The Port of Houston recently broke a record, starting the year strong by processing the largest number of units of any January in the port’s history.
At the start of 2025, Port Houston handled 356,407 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). The amount is a 7% increase compared to the same month in 2024 and represents the largest January on record for the port’s containerized cargo.
The Port of Houston is the fifth-largest container port in America, making it a pivotal port of commerce along the Houston Ship Channel. Much of the imports come from Asia, representing 56% of total container imports for port facilities. Loaded imports rose by 10% in January compared to the previous year’s numbers. Loaded exports declined by 1%.
Steel imports at the port’s multipurpose facilities rose by 18% and general cargo was up by 21%. In total, Port Houston processed almost 4.3 million tons of material, representing a 2% increase compared to January 2024.
As imports and exports continue to rise each year, the Port of Houston is on track to ensure the facilities have the capacity, resilience and capability to process goods. Port Houston already has ongoing construction projects to upgrade container terminals and wharves. Officials also expect the arrival of eight ship-to-shore cranes and 15 rubber-tired gantry cranes in 2026 to supplement container terminal operations.
Photo Courtesy U.S. Army Corps of Engineers via Wikimedia Commons
