Port of Houston increases tonnage, box volumes in Q1

The Gulf Coast port’s total tonnage spiked 11 percent year-over-year during the quarter, while containerized cargo volumes increased 18 percent.    The Port of Houston handled close to 10 million tons of cargo during the first quarter of 2017, an 11 percent increase over the same period in 2016, the Gulf Coast port said Tuesday.
   In terms of container volumes, the port handled 607,000 TEUs during the quarter, equating to an 18 percent year-over-year increase.
   The port also mentioned how the Barbours Cut Container Terminal is undergoing a modernization program to increase cargo handling efficiency and capacity.
   Since the opening of Barbours Cut forty years ago, and the subsequent opening of its sister container facility at Bayport, the Port of Houston now handles 68 percent of all container activity along the U.S. Gulf Coast and 95 percent of the container activity in Texas.
   At the April port commission meeting, various highlights were noted, such as the support of the inclusion of a coastal barrier system for the Houston/Galveston Bay area; President Trump’s national infrastructure plans; and the approval of entering into a multi-party Interlocal Agreement with Harris County, Galena Park, and Jacinto City for infrastructure improvements involving the design and construction of a sidewalk and pedestrian bridges for those communities.