BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE

Max Midstream CEO Todd Edwards tells Tank Storage Magazine about plans to turn the Port of Calhoun into a rival for Houston and Corpus Christi, and the sustainable focus The Texan ports of Corpus Christi and Houston are hugely important for the export of many US products, but they are increasingly congested. Both are in built-up areas, so expanding to deal with the shipping traffic is difficult at best and impossible in most cases. In 2015, the US Army Corps of Engineers and the Calhoun Port Authority realised that the port at Point Comfort needed to be expanded. In 2020, the plans were authorised by Congress and signed into law. By deepening the Matagorda Ship Channel at Point Comfort, more products can be imported and exported, including concrete, fertiliser, chemicals, bauxite (the world’s main source of aluminum) and oil and gas, among other products. This will in turn lead to economic growth throughout the region and more jobs for local Texans. The only problem was how to pay for such an expansion. That’s where Max Midstream entered the scene. The Houston-based energy company agreed to pay for the construction of the widening and deepening of the channel and thus speed...