Posted on March 29, 2023
February volumes at Port Houston remained solid compared to last year, though an expected softening of demand is beginning to be seen in Houston. A total of 313,452 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), or a 15% increase compared to the same month last year were handled during the month. Year-to-date volumes are up 6% to 633,442 TEUs.
Though Port Houston experienced growththroughout the first two months of 2023, recently its terminals are beginning to see some softening in import demand consistent with the national trend. Sources indicate that high inventory levels and a general decrease in consumer demand are the main factorsin this decline, and a general downward trend will likely continue over the next several months which was anticipated and included in the 2023 forecast budget. Export volumes in Houston remain strong, up 42% this month, driven by the strength of plastic resins and other petrochemical commodities produced in our region and delivered globally through Port Houston.
“Whether a time of volume surge or decline, at Port Houston we continue to focus on providing excellent customer service, fluidity, and reliability to the growing number of shippers that choose Port Houston. Since the beginning of this year, vessel queues have disappeared and turn times are quick and fluid for our trucking community,” said Roger Guenther, Executive Director at Port Houston. “We also continue to press forward with accelerated investments, both landside and waterside, as we prepare for future growth.”
At Port Houston’s breakbulk facilities, general cargo declined 25% year-to-date, and steel imports declined by 8% year-to-date. Total tonnage through Port Houston is up 7% year to date.
About Port Houston
For more than 100 years, Port Houston has owned and operated the public wharves and terminals along the Houston Ship Channel, including the area’s largest breakbulk facility and two of the most efficient container terminals in the country. Port Houston is the advocate and a strategic leader for the Channel. The Houston Ship Channel complex and its more than 200 public and private terminals, collectively known as the Port of Houston, is the nation’s largest port for waterborne tonnage and an essential economic engine for the Houston region, the state of Texas, and the U.S. 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 $801.9 billion in economic impact across the nation. For more information, visit the website at PortHouston.com.
