Port Houston News

Tonnage Slips at Port Houston Amid Pandemic

Monthly cargo volumes at Port Houston declined in April as the coronavirus outbreak continued to impact commerce in the U.S. and across the world.Port Houston, the 6th largest container port in the U.S., handled a total of 221,540 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in April, down 12% from the 252,693 TEUs in April 2019. For the full year, however, Port Houston handled 994,627 TEUs through April, which is 5% more than the first four months of 2019.Total tonnage at Port Houston’s public facilities was down 10% in the month of April at 3,766,756 short tons, a decrease of 3% year-to-date.

Houston Box Terminals Shut After Worker Tests Positive for COVID-19

Operations are have been suspended at Houston's Bayport and Barbours Cut container terminals after a worker tested positive for COVID-19.Both public terminals are closed and operations are temporarily suspended while a thorough investigation is being conducted, the Houston Port Authority said in a statement."The health and safety of Port Houston’s employees, users, customers and community remains its first priority. Port Houston is in communication with public authorities and health agencies while an investigation is underway…

Port Houston Tops Container Record

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…

PHA Awards Bayport Container Terminal Cranes Contract

The Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority has approved a proposal that PHA acquires three new neo-Panamax electric cranes for Bayport Container Terminal in a $35 million contractThe cranes will be deployed at Wharf No. 5 of the container terminal and will handle the loading/unloading of large vessels. The three cranes will bring the total number of ship-to-shore cranes at the Port Houston to 29. It is expected that the three new cranes will be commissioned by mid-2021 and at 158 feet will be the tallest in the port.

Port Houston Box Volume Up 12%

Container volume at Port Houston surged in the first half of 2019, rising 12 percent compared to that period last year. According to the Executive Director Roger Guenther the port facilities have handled nearly 1.5 Million TEU through the first half of 2019.The Houston ship channel also said in a press release that , the Port Commission awarded a contract not to exceed $39.7 million to Archer Western Construction, the top-ranked proposer among four finalists. A total of 53 companies…

CONTAINER PORTS: Boxed in or Busting Out?

Benchmarking the Nation’s top container ports in 2018 and looking ahead to what comes next.The nation’s major ports finished 2018 and began 2019 setting monthly and yearly container volume records, but agitated trade activity in the White House raised questions about what corrections would be permanent and which would not.President Donald Trump said on Febuary 24 he is delaying the scheduled March 1 increase in the tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese imports. The president said on Twitter he wants to give negotiators more time to reach a comprehensive trade deal with Beijing.

Port Houston Reports Record Container Volume

The international port of Texas, Port Houston, had a record-breaking 2018 as container volume through the port grew by double-digits.The port handled handled 2.7 million 20-foot equivalent units, or TEUs, a common industry measurement for containers, last year. That's up 10 percent from 2.46 million TEUs in 2017.Port Houston Executive Director Roger Guenther announced several records were broken in 2018, including that total tonnage at Port Houston facilities set a record of 35.7 million tons…

McCarthy to Build Container Yard at Port Houston

US-based construction company McCarthy Building Companies began construction in Oct. on a new container yard within Port Houston, located in Pasadena, Texas.According to a press release from the 150 years old company, the project with Port Houston, will be a 45-acre expansion on the existing Bayport Container Terminal in continued efforts to grow and modernize the port.The development will aid in the port’s ability to serve the continued growth of Houston’s container exports of finished petrochemical…

Konecranes Hybrid RTGs for Port Houston

Konecranes has won an order from long-term customer Port Houston, USA, for eight Konecranes RTGs equipped with hybrid power packs. These will be the first Konecranes hybrid RTGs to be delivered. The cranes will be delivered in Q1 2020 to the Barbours Cut Terminal. The order will be booked in Q4 2018. Port Houston, the international port of Texas, has been a Konecranes customer for over 15 years. The port currently operates 90 Konecranes diesel-electric RTGs.The new RTGs will be hybrid, for eco-efficient operation without compromising crane performance.

New Cranes Arrive at Port Houston’s Bayport Terminal

The arrival of three new 270 foot-tall Super Post-Panamax cranes to Port Houston’s Bayport Container Terminal on Tuesday highlights $100 million in terminal investments.The three neo-panamax ship-to-shore (STS) cranes were the first of two crane shipments Port Houston received this week. Five rubber-tired-gantry (RTG) cranes were delivered Wednesday.“The level of activity with the shipments of cranes this week is unprecedented,” said Executive Director Roger Guenther. “To see…

Port Houston Taps Moseley as CCO

Port Houston’s senior director of trade development John Moseley has been appointed to succeed retiring chief commercial officer Ricky Kunz.Moseley, the port’s senior director of trade development since 2010, will take the lead in developing and executing Port Houston’s commercial strategy. He is responsible for Port Houston’s real estate, trade development, economic development, marketing/external communications and media relations departments and the administration of Harris…

Port Houston Reports Strong Q1 2018

Year-to-date total tonnage for Port Houston through March is at 9.7 million, reflecting a 2 percent increase compared to the same period last year. Results showed that bulk material and steel were the primary drivers for the growth. “We continue to see positive activity for all sectors of business through Port Houston facilities,” Port Houston Executive Director Roger Guenther said Monday to the Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority during the April meeting. Cargo showed year-to-date increases across all major lines.

The Cruise Industry Business Model Evolves

Shifting populations, desirable destinations and yes – economics – drive the cruise industry of tomorrow. Unlike the cargo side of shipping, the cruise business has seen a steadily upward trajectory, with steady growth over decades. The 2018 annual “State of the Cruise Industry” report from Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) was projecting a count of 27.2 million passengers for 2018, showing a steady rise from the 19.1 million, the figure for the beginning of the decade, and a substantial increase from 25.8 million in 2017.

Port Houston Box Volumes Continue to Rise

“Port Houston handled close to 10 million tons of total tonnage, reflecting an increase of eleven percent over 2016,” Port Houston Executive Director Roger Guenther announced during the April meeting of the Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority. During the first quarter of this year, Port Houston facilities handled 607,000 TEUs. Guenther said the majority of this increase is largely due to an increase in container volumes, which showed an increase of 18 percent.

Seafarers' Center Honors Houston Port Executive Director

The "Bronze Anchor Award" recognizes an individual, company or organization that has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to promoting the HISC mission and vision, and served as a leader and advocate for the welfare of seafarers. Guenther will be officially honored as a "Bronze Anchor Award" recipient at the HISC Maritime Gala to be held May 6, 2017. The gala will be held earlier in the year than normal and will coincide with the Seafarers' Center's upcoming move to a new location at the Port of Houston.

Horizon Lines Supports Jones Act

Horizon Lines, Inc. issued the following statement from interim President and Chief Executive Officer Stephen H. Horizon Lines is, and always has been, a very staunch supporter of the Jones Act and all of its requirements. The Jones Act stipulates that cargo shipped between two U.S. ports must be transported on vessels that are American-made, American-flagged, at least 75% American-owned and predominantly American crewed. We fully support these requirements and steadfastly believe they are vital to American economic, merchant marine, military, national and homeland security interests.