Posted on April 17, 2026
by Heiko Osterchrist
Port of Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi – The Port of Corpus Christi handled a record 54.5 million tons in Q1 2026, surpassing its previous high of 54.0 million tons (Q4 2024) and rising 6.1% (3.2 million tons) year-over-year.
Growth was led by LNG volumes, up 1.5 million tons (33%), driven by commissioning at Cheniere Energy’s Corpus Christi Stage 3 project, including Train 5 completion. Agricultural exports and refined products/bulk liquids each increased by 1.4 million tons, while dry bulk rose nearly 0.5 million tons (21%). These gains were partially offset by a 1.5 million ton (5%) decline in crude oil shipments, which has since rebounded following market shifts tied to the conflict in Iran.
March 2026 set a new monthly record at 19.9 million tons, up 10.4% year-over-year and above February volumes. Gains included crude (+2.1%), refined products (+11.4%), and LNG (+36.8%), with crude exports exceeding 2.4 million barrels per day.
CEO Kent Britton attributed the strong performance to customer responsiveness and more than $1 billion in port infrastructure investments, reinforcing the region’s role in the global energy supply chain.
