Houston Ship Channel Still No. 1 Waterway

Port Houston Maintains Leadership Continuity

On Tuesday, the Port Commission of the Port of Houston Authority met for its monthly meeting. Chairman Ric Campo opened with news that the Houston Ship Channel continues to hold the "top spot" among the nation's waterways: that rating was confirmed last week when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released the U.S. Coastal and Inland Navigation System 2022 Transportation Facts & Information Report, incorporating the latest data on tonnage and waterway rankings.

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A Maersk container ship navigates along the Houston Ship Channel, the Great Lakes Dredge, and Dock’s dredge "Carolina" at work. According to the latest U.S. Army Corps of Engineers U.S. Coastal and Inland Navigation System 2022 Transportation Facts & Information Report, the Houston Ship Channel remains the country's No. 1 waterway in terms of waterborne tonnage. (Photo: Business Wire)

The Houston Ship Channel remains the nation's No. 1 waterway in waterborne tonnage. In 2022, 293.8 million tons moved along the Houston Ship Channel, a 10% increase over 2021 and a record for the port. There is a gap of 67 million tons in annual tonnage between the Houston channel and the country's No. 2 port. The 67-million-ton difference is larger than 94% of all U.S. ports.

"This report confirms that the Houston Ship Channel is the vital economic engine to the nation and helps serve as the basis for expediting Project 11, providing for growth, a safer channel, and improved efficiency and emissions for the benefit of our region," Chairman Campo said. "And it underscores the importance of continued federal funding to maintain the nation's busiest waterway, so it can meet the daily needs of the region it serves."

While touting the waterway's top ranking, Chairman Campo highlighted the importance and steady progress of Project 11 as “a testament to all those involved.” He emphasized that the No. 1 position means "jobs for our region.”

“When you think about being number one, it means we’re also number one in jobs,” Chairman Campo said. “The more jobs created; the more value created for the region.”

In other Port Commission business, long-time Executive Director Roger Guenther's contract was amended to reflect his retirement date of August 30, and Chief Channel Infrastructure Officer Charlie Jenkins, another 30+ year employee and well-respected industry leader, was named incoming chief executive officer.

Chairman Campo thanked Guenther for his many years of service, saying he had done "amazing work" as executive director. He added that changes like this did not happen very often, so continuity was important, and "it would be a seamless transition."

"On behalf of the Port Commission, I want to thank Roger for his service and exceptional leadership at Port Houston. He has led an impressive 30-plus-year career, and in this last decade as Executive Director, we have been grateful for his vision and passion for the organization," said Chairman Campo. "We will work to ensure a seamless transition following Roger's retirement, and we are excited about the future of Port Houston."

Upon the news, Port staff gave a robust round of applause as a show of support and appreciation to both beloved and endeared executives.

“I'd like to thank the Port Commission for its support and continuity. In my 10 years, I've had seamless support and certainty, and look forward to its support of Charlie and his leadership," said Guenther. "I'm grateful to the Port Commission and the entire team at Port Houston for their unwavering support during my career."

In other news, Chairman Campo told attendees that the Houston Pilots had approved safety guidelines to continue easing their daylight restriction reference point to move up the channel, as more Project 11 dredging is completed. This now means an additional one-and one-half hours transit time in each direction has been gained since Project 11 began, further underscoring the importance for the channel expansion and widening program.

Approximately 15 miles out of the 26 miles of Galveston Bay reach of the Houston Ship Channel have been widened since the start of Project 11, and Chairman Campo expressed appreciation to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Coast Guard, Houston Pilots and other partners, and Port Houston staff for their diligence and collaboration in getting that work done.

The next Port Commission meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 21, at 9:00 a.m.

About Port Houston

For more than 100 years, Port Houston has owned and operated the public wharves and facilities along the Houston Ship Channel, including the area’s largest breakbulk facility and two of the most efficient container terminals in the country. Port Houston is the advocate and a strategic leader for the Channel. The Houston Ship Channel complex and its more than 200 private and eight public facilities is the nation’s largest port for waterborne tonnage and an essential economic engine for the Houston region, the state of Texas and the U.S. The Port of Houston supports the creation of nearly 1.5 million jobs in Texas and 3.37 million jobs nationwide, and economic activity totaling $439 billion in Texas and $906 billion in economic impact across the nation. For more information, visit the website at PortHouston.com.

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