Port Houston’s container traffic rebounded strongly in September 2026, with volumes up 11% year over year as import demand firmed and export activity improved at its Bayport and Barbours Cut terminals.
The Texas port handled 376,419 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) during the month, compared with 337,659 TEUs in September 2025, figures presented at the Port Commission meeting on October 21 showed.
Total throughput of containers for the first nine months of 2026 was 3.35 million TEUs, up 2% compared to 3.27 million TEUs for the same period last year.
Growth in September was mainly driven by loaded imports, which rose 16% year over year to 174,189 TEUs. Loaded exports also advanced, rising 2% to 132,009 TEUs.
Port Houston CEO Charlie Jenkins said the latest numbers are an encouraging improvement after a tough start to the year. “Recent developments in cargo activity have strengthened the port’s outlook as we approach the final quarter of 2026,” he told commissioners.
“A lot of the improvement was driven by stronger import demand at Bayport and Barbours Cut,” said Ryan Mariacher, chief operations officer for the port. He also said export volumes began to pick up toward the end of September.
“The long-awaited acceleration in exports came in the second half of September and the first half of October,” Mariacher said. Ocean carriers and shippers said the activity is expected to stay strong in the near-term, possibly resulting in more freight moves through Houston’s container facilities.
Houston outpaces the larger US import market
Import demand remained particularly strong through the third quarter, a time of year traditionally characterized by a surge in shipping activity as retailers build inventories for year-end sales.
“Despite a relatively weak national import market, the port continued to outpace many other major US gateways,” said Port Houston chief commercial officer John Mosley.
Mosley cited data from the National Retail Federation’s Port Tracker, which showed Houston to be among the nation’s strongest-performing major container gateways for import growth.
His assessment found loaded imports up 6% year to date through September, which he said is a more resilient performance than the broader national market.
Comparative statistics for the port show loaded import volumes reached about 1.56 million TEUs in the first nine months of 2026 against 1.47 million TEUs in the same period last year.
Officials remain wary but are becoming more confident that export business will continue to pick up in the fourth quarter.
To further leverage this momentum, Port Houston has been in discussions with major international ocean carriers about additional shipping capacity, increased terminal throughput and opportunities to bring new services.
The port’s chief operating officer, Eric Casey, said a new container and refrigerated cargo service was launched in September. There are also negotiations for new services, a sign the port wants to expand its commercial services.
Movements of empty containers also grew substantially. September’s export empty container volumes rose 31% to 55,963 TEUs from 42,782 TEUs a year ago.
This expansion underscores the need to re-position idle equipment so ocean carriers can balance container availability with changing import and export requirements.
Vessel and barge traffic up; cargo volumes up
The growth in container traffic was concurrent with a growth in maritime activity at Port Houston’s public terminals.
Vessel moves at the port shot up to 750 in September, a 10% increase from 681 in the same month of 2025. In the first nine months of the year, vessel movements amounted to 6,562, up 8% from 6,096 in the same period last year.
Barge activity also increased. September barge movements were 181, up 23% year-over-year.
Increased vessel traffic was accompanied by a significant increase in cargo handled at the port’s public terminals. Total revenue tonnage rose 15% to 4.88 million tons in September.
Cargo tonnage from January to September was 42.37 million tons, an increase of 2 percent year on year.
The numbers are indicative of a wider improvement in cargo flows through the Houston gateway, with higher container demand and higher activity in other freight categories contributing to the port’s performance.
Ship channel expansion supports long-term competitiveness
Alongside its operational results, Port Houston highlighted progress on infrastructure projects intended to accommodate larger vessels and improve maritime access.
Officials confirmed the completion of the Port Houston-led portions of Project 11, the Houston Ship Channel expansion initiative.
The project widened a section of the channel through Galveston Bay from 530 feet to 700 feet. The additional width is designed to facilitate the movement of larger ships, improve navigation efficiency and reduce restrictions on daylight vessel movements.
Jenkins also said planning was advancing for Project 12, the next major expansion of the Houston Ship Channel.
Port officials are evaluating opportunities to accelerate individual improvements rather than relying exclusively on the broader federal project timetable. Jenkins pointed to previous efforts to fast-track channel improvements serving Bayport and Barbours Cut as an example of how targeted investments can help maintain the competitiveness of the port’s container terminals.
With cargo volumes recovering and demand for shipping services strengthening, continued investment in channel infrastructure is expected to remain an important part of Port Houston’s long-term development strategy.
Steel imports surge 181% as general cargo activity expands
Beyond containerized freight, steel shipments delivered one of the most striking increases in Port Houston’s September statistics.
Steel imports reached 539,993 tons, compared with 192,351 tons in September 2025, representing a year-over-year increase of 181%.
Combined steel imports and exports exceeded 581,000 tons during the month, marking the port’s strongest monthly steel performance since May 2022.
Operations officials also reported that Port Houston had recorded consecutive months with steel volumes above 500,000 tons for the first time in more than a decade.
The increase points to stronger activity associated with construction, manufacturing and energy infrastructure projects.
General cargo volumes have also benefited from additional project shipments moving by rail. Large electrical equipment and infrastructure components were identified by officials as important contributors to the growth.
The combination of higher steel volumes, expanding container traffic and stronger maritime activity demonstrates that the port’s September performance extended beyond a single freight category.
September 2026 cargo performance: key figures
The following table summarizes Port Houston’s principal operating indicators for September 2026 and their year-over-year changes.
| September 2026 Cargo Statistics at a Glance | ||
|---|---|---|
| Metric | September 2026 | Year-over-year |
| Total container volume | 376,419 TEUs | +11% |
| Loaded import containers | 174,189 TEUs | +16% |
| Loaded export containers | 132,009 TEUs | +2% |
| Empty export containers | 55,963 TEUs | +31% |
| Total revenue tonnage | 4.88 million tons | +15% |
| Steel imports | 539,993 tons | +181% |
| Public-terminal vessel movements | 750 | +10% |
| Barge movements | 181 | +23% |
Source: Port Houston, September 2026 Monthly Comparative Statistics. Vessel figures cover Port Houston/PHA activity and do not represent all vessel calls across the Houston Ship Channel.
Stronger volumes could benefit Gulf Coast freight networks
Port Houston’s September results signal sustained demand for freight transportation along the US Gulf Coast, with stronger imports, improving exports and rising vessel activity supporting the outlook for the final months of 2026.
The increase in cargo throughput could generate additional demand for trucking, warehousing and intermodal transportation services as freight moves between maritime terminals, distribution facilities and inland destinations.
The port’s infrastructure investments, combined with efforts to attract new ocean carrier services, are also intended to improve its ability to handle larger vessels and accommodate evolving trade flows.
While the outlook for the fourth quarter will depend on the durability of import demand and the continuation of export growth, September’s figures provide encouraging evidence of renewed momentum across Port Houston’s container and general cargo operations.
