By JACQI LEYVA-HILL
Special to the NEWS
PORT ISABEL, TX—The local navigation district received a $330,000 BUILD grant for an engineering study related to a proposed mobile boat lift project.
The Port Isabel-San Benito Navigation District Port Director Victor Barrera announced the award at the district’s July 16 regular meeting.
He told commissioners that the grant funding will be used for the mobile boat lift engineering study and placed in a separate account because the funds may be used only for the approved project.
District officials reported that only two Texas ports received grants in the funding round, with the remaining award going to Corpus Christi.
“So that’s a big, big honor that we were selected,” Barrera said. “Not everybody gets selected, and that’s one milestone we’ve accomplished.”
Barrera said an official involved in the grant contacted him personally to offer congratulations. During the meeting, the district displayed an email from Kris Knoll, the port development administrator for the Texas Department of Transportation’s Maritime Division, congratulating the district on receiving the 2026 BUILD grant.
The award is prominently featured in a new district newsletter under the headline “$330,000 BUILD Grant Awarded!”
The publication identifies the initiative as the Mobile Boat Lift Planning Project and notes that the funding will support planning and design for a modern mobile boat lift facility.
According to the newsletter, the proposed facility is intended to enhance vessel maintenance capabilities, improve safety, and support the commercial fishing and maritime industries.
Commissioner Jose L. Morales of San Benito enthusiastically supported the new publication and urged the district to expand its online presence.
Morales recommended sharing photographs and updates on arriving vessels, shrimping operations, maintenance projects, and other port activities across the district’s website and social media platforms, including Facebook, TikTok, and X (formerly known as Twitter).
Commissioners agreed that the new newsletter should be published monthly rather than quarterly. New administrative assistant Hilda Zermeno and other office staff will work on the newsletter and the district’s digital updates.
Barrera credited the office staff with improving the district’s website internally, eliminating the need to hire an outside company for routine updates.
Commissioners encouraged staff to continue promoting the port’s operations, projects and future development.
The Pilot Board of the Port Isabel-San Benito Navigation District is holding its meeting at 5:15 p.m. on July 29, 2026. The district’s next regular meeting is scheduled for July 29 at 5:30 p.m.