As the recovery from the 1919 hurricane began, efforts to establish a deep water port in Corpus Christi against the very high land that protected the city from full devastation started in earnest.

The federal government allocated $5.1 million for the work, which paid for: A statewide celebration was held in 1926 to officially open the Port of Corpus Christi for business.

Ten years after the Port of Corpus Christi officially opened for operations, oil overtook cotton as the primary commodity moving through the gateway.

As part of that 2007 authorization, Congress also set the new proposed depth of the Corpus Christi Ship Channel to 54 feet Mean Lower Low Water (MLLW).

The Port of Corpus Christi and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers entered into a Project Partnership Agreement on September 9, 2017 for construction of the main channel (widening and deepening), as well as new barge lanes.

That shipment was aboard the Theo T tanker, which carried crude oil overseas from NuStar Energy LP’s dockside facility in the Port of Corpus Christi.

[13] The Port of Corpus Christi has voluntarily purchased electricity from 100% renewable sources since 2017 and has also been an Environmental Protection Agency Green Power Partner since 2021.

[14] Since 2006, the Port of Corpus Christi has recycled a variety of materials, including: 1,266,122 pounds of paper, cardboard, and metal; 65,319 gallons of used oil and anti-freeze; and 18,188 electronic components and light bulbs.

[15] The Port of Corpus Christi has been a strong supporter during the conversion of the Coastal Bend Air Quality Partnership (CBAQP) by contributing $270,000 over the next three years ($90,000 annually)[16] in addition to other in-kind services like legal and office space.

The Port of Corpus Christi is initiating a pilot program at its Avery Point Dock complex through a $1 million grant received in 2021 from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to identify emission control strategies for vessels at berth.