Houston and New Orleans saw increased volumes of container and breakbulk cargo in March, while Corpus Christi, Texas, continued to experience strong demand for crude oil shipments, reports Freightwaves.
Volumes Rebound
Following a period of sluggish freight activity in February due to fog disruptions, Port Houston experienced a significant rebound in March, handling 386,864 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units). This figure represents a 7% increase compared to the volumes handled in March 2023 and marks the port’s busiest March on record for loaded exports.
Loaded exports were a key driver of this growth, surging by 14% compared to the previous March. Loaded imports also saw a modest increase of 2% during the same period.
Looking at the year-to-date performance, Port Houston’s public terminals have handled 1.1 million TEUs, essentially flat compared to the first quarter of 2024.
Mike Shaffner, the port’s director of operations, planning, and technology, commented on the financial performance, stating that it is “performing as expected and is slightly evolving there.” However, he also noted that “the full impact of tariffs and fees for Chinese vessels remains the variable that we’re keeping a close eye on.”
In recent weeks, Port Houston has also observed three blank sailings, where carriers have canceled scheduled weekly voyages due to low booking numbers.
Breakbulk Cargo
The Port of New Orleans reported a 3% year-over-year increase in container volume in March, moving 46,676 TEUs.
The port also saw an 11% year-over-year rise in total breakbulk tonnage, reaching 91,463 short tons during the month. A significant driver of this increase was a doubling of cement imports in super sacks compared to the same period last fiscal year.
For the fiscal year-to-date, the port has handled 832,034 short tons of breakbulk cargo, marking a 10% increase over the same period in the previous fiscal year. This growth is primarily attributed to double-digit increases in steel, natural rubber, and project cargo imports.
The top container imports in March included coffee, various chemicals, and furniture. The top container exports for the month were plastic resins, various chemicals, and synthetic rubber.
The top breakbulk commodities handled by the port in March included natural rubber, project cargo, and bagged cargo imports.
In terms of rail operations, the port handled 7,557 Class I railcar switches in March. The Port of New Orleans manages switching operations for six Class I railroads: BNSF, CN, CSX, CPKC, Norfolk Southern, and Union Pacific.
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Source: Freightwaves
