Port Houston has begun early planning work for Project 12, a multiyear effort to further widen and deepen the Houston Ship Channel in coordination with the ports of Galveston and Texas City.
Project 12 follows completion of Port Houston’s portion of Project 11, a $1.2 billion channel improvement program that widened and deepened the Houston Ship Channel from Galveston to the Barbours Cut Container Terminal. Port Houston completed its dredging work in October 2025, while the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers continues work on remaining sections, with completion expected in 2029.
Port Houston has allocated funding to initiate feasibility studies for Project 12 and has begun cost-sharing with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to support early analysis. The authority is serving as lead agency for the planning effort, with the ports of Galveston and Texas City participating as partner ports. It is developing inter-port agreements and contracts to define scope and requirements for the next phase of study.
Project 12 will build on the widening and deepening approach used in Project 11 and is expected to cover a broader geographic area. Port Houston officials indicated that long-term planning and environmental review could extend over the next decade before construction decisions occur.