Port Houston Ranked No. 5 U.S. Container Port

One of the fastest growing ports in the United States

Port Houston jumped from No. 7 to No. 5 in the ranking of top U.S. container ports in terms of TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) handled in 2022, Port Houston Chairman Ric Campo announced at the Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority regular meeting held on May 2.

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Port Houston's Bayport Container Terminal activity at night. (Photo: Business Wire)

“Our import and export volume reached record numbers in 2022 and is considered one of the fastest growing ports in the U.S. in loaded imports and loaded exports, and Houston now owns a 7% market share of the total U.S. container business,” Campo said.

According to the Journal of Commerce, Port Houston ranked No. 5 in loaded imports and No. 3 in loaded export containers for 2022. Growth continued across all trade lanes for Port Houston. Transpacific was the top trade lane for loaded imports and grew 25.7% in 2022. Transatlantic was the top trade lane for loaded exports, increasing by 20.5% in 2022.

In response to the news, Chairman Campo reemphasized leadership’s commitment to continued investments, stating, “As cargo continues to flow according to the path of least resistance, we must continue investing in our growth to remain competitive.”

Adding further to the Chairman’s remarks, in his monthly report to the commission, Executive Director Roger Guenther provided an update on the current level of activity across Port Houston’s public terminals. “Our activity remains solid, and I am proud and thankful for our team here at Port Houston that continues to deliver the quantity and quality of output that makes us successful each and every day,” he said.

“The results of cargo activities have continued to remain solid through Port Houston facilities during the first quarter this year,” Guenther reported. “Overall tonnage is up 4% through March compared to last year collectively for all of our terminals.”

Container activity showed an increase of 3% year-to-date, and steel remained relatively flat for the year, down only 2%, Guenther said.

In its continuous commitment to investing in the future, the Port Commission acted on items on the May 2 agenda for various operations, infrastructure, and other contracts totaling more than $30 million.

Information regarding tariff changes related to charges for demurrage and dwell when container terminals are not open can be found here: https://porthouston.com/toolbox/rates/tariffs/.

During this historic meeting, Port Commissioner Dean Corgey reflected on a recent trip to Brazil with a delegation from Port Houston and City of Houston officials, including Mayor Sylvester Turner, and said of the importance of the Houston Ship Channel and Port Houston’s stewardship of it, “We export more than cargo, we export goodwill, American values, and hope.”

The Port Commission will meet on Tuesday, May 23, for its next regular monthly meeting.

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 private and eight public 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.

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