Port of Corpus Christi Authority clients moved a record 51.1 million tonnes of commodities through the Corpus Christi Ship Channel in the second quarter of 2025, surpassing the prior Q2 record of 50.6 million tonnes set in 2024, according to the company's release.
For the first half of 2025, tonnage reached a historic high of 102.4 million tonnes, topping the previous H1 mark of 99.5 million tonnes recorded in H1 2024.
Crude oil shipments during H1 2025 totaled 65.2 million tonnes, reflecting a growth of over 3.8% year-over-year, while liquefied natural gas (LNG) volumes rose nearly 10.8% to reach 8.5 million tonnes.
Increases were also seen across dry bulk, breakbulk and other bulk liquids.
The channel expansion project increased the depth from 47 to 54 feet MLLW, widened it to 530 feet in most areas, and added barge shelves across Corpus Christi Bay—yielding estimated annual transport savings exceeding USD 200 million.
The record volumes follow from the completion of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers‑supported Ship Channel Improvement Project (CIP), finalized in June 2025. The four-phase USD 625 million project, initiated in 2017 under a public‑private partnership—between the Port of Corpus Christi Authority, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Galveston District), Congress funding, the Texas General Land Office, and others—deepened and widened the channel to accommodate larger vessels.
Port of Corpus Christi Authority is a municipal authority governed by a seven‑member commission appointed by Nueces County, the City of Corpus Christi and San Patricio County, the Port of Corpus Christi Authority is the third-largest U.S. port by waterborne tonnage and a primary energy export gateway. It operates the Corpus Christi Ship Channel, connected via three Class‑1 railroads and two interstate highways, and oversees port operations, environmental management, and safety.