Jun 28, 2018   SOURCE: BusinessWire

Port Houston Business Stronger Than Ever

Business continues to be strong for Port Houston. Several records were broken during May.

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(Photo: Business Wire)

(Photo: Business Wire)

“Port-wide container business is stronger than ever,” Port Houston Executive Director Roger Guenther announced to the Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority during its June 26 meeting. “The highest record in container volume in Port Houston’s history was set last month. More than 245 thousand TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent containers) passed across our facilities,” he told the Commission.

This latest highest total for Port Houston containers reflects a seven percent increase over the previous record set in March, with 617 thousand TEUs recorded. Total container volume through May is more than 1.1 Million TEUs, which shows an increase of six percent over the same period in 2017. Container volume activity is nearly even noting Import loaded containers up 10 percent year-to-date at 457,882 TEUs.

Breakbulk and special project business lines continue to be strong. “Import steel continues to show solid growth,” Guenther shared in his report. Port Houston general cargo terminals handled more than 500,000 tons of steel in May, the highest total since April 2015.

Demonstrating its commitment to financial stewardship and economic impact to the community it serves, Guenther reported to the Commission that Port Houston’s finance team concluded a bond refunding transaction that generated savings of about $47 million for the taxpayers of Harris County.

The next regular Port Commission meeting is scheduled July 31 at 9:00 a.m.

Port Commissioner John D. Kennedy served as chairman at the meeting.

About Port Houston

For more than 100 years, Port Houston has owned and operated the public wharves and terminals of the Port of Houston – the nation’s largest port for foreign waterborne tonnage and an essential economic engine for the Houston region, the state of Texas and the nation. It supports the creation of nearly 1.175 million jobs in Texas and 2.7 million jobs nationwide, and economic activity totaling almost $265 billion in Texas – 16 percent of Texas’ total gross domestic product – and more than $617 billion in economic impact across the nation. For more information, visit the port’s website at PortHouston.com.