Port Houston reported three per cent growth in total tonnage during the 2025 calendar year. The port handled 54,491,066 short tons (49,433,485 tonnes) of cargo across its public terminals, according to its annual report.
Annual container volumes reached 4,303,345 TEU, representing a four per cent increase compared to 2024. Loaded exports rose seven per cent while loaded imports grew by one per cent across the twelve-month period.
Vessel activity along the Houston Ship Channel involved 8,099 arrivals through December, which was a four per cent decrease from the previous year. Barge activity totalled 209,616 moves by the end of the year, the organisation stated.
"In a year shaped by uncertainty across global trade, it’s remarkable that at Port Houston we reached record levels of both TEUs and total tonnage," said Charlie Jenkins, Chief Executive Officer of Port Houston. He noted that the performance was supported by petrochemical and manufacturing-related freight shipments.
The port completed wharf seven at the Bayport Container Terminal late in the year to add 1,000 feet (305 metres) of berth space. This project is intended to add more than 500,000 TEU to the capacity of the terminal, Port Houston reported.
Five new rubber-tired gantry cranes were delivered to the Bayport facility to support expanded terminal operations. An additional six cranes are scheduled to arrive in March to complete a 16-crane order, according to the organisation.
Operating systems for the cranes were fully implemented in 2025, which provided a 20 per cent improvement in productivity. Approximately 2.5 million trucks were served at the terminals with an average turn time of 40 minutes per vehicle, the port confirmed.
Steel volumes at multi-purpose terminals reached 4,176,166 short tons (3,788,552 tonnes), marking a decline of eight per cent. General cargo volumes finished six per cent below 2024 levels while bulk shipments rose 12 per cent, Port Houston data showed.
Port Houston noted it has $2.1 million in planned landside capital investments over the next five years to improve capacity.
