Container activity at Port Houston surged in 2019, logging an 11% increase to better the port's previous record. This marks the 18th consecutive year of container growth at the U.S. Gulf Coast's largest container port.
Among the nation’s top 10 container ports, Port Houston was 2019’s fastest-growing, according to data from maritime sector data vendor IHS Markit PIERS.
Port Houston nearly hit the 3 million mark for 20-foot equivalent units (TEU), recording 2,987,291 TEU.
Executive Director Roger Guenther said Port Houston is well-positioned to continue the upward trend in 2020.
“The year 2019 was another record year for volume at Port Houston’s container facilities, and the third consecutive year for double-digit TEU growth,” Guenther said. “Our strategy of relentless focus on customer service and continued investment in terminal capacity allows us to seamlessly handle rapidly growing volumes of international trade and support the local, state and national economies.”
Loaded container exports at Port Houston jumped 17% in 2019, buoyed by a historic expansion in the export of raw polyethylene resin. Continued growth is projected, as the amount of resins being produced by petrochemical plants along the Houston Ship Channel continues to increase.
Loaded imports grew 5% in 2019, driven by a broad spectrum of companies from sectors including retail, alternative energy, food and beverage and industrial materials.