Port Houston container volume down by 1% to 319,990 TEUs in January 2023
Port Houston container volume dipped in January. Container TEUs decreased by 1% compared to last January, with 319,990 TEUs for the first month of 2023, down 3,437 TEUs from the same period in 2022, according to the company's release.
Loaded imports were down 6%, but total imports, including empty import containers, were up 5%, buoyed by a surge in empty containers repositioned to Houston to support a strong start in export bookings. Due to increased resin demand in January, Port Houston saw significant growth in loaded exports, rising by 31% compared to last year to 113,875 TEUs for the month.
Port Houston is America’s number one port for resin exports, with 59% of all resins exported from the United States in 2022. New resin packaging facilities continue to come online around the port, adding to Port Houston’s export volumes via its two container terminals, Barbours Cut and Bayport Container Terminals. PACKWELL plans to build a new state-of-the-art resin packaging facility on a site leased from Port Houston located at the Bayport Industrial Complex.
Steel imports at Port Houston are also off to a strong start for the year and are up 17% in January compared to January 2022 at 514,024 tons for the month.
The Houston Ship Channel complex and its more than 200 public and private terminals, collectively known as the Port of Houston, is the U.S. largest port for waterborne tonnage.
