Port Houston welcomed U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright to the Houston Ship Channel, the nation’s busiest waterway and the center of U.S. energy activity.
Secretary Wright met with energy leaders for a roundtable discussion focused on supporting exports dominance for the nation before touring Port Houston’s Bayport Container Terminal.
Domestic energy expansion, energy infrastructure, and permitting reform were among several key priorities the energy leaders discussed.
The Houston Ship Channel region is a vital economic artery to the U.S. economy. According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the 52-mile federal channel is the busiest waterway in the U.S, creating and supporting 3.4 million American jobs. It is considered the nation’s energy capital, producing and refining energy products and home to the 5th largest and fastest-growing major container terminal in the U.S., and the largest along the Gulf Coast.
Following the roundtable discussion and tour, Secretary Wright said, “The Port of Houston is central to the Trump Administration’s pro-energy, pro-American growth agenda. Thanks, in large part, to the men and woman who support this fast-growing port, we are building big things in America again.”
U.S. Congressman Brian Babin, a longtime supporter of Port Houston and the Houston Ship Channel region, was also present to welcome Secretary Wright to the terminal, which is located in his District (TX-36). Representative Babin said, “Southeast Texas sits at the center of America’s energy economy, and Port Houston is one of the most important gateways for moving American energy to the world. I was honored to join Secretary Wright and regional leaders today to discuss how we can expand domestic energy production, strengthen critical infrastructure, streamline permitting, and grow our export capacity. If we want true American energy dominance, we must continue investing in the ports, pipelines, and energy producers that make it possible. The hardworking men and women of Southeast Texas are helping power our nation, strengthen our economy, and enhance our energy security for generations to come.”
Underscoring the Houston Ship Channel region’s vital importance to the nation, Port Houston Chief Executive Officer Charlie Jenkins noted, “With over 500 million barrels of oil and liquid bulk storage, the Houston Ship Channel region is critical to our current and future national security, supporting nearly $1 trillion in annual economic benefit for the nation. This channel will continue to play a leading role in the future of American energy and maritime dominance.”
During the roundtable discussion, participants discussed how critical the Houston Ship Channel is to achieving energy dominance across the globe, citing how the integrated energy supply chain relies upon a deep, fully maintained, and safe channel. The Houston Ship Channel region is the largest U.S. export port for petroleum gases and refined products, like fuels, and second largest for crude oil exports.
Greater Houston Partnership President and CEO Steve Kean was among notable stakeholders, partners, and industry leaders engaged in the roundtable discussion and tour. “Secretary Wright and Rep. Babin understand in detail the critical role of the Greater Houston region and the Port of Houston in the U.S. and global economy,” Kean said. “Our companies and our infrastructure are essential to growth and national security.”
Port Houston is the local sponsor of the Houston Ship Channel and a leading advocate for promoting the continued growth of this essential economic engine for the Houston region, the state of Texas, and the U.S. More than 200 private facilities and eight public terminals line the waterway.
