hot spots. The initiaitve is now 87 percent funded, thanks to the recent award through the Corps FY25 Work Plan. $162 million in funding is still needed to complete the widening of the channel.

The Port of Houston is responsible for $906 billion in annual national economic value and supports more than 3 million jobs.

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Featured photo caption: Project 11 is projected to be complete by 2029, widening the Houston Shipping Channel by 170 feet. (Photo courtesy of the Mobile Engineer District)