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Port of Brownsville is the first American port with EU ship recycling accreditation
The Port of Brownsville, in Texas, is the only deepwater seaport directly on the U.S.–Mexico border. As of this spring, it is the only American port with a tenant accredited to dismantle and recycle European-flagged ships. International Shipbreaking Ltd. LLC, a tenant at the Port of Brownsville and part of the world-leading recycler EMR Metal Recycling, recently achieved the only U.S.–based European Union Ship Recycling Regulation (EU SRR) accreditation after investing $30 million in compliant infrastructure. “We have just received and safely moored our first EU ship recycling project, the MT Wolverine,” said Chris Green, senior manager at International Shipbreaking Ltd. “There is a big future in this industry and over the past year we have seen three times the number of inquiries from EU ship owners. This indicates the shipping industry is taking more responsibility for how their ships are recycled, rather than using the South Asian shipbreaking beaches.”
Brownsville is already one of the largest ship recycling centres in operation for U.S.-flagged ships and military vessels, but the EU-based recognition creates a broad range of new opportunities for international ship owners, as well as major manufacturing companies that depend on large volumes of high-quality recycled steel and other metals. Notably, Brownsville is also the largest shipper of steel into Mexico and the closest port to Mexico’s industrial complex in Monterrey, a global manufacturing base for automobiles, appliances and consumer goods.
With approximately 40,000 acres of land available for development and 17 miles of waterfront access, the port offers the recycled metal a direct route to non-congested international bridge crossings and rail connections.
“Shipbuilding and ship recycling are found nowhere else in Texas. It’s in our DNA. The new accreditation not only opens doors for new activity at the port but also positively impacts the There is a big future in this industry and, over the past year we have seen three times the number of inquiries from EU ship owners. This indicates the shipping industry is taking more responsibility for how their ships are recycled, rather than using the South Asian shipbreaking beaches.
whole local economy, which thrives from these good paying jobs,” said Port Director and CEO Eduardo A. Campirano.
The accreditation underlines the Port of Brownsville’s focus in transforming the Rio Grande Valley with positive investments and new employment opportunities. The more than 140 team members directly employed by International Shipbreaking take rigorous training to keep safety in mind when managing firstrate equipment. Direct jobs supported by the industry include two other large scrap metal recycling operations at the port, All Star Metals and SteelCoast, and numerous other companies in the U.S., Mexico and around the globe where recycled copper, brass, steel, armored plate and other scrapped metals are sold.
The USS Nassau, an amphibious assault ship from the U.S. Navy, arrived at the Port of Brownsville, Texas, on April 30, 2021, where ship recycler SteelCoast will carry out its dismantling and recovery over 12 months.
DISMANTLING THE USS NASSAU
Port of Brownsville ship recycling operations are a legacy industry that captures more than 85 percent of the U.S. Navy and MARAD (U.S. Maritime Administration) ship recycling business, and has continued to see steady growth since the end of 2020. The USS Nassau, a Tarawa-class amphibious assault ship that was decommissioned in 2011, arrived at the port on April 30. Port of Brownsville tenant SteelCoast received the contract from MARAD and is expected to take a year to properly dismantle and recycle the ship.
In the last six months SteelCoast processed and shipped out more than 25,000 tons of steel and other metals, and in 2020 processed and shipped out more than 44,000 tons to steel mills. The company projects production will increase to more than 70,000 tons in 2021 and expects to triple its workforce.
“The SteelCoast team recognized that 2020 was going to provide challenges in every aspect of our industry,” said Mark Hodgson, president of the company. “The decision was immediately made to turn adversity into opportunity and focus on the details of the business and the employees that support it.”
In 2020, SteelCoast also garnered an Excellence in Safety Award from the American Equity Underwriters, marking its leadership not only in recycling operations but in safety as well. “Safety is the first of our core values and is preached at every level of our operation,” said Hodgson. “The team’s dedication to this principal is what makes SteelCoast a safe and great place to work. I couldn’t be more proud of the team and their commitment to safety at all levels.”
