Biggest March ever for Port Houston container volumes

In the first quarter of 2024, Port Houston handled 1,069,917 TEU, an increase of 15% year-to-year. In March alone, container volumes at Port Houston totalled 360,991 TEU, an increase of 20% compared to March 2023. It was Port Houston’s biggest March ever.

Consumer spending on items like furniture and appliances contributed to loaded import volumes that were up 23% this March compared to the same month last year and 14% year-to-date.

Loaded export volumes, which are primarily resins, have also increased by 12% in March and 15% for the year, totalling 404,124 TEU year-to-date.

Steel volumes at Port Houston’s multipurpose facilities decreased by 10% in March compared to the same month last year and are down 20% through the end of the first quarter of this year.

Lumber, however, was up 16% in March and 18% year-to-date.

Total tonnage across all of Port Houston’s terminals is up 4% through March, totalling 13,422,452 tons year-to-date.

“The improvements we continue to make at our facilities, combined with a committed workforce, have allowed us to efficiently handle the double-digit growth in both imports and exports during the first quarter,” said Roger Guenther, Executive Director at Port Houston. “Our customers can count on us to continue to invest in the infrastructure and people we need to move their cargo quickly through our terminals as demand increases.”