Port Houston marked a milestone in June, surpassing 2 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) handled year-to-date.
Container volumes for the month totaled 331,864 TEUs, a 2% dip compared to the same month last year, but volumes remain up 3% year-to-date at 2,169,677 TEUs.
Resin exports continue to drive demand at Port Houston’s container terminals, which hold a 60% market share for resin commodities. In fact, June data shows a 16% year-over-year increase in loaded container exports. Loaded container imports were down 9% for the month.
Port Houston is implementing a reefer import dwell fee at its terminals effective August 1 that applies to loaded refrigerated import containers. “This fee, relevant specifically to reefers that dwell in our yards longer periods of time, is necessary for us to make efficient use of our terminal space and provide optimal service levels to all of our customers,” said Charlie Jenkins, CEO at Port Houston.
As for other volumes, general cargo at Port Houston’s public terminals rose 6% year-to-date, and steel imports are up 3% year-to-date through June, totaling 2,184,349 short tons so far this year. Overall tonnage across the Port’s public facilities reached 27,460,673 short tons through June, up 3% from the prior year.
Later this year Houston’s trade landscape, including the energy sector, container trade, tariff impacts, infrastructure growth, and more will be discussed at the 4th annual Houston International Maritime Conference (HIMC25). At that event, hundreds of maritime leaders, supply chain professionals, and industry stakeholders from around the world will come together for four days of insights and collaboration. This year’s conference features more experts, more networking, and more topics than ever before. “The lineup for HIMC25 truly reflects the scale and diversity of the industries we serve in Houston and along the Houston Ship Channel,” said Jenkins. “It’s a space for thought leadership, collaboration, and discussion of real solutions to the challenges that face us all. I’m personally looking forward to attending and hearing from so many leaders in our trade community.”
