Port Houston crossed the three million TEU mark in September, reaching 3,270,595 TEUs year-to-date, the fastest pace in Port Houston’s history.
Total container volumes are up 5% year-to-date ompared to last year.
Charlie Jenkins, CEO of Port Houston, said that this is the earliest they’ve ever reached that mark.
For the month of September, Port Houston handled 337,659 TEUs, a 2% increase from the same month in 2024.
Loaded exports continued rising, up 13% for the month and 7% year-to-date, driven by Houston’s strong resin and manufactured goods. Loaded import volumes softened slightly for the month, though they remain up 3% year-to-date.
While Port Houston anticipates a more measured pace at its container terminals through the fourth quarter, overall performance remains consistent and positioned for a solid year-end finish.
Steel imports declined 56% in September but are nearly flat year-to-date. General cargo is up 1% year-to-date, and total tonnage across Port Houston’s public terminals reached 41,593,972 short tons through September, up 5% compared to the same time last year.
In September, Port Houston representatives participated in the PromPerú Ports & Trade Seminar to highlight how Houston’s infrastructure supports Peruvian imports, particularly the growing demand for fresh fruit and perishables.
In fact, reefer imports increased 19% year-to-date through August, much of it driven by trade with Latin America.
Although refrigerated cargo is a growing segment, Houston’s largest cargo segment remains anchored in energy-related exports driven by the region’s petrochemical sector.
