Port of Beaumont
Encyclopedia
The Port of Beaumont is a deep-water port
located in Beaumont
, Texas
near the mouth of the Neches River
.
It is the fourth busiest port in the United States according to the American Association of Port Authorities and the thirty-fourth largest in the world
in terms of tonnage. It is also the busiest military port in the U.S. and the second busiest military port in the world and the headquarters of the United States Army
's 842d Transportation Battalion, which specializes in port logistical activity.
and 270 miles west of New Orleans
. It is about 42 miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico
along the Sabine-Neches Waterway.
The port's origins date to 1908, when crews dug a 9-foot-deep canal in the Neches River
from Beaumont, Texas
to the existing Port Arthur ship channel. The port's channel was later deepened to 25 feet and a turning basin was added. By the 1940s, the channel's depth increased to 40 feet.
Once a division of the city of Beaumont, the 51st Texas Legislature established the port as a navigation district, or separate taxing entity, in 1949.
Port
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
located in Beaumont
Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 118,296 at the 2010 census. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
near the mouth of the Neches River
Neches River
The Neches River flows for through east Texas to its mouth on Sabine Lake near the Rainbow Bridge. Two major reservoirs, Lake Palestine and B. A. Steinhagen Reservoir are located on the Neches. Several cities are located along the Neches River Basin, including Evadale, Tyler, Lufkin, Silsbee,...
.
It is the fourth busiest port in the United States according to the American Association of Port Authorities and the thirty-fourth largest in the world
World's busiest port
The world's busiest port is contested by several ports around the world, as there is as yet no standardised means of evaluating port performance and traffic. For the past decade, the distinction has been claimed by both the Port of Rotterdam and the Port of Singapore...
in terms of tonnage. It is also the busiest military port in the U.S. and the second busiest military port in the world and the headquarters of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
's 842d Transportation Battalion, which specializes in port logistical activity.
Location
The port is located approximately 84 miles east of HoustonHouston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
and 270 miles west of New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
. It is about 42 miles inland from the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
along the Sabine-Neches Waterway.
History
Neches River
The Neches River flows for through east Texas to its mouth on Sabine Lake near the Rainbow Bridge. Two major reservoirs, Lake Palestine and B. A. Steinhagen Reservoir are located on the Neches. Several cities are located along the Neches River Basin, including Evadale, Tyler, Lufkin, Silsbee,...
from Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont, Texas
Beaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 118,296 at the 2010 census. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the...
to the existing Port Arthur ship channel. The port's channel was later deepened to 25 feet and a turning basin was added. By the 1940s, the channel's depth increased to 40 feet.
Once a division of the city of Beaumont, the 51st Texas Legislature established the port as a navigation district, or separate taxing entity, in 1949.