Port Houston Cargo Volume Report

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Container activity at Port Houston climbed 29 percent in February compared to the same period last year, while blank sailings in the month of March caused by a combination of the Lunar New Year and effects of the COVID-19 pandemic expect to impact volume in March and the months ahead at the nation’s 6^th largest container port.

“In this critical time of need, we remain committed to our nation’s people and supporting its supply chain and economy,” Port Houston Executive Director Roger Guenther said.

In February, 255,474 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) were handled, compared to 198,494 for the same period last year. For the year through February, containers are up 27 percent, with a total of 524,247 TEU recorded during the first two months, compared with 413,446 TEUs for the same period in 2019.

The jump in container units follows a record-setting year in 2019, when Port Houston saw an increase of 11 percent for the entire year. It was the eighteenth consecutive year of container growth at Port Houston.

“2019 was a banner year at Port Houston, and while the first two months of this year were strong, the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic have yet to be realized in March and the weeks ahead,” Guenther said.

“Our container terminals are essential to the supply chain and the local and national economy,” Guenther said. “Nearly 2 million tons of food products, medical supplies, equipment and personal care products are imported each year through Port Houston, in addition to other household and consumer-related goods. Our priority is to serve the 100 million residents, exporters and manufacturers in America’s heartland. We must ensure we not only remain open for business in these challenging times but to also be ready to support the economy and have the necessary infrastructure after we’ve won the war on this terrible outbreak as the nation gets into recovery mode.”

Port Houston thanks the men and women working on all the private and public docks, driving trucks in and out of the port, and our other maritime transportation workers, who all support the port’s daily functions.

About Port Houston

For more than 100 years, Port Houston has owned and operated the public wharves and terminals of the greater Port of Houston – the nation’s largest port for the foreign waterborne tonnage and an essential economic engine for the Houston region, the state of Texas and the U.S. nation. The Port of Houston supports the creation of nearly 1.35 million jobs in Texas and 3.2 million jobs nationwide, and economic activity totaling $339 billion in Texas – 20.6 percent of Texas’ total gross domestic product (GDP) – and total of $801.9 billion in economic impact across the nation. For more information, visit the website at PortHouston.com.