Port Houston container cargo jumped in March

Container activity at Port Houston jumped 20% in March as cargo volumes that had dipped the previous month due to a deadly ice storm came roaring back.

Port Houston handled 297,397 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in March of 2021 compared to March of last year, when 248,840 TEUs were handled. That brought container activity for the year to 751,199 TEUs, down only 3% compared to the 773,087 TEUs for the same period in 2020.

The March figures are the highest monthly totals ever, surpassing the record set in October of 2020 by 1,187 TEUs.

The demand for containerized goods remains strong, Executive Director Roger Guenther said. Cargo activity at Port Houston has picked up even more as strong consumer demand in Texas and surrounding states drives strong import volumes, he noted.

“We are seeing significant increases in cargo,” Guenther said. “As container demand surges across our docks, our terminals remain efficient and free of congestion to provide the best service levels to our customers.” 

In addition to containerized cargo, steel saw a turnaround in March, increasing by 13%. That put steel moving across Port Houston’s docks up by 2% for the year so far. Bulk cargo also showed strength.

Port Houston is the sixth largest container port in the United States and is among the fastest growing.  Port Houston is the dominant container port on the U.S. Gulf Coast, handling more than two-thirds of all the containers in the gulf.