Port Houston has announced that its container volumes this July were the highest of any previous July on record.
A total of 344,163 TEU were handled during the month, a 5 per cent increase from July 2022.
Year-to-date (YTD), 2.2 million TEU were handled at Port Houston terminals, only 1 per cent less than last year’s record
volumes.
In July 2023, loaded import volumes at Port Houston were 166,151 TEU, an increase of 4 per cent compared to July 2022. Loaded export volumes were up 15 per cent at 117,652 TEU.
YTD loaded export volumes at Port Houston are up 12 per cent compared to last year. The port attributes this to the strong demand for resins. Overall, Port Houston is seeing a balanced flow of containers, with 51 per cent imports and 49 per cent exports so far this year.
READ: Port Houston handles 1.8 million TEU in Q1/Q2 2023
Recently, Port Houston received three new ship-to-shore (STS) cranes at the Bayport Container Terminal
as part of an expansion plan to add a wharf at that location.
This terminal enhancement will meet future needs and increase overall efficiency and capacity, benefiting both importers and exporters.
The cranes will support service of the 15,000 TEU-sized vessels expected to call upon the 2024 completion of the Bayport Channel portion of the Houston Ship Channel Expansion – Project 11.
READ: Port Houston January container volume drops
Roger Guenther, Executive Director at Port Houston, said: “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. The Houston market continues to thrive and we are well-positioned now and for the future.”
Despite impressive import and export statistics, total tonnage across all Port Houston terminals is down 3 per cent through July at 29.85 short tonnes. In addition, steel is down 5 per cent for July 2023 compared to the same month last year, totalling 451,193 tonnes.
However, auto import units have increased by 56 per cent YTD compared to the same time period in 2022.
