American Society of Civil Engineers Honors Project 11 Team at Port Commission Meeting

Photo courtesy of Port Houston.

The Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority celebrated and recognized the many partners and team members who contributed to the successful delivery of Segments 1 and 2 of Project 11, the Houston Ship Channel expansion, at their monthly meeting on March 23. The the project’s unprecedented process, speed, and collaboration was highlighted. With the dredging of Port‑led segments now complete, approximately 76% of the project’s total length has been finished.

Key elements of the effort included:

• A partnership of Port Houston and industry stakeholders willing to commit to pay for the project to accelerate delivery;
• In partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Port Houston’s leadership in designing, contracting, and managing construction for Segments 1 and 2, which resulted in savings, efficiency and rapid delivery; and
• Changes to state procurement laws that reduced bureaucracy, improved efficiency, and enabled negotiation with contractors to bring cleaner dredges.

As a result of the completed work, Port Houston has eliminated longstanding nighttime vessel movement restrictions that had been in place for more than a century, allowing large vessels to safely transit the channel without waiting for daylight. Port Houston expressed appreciation to the Houston Pilots for their continued leadership in ensuring safe and efficient navigation.

At the meeting, the American Society of Civil Engineers presented the 2025 Texas Outstanding Civil Engineering Achievement Award to the Project 11: Houston Ship Channel Expansion, Segments 1-2 team. The award recognizes the project’s engineering excellence and the effectiveness of the local federal partnership that enabled rapid delivery.

Reflecting on this achievement, Port Commission Chairman Ric Campo said, “The work you all did and continue to do to keep our channel safe and efficient is important, and I’m thrilled that your work is being honored with this award. You continue to make us proud.”