Port Houston Handles Nearly 3.5M TEUs through November

Barbours Cut Container Terminal. Photo courtesy of Port Houston.

Through November 2023 Port Houston handled nearly 3.5 million TEUs, a 5% decrease compared to the previous year's record volumes. For the month of November, loaded export TEUs at Port Houston were down 2% compared to last November but have remained strong in 2023, up 9% for the year as compared to last year, with a total of 1,268,034 TEUs year-to-date. Demand for Houston’s exports are largely driven by the resins and petrochemical commodities produced in our region. Loaded imports have softened, and at 137,631 TEUs this month were down 16% in November and 8% year to date. 

Port Houston’s Bayport Container Terminal welcomed one of its largest vessels to-date, the CMA CGM Lisa Marie, with a capacity of nearly 11,000 TEUs. Port Houston worked the ship with five STS cranes, completing 4,974 moves in less than two days.

“At Port Houston, we are always preparing for upcoming growth and this recent vessel call perfectly represents what the future holds for our facility,” said Roger Guenther, executive director at Port Houston. “As we continue to expand the Houston Ship Channel, we will be able to accommodate larger vessels in the very near future. We are also adding wharf and yard capacity at our container terminals, so we are well-equipped to continue to help drive the growth of our entire region.”

According to Site Selection Magazine, Texas has the best climate for business in the U.S. and has received the Governor's Cup for 11 consecutive years as a top state for job creation and capital investments. The Houston Ship Channel, of which Port Houston is the local advocate, is a significant economic asset. It supports 1.54 million jobs throughout the state of Texas; 3.37 million jobs nationwide; more than $439 billion in statewide economic value; and $906 billion in nationwide economic value.

Elsewhere at Port Houston’s facilities, general cargo is down 20% this year, related to decreases in coal, grain, and plywood. Steel volumes are down 13% year-to-date through November. Auto import units remain strong, however, with an increase of 67% year-to-date compared to the same period in 2022. Total tonnage through Port Houston terminals is down 9% through November at 46,196,305 short tons.