Port Houston containers jump 11% as steel imports surge 181%

Port Houston handled 376,419 TEUs in September, an 11% year-over-year jump that pushed loaded imports up 16% and steel imports up 181%, according to figures presented at the Oct. 21 Port Commission meeting.

The Gulf Coast gateway moved 337,659 TEUs in the same month of 2025. Through the first nine months of 2026, volumes total 3.35 million TEUs, up 2% from 3.27 million TEUs a year earlier — a modest cumulative gain that masks how sharply the year has turned.

"We had a pretty rough start to the year," CEO Charlie Jenkins told commissioners, saying September's performance marked a significant improvement and a stronger outlook heading into the fourth quarter.

What's driving the growth?

Loaded imports climbed 16% year over year to 174,189 TEUs. Loaded exports rose 2% to 132,009 TEUs, but the export number understates the trend: chief operations officer Ryan Mariacher said a long-anticipated export surge arrived in the second half of September and the first half of October.

"The growth at Bayport and Barbours Cut for the month was largely driven by imports," Mariacher said during the meeting. Officials added that ocean carriers and shippers expect the stronger export activity to continue in the near term, potentially supporting additional freight through the two container terminals.

Chief commercial officer John Mosley said import demand stayed unusually strong through the third quarter, the traditional peak season ahead of year-end retail sales.

"This year has been unusually high with Port Houston outpacing the rest of the country," Mosley said, citing National Retail Federation Port Tracker data placing Houston among the strongest-performing major U.S. container gateways for import growth. Loaded imports are up 6% year to date through September — 1.56 million TEUs against 1.47 million TEUs in 2025 — while the national import market has been far weaker.

Mosley said the port is cautiously optimistic exports will keep strengthening in the fourth quarter.

New services and repositioned empties

The port has been meeting with major international ocean carriers to discuss added capacity, better terminal throughput and service expansion. Eric Casey, Port Houston's chief operating officer, said a new container and refrigerated cargo service launched in September, with more in negotiation.

"Commercially, we started a new container and reefer service in September, and more services are being negotiated today, so we are growing," Casey said.

Empty container exports jumped 31% to 55,963 TEUs from 42,782 TEUs — evidence of the repositioning work carriers are doing to balance Houston's import-heavy flow.

Vessel traffic and tonnage climb

Public terminals logged 750 vessel movements in September, up 10% from 681, and 6,562 movements year to date, up 8% from 6,096. Barge activity rose 23% to 181 movements. Total revenue tonnage at the public terminals reached 4.88 million tons, up 15%, lifting year-to-date cargo tonnage to 42.37 million tons, up 2%.

The port has also completed its Port Houston-led portions of Project 11, the Houston Ship Channel expansion. The work widened the channel through Galveston Bay from 530 feet to 700 feet, letting larger ships transit more efficiently and easing daylight navigation restrictions. Jenkins said planning is advancing on Project 12, the next major channel expansion, with the port weighing whether to accelerate individual improvements ahead of the federal schedule — as it previously did for works serving Bayport and Barbours Cut — to keep its terminals competitive.

Steel leads the breakbulk surge

Steel imports totaled 539,993 tons in September, up 181% from 192,351 tons, tied to construction, manufacturing and energy infrastructure activity. Combined steel imports and exports exceeded 581,000 tons — the strongest monthly steel performance since May 2022 — and the port posted its first consecutive months above 500,000 tons of steel in more than a decade. General cargo also grew, helped by rail-bound project cargo such as large electrical equipment and infrastructure components.

Why it matters for shippers

What does this change for Gulf Coast freight? Stronger container and steel flows through Houston signal sustained demand for regional trucking, warehousing and intermodal capacity — and if the export surge holds into the fourth quarter, carriers may need to keep more equipment and sailings in the trade rather than repositioning it out.