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Big River Steel has signed an option agreement with the Port of Brownsville covering 800 acres of property. The Arkansas-based steel producer is weighing the development of a $1.6-million manufacturing, storage and distribution facility at the port.

 “This is good news for Brownsville and the result of hard work by many individuals and organizations over a long period of time. Our rail partner OmniTRAX played an important role in introducing this opportunity to the port,” said John Wood, Chairman of the Brownsville Navigation District Board of Commissioners, the port’s governing body. “We are excited about this step forward and remain confident the venture will be beneficial for all parties, for Brownsville and the Rio Grande Valley.”

Big River Steel officials did not comment on the deal. The company has only recently completed its first full year of production at its Osceola, Ark.-based flex mill, though officials have spoken previously about possible growth strategies.

The Port of Brownsville is the only deepwater seaport directly on the U.S.-Mexico border, and the largest land-owning public port authority in the nation with 40,000 acres of land. It transships more steel into Mexico than any other U.S. port.