The news that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has placed a US$93-million order with Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Company for the deepening and widening of its ship channel at the Port of Corpus Christi (PortCC) broke last week in what was still a sluggish news environment. But it is significant news: this is the first step the federal U.S. government has made to support efforts to boost crude oil exports and it is also the first step in a competition dance between the Port of Corpus Christi and commodity major Trafigura.