Rodriguez: Negotiations underway with carriers that would like to turn the Port of Brownsville into a container port

PHARR, Texas – Brownsville Navigation District leaders are in discussions with a couple of carriers about developing a container port component at the Port of Brownsville.

At the moment the port handles only bulk and break bulk, which means any oversized cargo that cannot be shipped in or out on containers.

Brief details of the negotiations were provided by Antonio “Tony” Rodriguez, director of cargo services and foreign trade zone administrator at the port. Rodriguez participated in a panel discussion at an RGV StartUp Week event held at the Pharr Global Business Hub.

“There are rumors going around that you will eventually become a container port. What can you say about that?” asked panel moderator Rick Carrera, economic development director for the Council for South Texas Economic Progress.

“We are currently negotiating with a couple of carriers that are trying to set up shop at the port. We are just getting into the negotiating phase,” Rodriguez responded. 

“If those negotiations were to be successful, have you any idea what sort of timeline you are looking at?” Carrera asked. 

Rodriguez responded: “I do not know. It is hard to tell. It is a challenge. Being in the container business requires a lot of infrastructure. Currently how we are set up, we are setup for bulk and break bulk. Container operations would require whole new lots, restricted areas, infrastructure, cranes, resources, data.”

Rodriguez continued: “We do have some acreage close to the port, but container operations are very different than the other commodities. They want to go in there and offload the vessel, often within 24 hours. We are not set up for that sort of timeline.”

Rodriguez then answered Carrera’s question. “Twenty four months, maybe. Maybe within the next five years. It requires a lot of infrastructure,” Rodriguez said. 

Carrera wrapped up the discussion by saying a container port “would open a lot of doors for us.”

Rodriguez had earlier said port leaders are looking to incorporate AI into their monitoring process. He said BND wants to do a lot better when it comes to tracking inbound and outbound raw materials and finished products. “We want more control,” he said.

Later, during the panel discussion, Rodriguez spoke about the amount of space the port has for “value added” activity. Rodriguez said the Port of Brownsville has the biggest land mass in North America, with only 23,000 acres developed out of a total of 40,000 acres. He said a new industrial park that is over 90 percent complete will take up 120 acres. 

“We want to get into light manufacturing. We currently handle lot of steel and refined products. But we want to tap into the added value market. What does that added value do? It creates jobs.”

The Rio Grande Guardian International News Service sought an interview with Rodriguez upon completion of the panel discussion. But he said he was not able to give interviews. He also said he could not speak to the Guardian because the port had entered into a non-disclosure agreement with the two carriers interested in developing a container port.

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