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Port of Corpus Christi sets new tonnage record for 2021

Our Port is the third largest in the country, and a major economic driver in our state.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Port of Corpus Christi is celebrating a major accomplishment, announcing that they have set new tonnage records for the first six months of 2021.

Overall, our Port is the third largest in the country, and a major economic driver in our state.

Impressive, but consider this:

When it comes to total revenue tonnage, no one beats the Port of Corpus Christi. In fact, in that regard, it is the largest port in the United States.

The proof is in the numbers.

For the first six months of this year, the Port has moved over 80-million tons of cargo, with more than half of that coming in just the last quarter.

Both are records for the POCC.

To break it down even further, Liquified Natural Gas, Agriculture and Crude Oil exports are all up over this time last year. In fact, crude oil exports averaged 1.58 million barrels per day.

RELATED: Port of Corpus Christi to offer liquefied natural gas to incoming refueling ships

According to Chief Financial Officer Kent Britton, that means more than half of all crude oil in the United States is exported from here.

“For the first half of the year, we averaged about 58% of total crude exports out of the U.S. flowing right here through the Port of Corpus Christi,” says Britton. He adds that in June, that number reached an all-time high of 61%.

While some of the good news may be due to the ongoing recovery of global economies from the COVID-19 pandemic, Britton says it is more than that. Infrastructure investments are also playing a key role in keeping those who use our Port competitive.

He believes that what’s good for the Port is good for the region.

“Any economic development that’s done here in the Port of Corpus Christi benefits not only the Port, but also the city and the county and the surrounding area by creating new jobs,” says Britton. “We have a saying, ‘A rising tide lifts all boats,’ and we sincerely believe that. We take our role as an economic development engine for this region very seriously.”

As for what’s ahead, plans to deepen and widen the Corpus Christi Ship Channel continue, a project that should be completed in late 2023.

RELATED: Port of Corpus Christi ranked #1 Free Trade Zone in the country by Site Selection Magazine

For the latest updates on coronavirus in the Coastal Bend, click here.

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