Port Houston saw modest gain in container movements in August, while oil and breakbulk cargo decreased at ports in New Orleans and Corpus Christi, Texas.
Port Houston boosted by grain and bagged goods volumes in August
Port Houston handled 370,430 twenty-foot equivalent units in August, a 1% year-over-year increase.
Shipment of grain through Port Houston was up 173% year-over-year during the month, reaching 212,168 short tons. Imported bagged goods were up 901% compared to the same month last year, totaling 68,358 tons.
Steel imports decreased by 5% year-over-year to 324,258 tons. Exports of steel were down 60% year over year to 28,622 tons.
Year-to-date container volumes at the port are up 5% compared to the same period in 2024, reaching 2.9 million TEUs from January through August.
“Our volumes are holding strong this year, and we’re optimistic about the months ahead,” Charlie Jenkins, CEO at Port Houston, said in a news release.
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Crude oil exports decrease 2% at the Port of Corpus Christi
The Port of Corpus Christi saw a 4% year-over-year decrease in total cargo to 17.4 million tons in August.
The port saw 3.5% year-over-year decline in total crude oil shipments, including a 2% drop in exports of crude oil in August.
Shipments of petroleum totaled 5.3 million tons during the month, a 2% year-over-year increase.
Dry bulk cargo decreased 14% year-over-year to 714,001 tons in August.
Chemical shipments fell 8% year-over-year to 279,595 tons, while bulk grain shipments fell 7% year-over-year to 302,917 tons.
The Port of Corpus Christi had 223 ship calls in August, a 4% year-over-year increase from 2024. The port recorded 347 barge calls during the month, a 17% year-over-year decline compared to the same year-ago period.
Port of New Orleans sees decrease in breakbulk, container volumes
The Port of New Orleans’ container volume declined 8% year-over-year in August to 45,714 TEUs.
Beakbulk cargo movements recorded a 7% year-over-year decrease in August to 76,549 short tons, led by shipments of steel and natural rubber.
Other top commodities shipped through the Port of New Orleans in August include plastic resins, various chemicals, synthetic rubber, coffee, machinery and equipment and wood products.
The port handled 10,091 Class I railcar switches in August. The port handles switching operations for the six Class I railroads that operate in New Orleans: BNSF Railway, CN, CSX, CPKC, Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific.
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