Watch Now


Port Houston posts 39% year-over-year container volume growth

Industrial chemicals, petroleum coke and dry bulk led the way in June

June container numbers at Port Houston showed a 39% increase over last year, with 292,627 TEUs in 2021 compared to last year’s 210,932 TEU count for the same month. (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

Port Houston’s container activity in June surpassed the record level of twenty-foot equivalent units for the same month last year, despite a decline in steel and auto volumes.

Total June container volume was 292,627 TEUs, a 39% increase compared to the same month in 2020.

Import container volume in June increased 46% to 151,676 TEUs compared to 103,905 TEUs last year. Export container volume increased 32% year-over-year to 140,951 TEUs.

Total bulk cargo tonnage in June was up 15% year-over-year to 1.6 million short tons (ST), with industrial chemicals at 876,144 ST, petroleum coke at 255,955 ST, dry bulk at 198,776 ST and grain at 140,249 ST leading the way for the month.


General cargo tonnage increased 76% year-over-year to 155,319 ST, led by bagged goods, 56,607 ST; all commodities, 49,438 ST; plywood, 33,542 ST; self-propelled machinery, 4,968 ST; lumber, 4,054 ST; and agriculture machinery, 2,123 ST.

Steel and auto volumes dipped in June, with steel imports falling 2% year-over-year to 282,780 ST. Auto import/export figures for June were not available.

Click for more FreightWaves articles by Noi Mahoney.

More articles by Noi Mahoney


Mexico trade boomed in May, but profit margins tightening

Exports of commercial vehicles from Mexico jump 277%

Small and midsize businesses still recovering from supply chain disruptions

Noi Mahoney

Noi Mahoney is a Texas-based journalist who covers cross-border trade, logistics and supply chains for FreightWaves. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in English in 1998. Mahoney has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working for newspapers in Maryland and Texas. Contact [email protected]