Port of Corpus Christi customers close 2026 with record first quarter

Port of Corpus Christi customers moved 54.5 million tons of commodities through the Corpus Christi Ship Channel in the first quarter of 2026, marking the strongest first‑quarter performance in the Port’s history, surpassing the prior high-water mark of 54.0 million tons in Q4 2024. The current quarter results exceeded Q1 2025 by 3.2 million tons, or 6.1%.

The growth in first‑quarter volumes compared to the prior year were primarily supported by continued growth in liquefied natural gas (LNG), driven by ongoing commissioning activities at Cheniere Corpus Christi Stage 3, including Train 5 reaching substantial completion in March. LNG shipments were up 1.5 million tons in total, a growth of 33% over the prior year first quarter. In addition, agricultural exports increased by 1.4 million tons, and refined products and other bulk liquids increased 1.4 million tons or 12.5%. Dry bulk volumes also increased by almost 0.5 million tons, an increase of 21%, driven by higher imports of iron ore, barite and cement. Those gains were partially offset by a quarterly decline in crude oil shipments of 1.5 million tons, or a decline of 5% from the same period in the prior year. That decline in crude oil shipments was more pronounced prior to the conflict in Iran due to a higher level of domestic refinery usage and high export freight rates but has since rebounded significantly.

March 2026 also marked a record month for the Port as customers moved 19.9 million tons, a 10.4% increase over March 2025 (18 million tons). Volumes also increased month-over-month, rising from 16.6 million tons in February 2026, with year‑over‑year growth supported by higher volumes across key commodity groups, including a 2.1% increase in crude oil shipments, an 11.4% increase in refined products and a 36.8% increase in LNG. Crude oil exports exceeded 2.4 million barrels per day in March 2026, one of the highest monthly levels seen in this market.

“The dramatically higher shipment levels seen since the start of the conflict in Iran are a testament to our customers’ ability to maximize their operations and quickly respond to changing market conditions,” said Port of Corpus Christi CEO Kent Britton. “It’s also a reflection of the significant investment made by the Port over the past decade, in excess of $1 billion, to improve and modernize our facilities to promote the safe and efficient movement of cargoes through the waterway and is further evidence of this region’s importance in the global energy supply chain.”