Cargo volumes at Port Houston softened in November amid seasonal and market headwinds, but year-to-date totals remain strong and on track for another record year, port officials said.
The port handled 335,275 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in November, a 9% year-over-year decline compared with the same period last year.
Port Houston also handled 4.19 million short tons during the month, a 15% year-over-year decrease, reflecting slower trade flows late in the fall shipping season.
The November slowdown comes as Gulf Coast ports adjust to softer late-year demand, while export-heavy trade lanes — particularly resin, energy-linked manufacturing and freight tied to global supply chains — continue to underpin Port Houston’s year-to-date gains.
The port remains a critical outlet for U.S. exports moving into Latin America and Mexico, even as import volumes cool and global trade flows normalize after earlier disruptions.
“While we did see a significant slowdown in cargo volumes across all sectors for the month, volumes through the public terminals remained up about 4% year to date at more than 50 million tons,” Ryan Mariacher, chief port operations officer, said during the Dec. 9 commission meeting.
“Steel, as expected, fell off dramatically for the month and is now down 6% for the year. Bulk cargoes on the dry and liquid side also dipped slightly, but remain up 5% year to date.”
Growth at the port’s Barbours Cut and Bayport container terminals continues to be driven by exports, “with loaded export TEUs up 8% year to date, while imports remain essentially flat,” Mariacher said.
In November, loaded imports fell 12%, while loaded exports slipped 2%. Even so, export demand tied to resin and other Gulf Coast manufactured goods helped keep outbound volumes elevated, supporting the year-to-date export gains.
Through November, Port Houston handled 3.97 million TEUs, a 5% increase year over year, positioning the port for another record container year despite recent volatility in global trade flows.
Port officials also pointed to continued regional economic momentum as a key support for long-term growth. The Greater Houston Partnership reports 157 active development projects in the region, representing $52.7 billion in capital investment.
“About 54% of those projects are tied to manufacturing, distribution and logistics, underscoring the long-term strength of port-related demand,” said Rina Lawrence, manager of economic development and foreign-trade zones at Port Houston.
“Additionally, there have been notable increases in manufacturing leases this quarter. These large-scale leases and new manufacturing investment continue to highlight sustained cargo demand, long-term volume growth and stable container flows throughout the region.”
Port Houston recorded 669 ship calls in November, a 7% year-over-year decline, while barge calls totaled 335, a 14% year-over-year increase.
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