Port Houston’s container activity in September surpassed the record level of TEUs for the same month last year, despitethe negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has slowed global commerce this year, the company said in its release.
This is the first turn toward growth since the effects of the pandemic in March. Port Houston handled 254,405 TEUs in September, 1% more than September of 2019 when a total of 251,524 TEUs were handled. For all of 2020, container activity already eclipsed the 2 million TEU mark, hitting 2,165,581 TEUs. That was just 3% less than the 2,232,036 TEUs for the same period last year.
The strong showing last monthwas achieved despite closure of the Houston Ship Channel for about three days due to Tropical Storm Beta, though Port Houston’s terminal operations remained open to continue serving customers.
Total tonnage at Port Houston in the month of September showed a turnaround, rising by 1%, with imports and exports of autos increasing, along with grain and bulk again showing increases. Steel and breakbulk cargo was down in September.
About Port Houston
Port Houston is the 6th largest container port in the United States and is the dominant container port on the U.S Gulf Coast. For more than 100 years, Port Houston has owned and operated the public wharves and terminals of the greater Port of Houston –the nation’s largest port for the foreign waterborne tonnage and an essential economic engine for the Houston region, the state of Texas and the U.S. nation. The Port of Houston supports the creation of nearly 1.35 million jobs in Texas and 3.2 million jobs nationwide, and economic activity totaling $339 billion in Texas –20.6 percent of Texas’ total gross domestic product (GDP)–and total of $801.9 billion in economic impact across the nation.