Port Isabel lands a $330K federal grant to advance its boat lift and shipyard project

The Port Isabel-San Benito Navigation District has received a $330,000 federal grant to move forward with plans for a new boat lift and shipyard that could expand marine services in the Rio Grande Valley.

The funding will pay for engineering work and a feasibility study to determine how a new facility could be built and operated. If constructed, the project would include a large mobile boat lift capable of lifting vessels weighing up to 300 tons out of the water for repairs and maintenance.

The award is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s latest Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) grant program, which is investing $1.73 billion in 127 transportation projects across the country. Six Texas projects received funding totaling about $105 million.

The Port Isabel-San Benito Navigation District was the only Rio Grande Valley recipient.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the proposed project would create a shipyard that could serve commercial, government and recreational vessels, helping fill a regional need for larger boat repair and maintenance services.

The BUILD program helps communities pay for transportation projects that are difficult to fund through traditional federal programs. Eligible projects include roads, bridges, rail, ports and other transportation infrastructure with local or regional benefits.

The program has existed since 2009, though it has operated under different names over the years, including TIGER and RAISE. It is now once again called BUILD.

If the study confirms the project’s feasibility, the navigation district would seek additional funding to build the proposed boat lift and shipyard.