Major port improvement alternatives for the Texas coast

The lack of port facilities capable of handling VLCCs and ULCCs, coupled with a rapidly growing volume of imports and exports of bulk commodities and projected growth in oil importation and refining levels, make it imperative that port facilities be further improved along the Texas coast. Topics discussed include the future utilization of Texas ports; trends in tanker and cargo ship design; ship maneuverability in restricted waterways; channel geometry, including width, depth, turning basins and bends; and improved channel designs for the ports of Port Arthur, Galveston, Freeport, and Corpus Christi. Ship channel design criteria are discussed in terms of minimum width and depth requirements for vessels of various sizes.