Port Houston said it experienced the largest container volume in July this year with more than 344,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) handled during the month.
The record container volume represents a 5 percent increase over the same period in 2022. So far this year, the port has seen 2,202,538 TEUs, only 1 percent less than last year’s record volume.
Officials noted the port has three new ship-to-shore cranes at its Bayport Container Terminal, part of an expansion plan to add a wharf at that location.
“These continued investments at Port Houston terminals are part of an overall strategic plan that aims to facilitate smooth flow of goods, create new, good-paying jobs, and drive overall prosperity for our region,” Roger Guenther, Executive Director at Port Houston, said. “The Houston market continues to thrive, and we are well-positioned now and for the future.”
The port recorded loaded import volumes of 166,151 TEUs, an increase of 4 percent over last year, and 117,652 loaded export volumes, an increase of 15 percent. Year-to-date loaded export volumes are up 12 percent compared to last year, port officials said.
However, total tonnage across all Port Houston terminals is down 3 percent through July. Steel is down 5 percent. Auto imports have increased by 56 percent year-to-date compared to 2022.
Houston Port is the nation’s fifth-largest container port and sits along the Houston Ship Channel – the number one waterway in the U.S, officials said.