March container volume down 11% at Port Houston

Container activity at Port Houston began slowing in late March as the coronavirus outbreak continued to threaten the global economy, port officials said this week.

The port handled 248,280 twenty-foot-equivalent units (TEUs) in March, down 11% compared to the year-earlier period. Officials said the port also saw seven blank sailings during the month.

Despite the monthly decline, first-quarter volume through the port remained strong; as of March, full year volume to date was up 11% compared to the first quarter of 2019.

“We must remain open for business to help international commerce continue during this difficult period,” the port’s Executive Director Roger Guenther said in a statement Tuesday. “We also must support the economy with the necessary infrastructure to rebound when this global pandemic is brought under control.”