Waterborne tonnage through the Houston Ship Channel reached 65 million short tons in the first quarter of 2026, a 12% increase compared to the same period last year, driven predominantly by export growth.
Exports of nearly 54 million short tons rose 19 percent year-on-year, while imports declined 12 percent over the same period.
Petroleum gases exports grew 33%, refined products 24%and crude oil 19 percent through the first quarter, reinforcing Houston’s position as a leading US energy export hub.
Vessel activity along the channel continued to strengthen, with more than 2,000 vessel arrivals in the first quarter, up 5% year-on-year. Ship calls in April increased 6% compared to April 2025, with March and April recording the highest level of vessel activity along the channel since 2019. P
ort Houston CEO Charlie Jenkins attributed part of the growth to the completion of the Galveston Bay Reach expansion of the Houston Ship Channel, which has improved the capacity to move larger vessels carrying greater cargo volumes.
Total waterborne tonnage in Houston is now up nearly 27% since 2019.
Container performance presented a more mixed picture. April container volume reached 353,319 TEUs, a 9% decline compared to April 2025, as shippers continued adjusting inventory and sourcing strategies amid uncertainty around transportation costs and global market conditions.
Year-to-date container volumes through April remain down just 1 percent from the same period last year, which was a record year.
Loaded imports declined 8% and loaded exports 5% in April, though both remain essentially flat on a year-to-date basis. Port officials indicated that mid-May container data suggests a return of import volumes and expressed confidence in the long-term outlook for containerised trade at Houston.
At Port Houston’s multipurpose facilities, general cargo volumes increased 27% in April and 52% year-to-date, driven by machinery and bagged goods.
Total dry bulk reached 518,136 short tons in April, up 3% for the month and 44 percent year-to-date. Steel volumes declined 30% in April and are down 28 percent year-to-date, though forecasts point to improvement in May.
Total tonnage across Port Houston’s eight public facilities reached 4,659,019 short tons in April, down 5% year-over-year, while year-to-date public facility tonnage remains up 3% at 18,556,499 short tons.
