BROWNSVILLE, Texas — As supply chain issues ensnare the transportation of goods and resources at a global level, Gov. Greg Abbott says the Port of Brownsville is a key component of the state’s energy industry.

During a discussion in Brownsville on Wednesday, the governor called the port a critical part of the state’s economic infrastructure and added that the port has the ability to become the “center of American energy independence” through liquified natural gas facilities.

"The Port of Brownsville is rapidly growing the economy of the Rio Grande Valley and bringing new opportunities to South Texans,” said Gov. Abbott in a statement.

Numbers from the federal Energy Information Administration show Texas is the top crude oil and natural gas producing state in the nation.

“I look forward to continuing our state’s partnership with members of the port sector to unleash the full potential of all that the Port of Brownsville has to offer," said Gov. Abbott.

The Port of Brownsville has been operational for roughly 86 years. According to its website, it opened in 1936 with a connection to the Gulf of Mexico through a 17-mile-long ship channel. The space takes up 40,000 acres, making the Port of Brownsville the largest land-owning public port authority in the nation.