Port Houston's container volumes fell 6% in July compared with the same month last year, as the Gulf Coast gateway's import surge cooled after a period of frontloading earlier in 2026, according to FreightWaves. The port handled 369,899 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in July, down from 392,829 TEUs in July 2025. Port officials said overall container growth has moderated following stronger activity associated with frontloading earlier in the year.
Container volumes: July vs. year-to-date
Loaded imports totaled 181,808 TEUs in July, down 3% year over year from 187,367 TEUs. Loaded exports declined 6% to 124,814 TEUs from 133,137 TEUs, according to FreightWaves. For the year to date, however, loaded imports remained a source of growth, rising 5% to 1.21 million TEUs. Loaded exports totaled 925,781 TEUs through July, down 1% from the same period last year.
| Metric | July 2026 | July 2025 | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total container volume (TEUs) | 369,899 | 392,829 | -6% |
| Loaded imports (TEUs) | 181,808 | 187,367 | -3% |
| Loaded exports (TEUs) | 124,814 | 133,137 | -6% |
| Total revenue tonnage (tons) | 4.57M | 5.19M | -12% |
| Vessel calls | 710 | 684 | +4% |
For the first seven months of 2026, Port Houston handled nearly 2.6 million TEUs, up 1% from 2.56 million TEUs during the same period in 2025, according to FreightWaves.
| Metric (Jan–Jul) | 2026 | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| Total container volume (TEUs) | ≈2.6M | +1% |
| Loaded imports (TEUs) | 1.21M | +5% |
| Loaded exports (TEUs) | 925,781 | -1% |
| Total revenue tonnage (tons) | 32.81M | flat |
| Vessel calls | 5,054 | +7% |
Cargo mix: general cargo surges, steel slides
General cargo was one of the strongest areas during the month. Port Houston handled 104,048 tons of general cargo in July, a 42% increase from 73,290 tons a year earlier. Year-to-date general cargo reached 796,982 tons, up 35% from 590,555 tons in 2025. Steel continued to move in the opposite direction. Steel tonnage fell 37% year over year in July to 357,625 tons, while steel imports declined 36% to 331,271 tons. Through July, total steel tonnage was down 18% to 2.34 million tons.
Other bulk categories showed stronger year-to-date results. Dry bulk tonnage totaled 3.56 million tons through July, up 1%, while liquid bulk increased 13% to 1.89 million tons. Total container tonnage rose 1% to 24.22 million tons.
East Asia leads import growth
East Asia continued to drive import growth at Port Houston, with loaded container imports from the region increasing 10% year to date and representing 57% of total import volume, according to FreightWaves. Port officials said apparel, resins and plastics, machinery and electronics helped drive the increase.
Houston Ship Channel activity and economic impact
Across the broader Houston Ship Channel, deep-draft transits increased 3% year over year in July to 1,523, while barge transits jumped 11% to 19,552. Through July, deep-draft traffic was up 7% and barge traffic increased 6%.
Our region remains resilient through evolving global trade conditions. Vessel activity in the nation's busiest waterway is up, and we continue to see steady cargo movement that helps power industries like energy, manufacturing and retail, crucial to our national economy. — Charlie Jenkins, Port Houston CEO
A new economic impact study by Martin Associates, released Tuesday, found that marine cargo activity through public and private facilities along the Houston Ship Channel supported $986.9 billion in annual U.S. economic value and nearly 3.53 million jobs in 2025. In Texas, activity supported $537.7 billion in annual economic value, equivalent to 18.5% of the state's gross domestic product, along with approximately 1.89 million jobs and $15.6 billion in state and local tax revenue. The study found economic value supported by Houston-area maritime activity increased $98.4 billion between 2022 and 2025. Nationwide economic value increased 9% over that period, while the number of jobs supported nationally increased 5%.
Watch list
Factors to monitor for the remainder of 2026, based on the July data, include whether frontloading effects continue to fade, whether East Asia import growth holds at 10%, and whether steel import declines extend beyond the 36% slide recorded in July. The 4% increase in vessel calls and the 11% jump in barge transits also bear watching as Houston Ship Channel traffic runs ahead of 2025 levels.
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