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Zanzibar appears to be eyeing the container transhipment game with plans to develop an integrated ...
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DP World looks set to finally break into the US market after entering into an “exclusive negotiation agreement” for a long-term lease to develop and operate a container terminal at the Gulf coast port of Corpus Christi.
The Texan port is currently a major export gateway for US LNG and crude oil shipments but currently has no container handling capabilities, and under the development being discussed by DP World and the port authority, the Dubai-headquartered operator “would design, build, and operate a new container terminal, expanding capacity and strengthening supply chain connectivity across the Gulf coast”.
Currently, the vast majority of container volumes in the western part of the Gulf are handled at the three terminals at Houston, which hosts some 30 container services and last year saw a throughput of just over 3.6m teu.
Houston’s total capacity is currently 4.3m teu, indicating a 2025 utilisation rate of 85% and suggesting the region is in need of more terminal capacity.
“The US Gulf coast is one of the nation’s most important trade and economic corridors, and demand for efficient, resilient port infrastructure continues to grow,” Brian Enright, chief executive of DP World in the Americas, said.
“The Port of Corpus Christi presents a significant opportunity to expand container capacity, strengthen supply chain connectivity, and create new pathways for American businesses to access global markets.
“We look forward to working closely with the port authority, local labour, and other stakeholders to deliver a world-class terminal that supports job creation, attracts new trade flows, and generates long-term economic value for South Texas and the broader US economy,” he added.
The negotiations began following the port’s completion of the capital dredge of its access channel allowing the access of larger ships to the port.
“Completion of the landmark Corpus Christi Ship Channel Improvement Project in June 2025 – thanks largely to investments by the federal government – has unlocked the potential for existing port customers to meet evolving demands of the global marketplace while spurring additional cargo diversification,” Kent Britton, chief executive of the Port of Corpus Christi, said.
“Entering into exclusive negotiations with DP World is another important step in our long-term strategy to expand the port’s capabilities, deliver greater value to our customers, and ignite investment in the Coastal Bend,” he added.
While the negotiations will “focus on terminal design, capacity planning, and investment structure”, if the partners press ahead with the project, it would “mark DP World’s first container terminal development in the country after it was notoriously barred in 2006 from taking control of six US terminals as part of its acquisition of P&O Ports.
“DP World’s global expertise in terminal operations and integrated logistics makes them a strong partner as we explore the development of container services at the port,” Mr Britton added.
The most likely possible site in Corpus Christi is the La Quinta Terminal Gateway, which reportedly has 1,300 acres set aside for future port development projects.
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