Texas' Gulf Coast ports posted record container and energy cargo volumes in the first half of 2026, a sign that shippers and exporters are still moving freight despite an increasingly uncertain global trade environment, according to FreightWaves. Port Houston handled 389,962 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in June, an 18% increase from the same month last year, while first-half container volumes climbed to a record 2.23 million TEUs — the highest six-month total in the port's history. The Port of Corpus Christi reported its strongest second quarter and first half ever, with customers moving 55.8 million tons of commodities during the second quarter.
Port Houston container volumes hit a record
FreightWaves reported that June results were led by a 27% increase in loaded import containers to 177,097 TEUs, while total container traffic rose 18% year over year. Loaded export containers declined 2% during the month but remained essentially flat through the first six months of 2026.
Port Houston CEO Charlie Jenkins pointed to the port's resilience in a news release:
Our region is resilient and our port is ready to handle the diverse cargo needs. Overall, we are well-positioned for long-term growth and continued global competitiveness.
Overall tonnage moving through Port Houston's public terminals reached 4.68 million tons during June, up 4% from a year earlier, while first-half tonnage totaled 28.2 million tons, a 3% increase, according to FreightWaves.
Steel and general cargo rebound in Houston
Steel cargo rebounded during June. Steel imports increased 40% to 406,452 tons, while total steel tonnage climbed 46% year over year, FreightWaves reported. Despite the strong monthly gain, steel cargo remains down 14% year to date compared to 2025. General cargo continued to outperform, rising 55% in June and 34% through the first half of the year.
The broader Houston Ship Channel region also continued to benefit from strong exports. Through May, regional trade tonnage increased 17%, fueled by a 23% rise in exports, while import tonnage declined 4%. Crude oil and refined products accounted for more than half of all cargo moving through the ship channel, according to FreightWaves.
Corpus Christi posts record energy commodity volumes
The Port of Corpus Christi reported its strongest second quarter and first half in its history, according to FreightWaves. Customers moved 55.8 million tons of commodities during the second quarter, surpassing the previous quarterly record established earlier this year. Through June, cargo volumes reached 110.3 million tons, a 7.7% increase over the previous first-half record set in 2025. June cargo totaled 16.67 million tons, compared with 17.24 million tons during the same month a year ago.
Growth at Corpus Christi was driven by multiple commodity sectors during the first half of 2026:
- LNG volumes increased 36.3% to 11.5 million tons.
- Agricultural commodities surged to 2.1 million tons, up from about 189,000 tons a year earlier.
- Refined products increased 8.9% to 17.1 million tons.
- Other bulk liquids rose 11.7% to 8.2 million tons.
- Natural gas liquids increased 18.4%.
- Crude oil shipments reached 66 million tons, up 1.3% year over year.
Port of Corpus Christi CEO Kent Britton attributed the gains to infrastructure investments:
The continued growth in multiple commodities reflects the significant advantages gained by completion of the ship channel improvement project last year.
What the records mean for freight markets
The two ports offer a snapshot of Texas' dual growth engines. The following table summarizes first-half performance, according to FreightWaves:
| Metric | Port Houston | Port of Corpus Christi |
|---|---|---|
| H1 cargo | 28.2 million tons | 110.3 million tons (record) |
| H1 containers | 2.23 million TEUs (record) | — |
| Biggest growth driver | Container imports | Energy exports |
| Largest commodity | Containers/steel/breakbulk | Crude oil, petroleum, LNG |
| Record achieved | Largest H1 container volume | Best quarter & best H1 ever |
June's cargo reports show Texas' Gulf Coast ports continue to benefit from two distinct but complementary growth engines — containerized imports and exports through Houston and booming U.S. energy exports through Corpus Christi — providing another positive signal for freight markets and international trade despite continued tariff uncertainty, FreightWaves reported.
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