La Quinta Ship Channel

This video was taken from the Port of Corpus Christi's Commissioners meeting March 19, 2024 confirming more than 80 new business prospects slotted for port owned property in San Patricio County representing the Hydrogen chain. ​

The La Quinta Ship Channel branches off of the Corpus Christi Ship Channel and passes directly in front of Ingleside on the Bay up to Portland.
The Port of Corpus Christi wants to deepen channel to 54 feet for Hydrogen "Ammonia" Transport. ​

​Hydrogen: Future of Clean Energy or False Solution?
​I encourage you to read this "article link" by Sierra Club!

La Quinta Expansion Feasibility Study Project Update:

On March 19, 2024 the Port of Corpus Christi Commission approved a feasibility study to deepen the La Quinta Channel from 47' to 54' to accommodate for Ultra Large Gas Carrier for Hydrogen transport by water.  Link to presentation by David Miller & Assoc. Inc. 

Without Channel Improvements (47-foot depth)

• Suitable for Very Large Gas Carrier (VLGC) operating draft
• 51,000 metric tons per call
• 24 VLGC trips in 2029 increasing to 237 VLGC trips in 2038
• Vessel Operating cost in 2029: $71,000,000
• Vessel Operating cost in 2038: $710,000,000

• With Channel Improvements (54-foot depth 
  
• Suitable for Ultra Large Gas Carrier (ULGC) operating draft
  
• 140,000 metric tons per call
  
• 10 ULGC trips in 2029 increasing to 93 ULGC trips in 2038
  
• Vessel Operating cost in 2029: $28,000,000
  
• Vessel Operating cost in 2038: $280,000,000

Prior Permits:

La Quinta Channel - Deepening to 45': USACE Permit #SWG-2006-00515
Currently 37' deep, in 2021 the Port of Corpus Christi Authority (POCCA) sought a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) permit to "maintenance" dredge La Quinta Channel to 45' over the next 10 years. In 2019, the Port held a Scoping Meeting to widen and lengthen the channel, but Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for documents related to plans for La Quinta Channel are being withheld. The La Quinta Channel runs alongside the City of Ingleside on the Bay, from the Brass Turtle to Bahia Marina, before heading up past Kiewit. Maintenance dredging alone can be quite disruptive, but further deepening or extending it will be even worse.

Background Documents:

• Public Notice (Comments due 6/25/21)
• Project Plans (posted on 5/25/21) - these plans from 2/15/06 proposed only 39'-43' depth - NOT 54'! U.S. Army Corps says this was a typo.
• 2019 Public Scoping Presentation (6/14/19) - who in IOB was notified of this?
• ​Plan to conduct a Feasibility Study (4/30/19) - was this done? where are the results? were they shared with IOB?
• Comment Period Ended: Email comments were to be sent to  [email protected], with "SWG-2006-00515" in the subject line

​Overall CORPUS CHRISTI SHIP CHANNEL CHANNEL IMPROVEMENT PROJECT (2019) - presentation by the Port of Corpus Christi
(see www.swg.usace.army.mil/Portals/26/09%20Stakeholder%20Meeting%2008-14-2019%20Final_1.pdf) 

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