HOUSTON | Ports/Industry Thread

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https://www.galvnews.com/news/galves...11128c6d3.html

The Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation contracted Stoss Landscape Urbanism to come up with renderings of what green spaces would look like replacing the parking lots between piers 19 and 22 at the Port of Galveston.

Artist’s Rendering/Courtesy

Galveston port talks boardwalk, green space

By B. SCOTT McLENDON
The Daily News
17 hrs ago

GALVESTON

Port officials are considering ways to beautify areas in front of island cruise terminals with walkable green spaces and a boardwalk that highlight the working waterfront.

The Cynthia and George Mitchell Foundation contracted Stoss Landscape Urbanism to come up with renderings of what green spaces would look like replacing parking lots between piers 19 and 22 at the Port of Galveston.

The port hasn’t spent any money on the project, but officials are interested in turning the area into a boat-watching haven similar to those in other major port cities.

Galveston has an amazing working waterfront, a Stoss representative told the Wharves Board of Trustees, which governs the port, during a March presentation.

People want to go near the waterfront, but there isn’t much to do when you get there, according to Stoss.

There are few places — outside of a restaurant — to sit and watch the barges, boats and massive ships traverse the waterways.

Port officials could change that by converting the parking lots in front of Willie G’s, 2100 Harborside Drive, and Fisherman’s Wharf, 2200 Harborside Drive, into green spaces where pedestrians can walk around, sit and have a picnic, or watch the vessels at work. It’s unclear how much the project could cost.

Designers drew inspiration from waterfronts in cities like Monterrey, California, Auckland, New Zealand, and Vancouver, Canada.

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https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/...ks-ground.html

Battery chemicals producer Orion breaks ground on plant near Houston

By Jishnu Nair – Reporter, Houston Business Journal
Apr 9, 2024

Orion S.A. (NYSE: OEC), a specialty chemicals company formerly known as Orion Engineered Carbons, has broken ground on a new plant near Houston to manufacture battery ingredients.

The company, which is incorporated in Luxembourg but has its principal offices in Spring, began construction on its second plant producing acetylene-based conductive additives on April 9. When Orion announced the plant in 2022, the company said it would invest between $120 million to $140 million into the facility, which will be the first of its kind in the U.S. Orion is the sole producer of acetylene-based conductive additives in the Western Hemisphere, according to the company.

The plant will produce 12 kilotons of additives per year after operations begin in 2025. A spokesperson told the Houston Business Journal that the facility would quadruple the company’s existing production capacity following the opening of an earlier plant in France.

A neighboring site owned by Equistar Chemicals LP, a subsidiary of LyondellBasell Industries NV (NYSE: LYB), will supply the acetylene, a colorless gas widely used as a chemical building block. LyondellBasell supplies Orion's similar plant in France as well.

Orion confirmed to the HBJ that the plant will employ 30 to 40 people at full capacity. The company was unable to disclose the size of the facility but said Australia-based Worley, which has its main U.S. office in Houston, was contracted for engineering work.

“Orion is already the sole producer of acetylene-based conductive additives in Europe,” Orion CEO Corning Painter said at the groundbreaking ceremony. “Our plant in La Porte will be a pivotal step toward strengthening the regional supply of conductive additives in the rapidly growing U.S. battery market.”

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https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/a...officials-say/

Accident like tragic Baltimore bridge incident unlikely to happen at Houston ports, officials say


The tragic incident has prompted questions about whether something like that could happen in the port of Houston, and whether there’s anything that port can do to help.

Ariel Worthy
Posted On March 29, 2024, 5:17 PM

The Port of Baltimore remains closed, likely for a while after this week’s deadly collision, causing the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.

The tragic incident has prompted questions about whether something like that could happen in the port of Houston, and whether there’s anything that port can do to help.

Houston Matters' Michael Hagerty spoke to the executive director of the Port of Houston, Roger Guenther.

Port Houston’s chairman Ric Campo said on Tuesday during the Port Commission’s monthly meeting that Port Houston was ready to help Baltimore as much as it could. Guenther said he had reached out to the executive director of the Maryland ports but had not heard back yet.

"I’m sure they’re quite consumed, but all ports are important in the country, and you know there’s a lot of camaraderie amongst ports," Guenther said. "We all know each other and it’s usual you look at times of when ports have hurricanes and disasters, we’re all there to support one another. This is a little different, but we’ve reached out there to support any way that we can."

Guenther said ports in Maryland are an "economic driver" just as they are in the Houston area.

"All of a sudden it’s shutdown, jobs are certainly on hold for a long time because they're not working any cargo," he said. "It's very impactful to that community."

Guenther said re-routing traffic from the Maryland ports will likely not affect the Port of Houston.

"The cargo is scheduled to come and go. There’s other ports in that region. You know, that’s the main thing is the ocean carriers and the shippers are rapidly looking to go to places that are closer," he said, adding that areas like New York, Wilmington, and Norfolk are closer options for Maryland.

Guenther said the Baltimore bridge incident has caused conversations about how safety looks in Houston.

"We always are having risk management and safety at the top of our minds," Guenther said. "From what the pilots and the Coast Guard talk about, our bridge structures are pretty much isolated from something like that. But you know, we’ve got the busiest waterway in the nation and we’re putting a lot of effort into improving that Channel for safety."

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https://www.porttechnology.org/news/...-commissioner/

Port of Houston Authority appoints Port Commissioner

March 30, 2024
By Rakin Rahman

Thomas Jones, Jr., has been appointed as the Port Commissioner of the Port of Houston Authority, embarking on a two-year term.

Commissioner Jones will attend his first Port Commission meeting in this capacity on 26 March.

A host of local, state, and federal officials and business and community leaders were in attendance, showing their support for Commissioner Jones.

State Senator Carol Alvarado delivered greetings, emphasizing the importance of the Houston Ship Channel to the state, and remarked to Mayor Whitmire that “Commissioner Jones was a smart appointment.”

Commissioner Jones is a founding partner of McConnellJones, LLP, believed to be the largest African American public accounting firm in the US, and recognised as one of the largest CPA practices in the Southwestern US. Now retired, Commissioner Jones continues to serve the firm as a consultant.

Commissioner Jones has served as Chairman, President, and Director on many community boards, including among many others the Greater Houston Convention & Visitors board (past Chairman), Greater Houston Partnership, co-founder and Board President of Dominion Community Development Corporation (a church-based CDC), Houston Fund for Social Justice and Economic Equity (HEF), the Florida A&M University (FAMU) Foundation board, Jazz Houston, and Trees for Houston.

Commissioner Jones fills the seat of former Port Commissioner Cheryl Creuzot, who chose not to seek a third term.

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https://www.waterwaysjournal.net/202...bolivar-fleet/

TxDOT Adds Hybrid Ferry To Galveston-Port Bolivar Fleet

MARCH 22, 2024
BY FRANK MCCORMACK

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) unveiled the newest member of its Galveston-to-Port Bolivar ferry fleet on March 8, a hybrid-powered vehicle and passenger ferry designed by Houston-based The Shearer Group and built by Gulf Island Fabrication in Houma, La.

The 293- by 66-foot doubled-ended ferry is named for a trailblazer of Texas politics, Esperanza “Hope” Andrade, the first woman to serve as chair of the Texas Transportation Commission and the first Latina to serve as Texas’ secretary of state.

“With the christening of this vessel bearing her name, we pay homage not only to her remarkable accomplishments but also to the beacon of progress she embodies,” TxDOT stated in a press release announcing the christening.

Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry appointed Andrade to the Texas Transportation Commission in December 2003. She served as chair of the commission from January 2008 until May of that year. Then, in July 2008, Perry appointed Andrade secretary of state. She served in that role until November 2012. She later served as the Texas Workforce Commissioner.

The Esperanza “Hope” Andrade, or Esperanza for short, has room for 495 passengers and a maximum of 70 passenger vessels or eight 18-wheelers per trip between Galveston Island and the Bolivar Peninsula, crossing the Houston Ship Channel in the process.

The Esperanza features a diesel-electric power generation system and a power management system for charging onboard batteries “for peak shaving to reduce fuel consumption and maximize efficiency and reliability,” according to Joshua Sebastian, vice president-operations for The Shearer Group.

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https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/...Pos=0#cxrecs_s


Image c/o Partners Real Estate

Kinder Morgan and massive industrial park owner team up for project near Houston Ship Channel

By Naomi Klinge – Reporter, Houston Business Journal
Apr 17, 2024

Kinder Morgan Inc. (NYSE: KMI) is working with the owner of a massive industrial park in the Houston area on a carbon storage project.

During its first-quarter 2024 earnings call April 17, the Houston-based midstream giant announced it had executed a pore space lease agreement with TGS Cedar Port Partners LP, which owns TGS Cedar Port Industrial Park, the largest master-planned, rail- and barge-served industrial park in the U.S.

The pore space spans 10,800 acres near the Houston Ship Channel and can store more than 300 million tonnes of carbon dioxide. Kinder Morgan said this will give the company a geographically and geologically advantaged platform to develop carbon sequestration solutions for nearby emissions.

Permit applications for carbon dioxide sequestration in the U.S. have increased by 500% since 2021, and some big names in oil and gas are part of that growth, the Houston Business Journal previously reported. However, commercial and regulatory structures are still coming together to make projects work for both customers and suppliers of carbon capture and sequestration, Chevron Corp. (NYSE: CVX) CEO Mike Wirth said at CERAWeek by S&P Global in Houston on March 19.

Kinder Morgan considers carbon dioxide one of its primary commodities, though earnings for its CO2 segment were down this quarter.

“CO2 business segment earnings were down compared to the first quarter of 2023, primarily due to lower CO2 sales volumes, which were down 7% on a net-to-KMI basis compared to the first quarter of 2023,” Kinder Morgan President Tom Martin said in the April 17 earnings release.

However, Martin said in the release that the prices of the other commodities — natural gas liquids and petroleum products — offset the CO2 prices.

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https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/...Pos=2#cxrecs_s

Galveston Wharves OKs contract for 1st phase of $90M cargo infrastructure work at port

By Olivia Pulsinelli – Assistant managing editor, Houston Business Journal
Apr 29, 2024

The Port of Galveston is gearing up for its latest multimillion-dollar project — this time focused on cargo rather than cruise ships.

The Galveston Wharves Board of Trustees unanimously approved a $29.9 million construction contract for Galveston-based Texas Gulf Construction Co. Inc. last week. The contract is for the first phase of an estimated $90 million in cargo infrastructure expansion and improvement work, the port's first major cargo infrastructure improvement project in decades.

Texas Gulf Construction is expected to begin work this summer to enclose and fill a slip at Pier 38/39, the Galveston Wharves said in an April 26 press release. Also this summer, the board expects to award the work for the next two phases, which consists of a $50.1 million project to enclose and fill a slip at Pier 40/41.

The projects also include the addition of a new 1,426-foot-long berth from Pier 38/39 to Pier 40/41. Future phases will include paving and other improvements.

Also this summer, a decommissioned grain elevator at Pier 30/33 will be demolished to use the site for cargo handling and laydown. Bids are expected to be let in May, and work is scheduled to be complete by the end of 2025. The concrete rubble from the demolition also is slated to be used to help fill the slips.

Filling the two slips and demolishing the grain elevator will add almost 30 acres to the West Port cargo area.

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https://www.houstonchronicle.com/new...t-19420329.php

Port Houston awarded $26.9 million, mostly for electric trucks for cargo yard
By Dug Begley,
Staff writer
Updated April 24, 2024 1:28 p.m.

Thirty new electric trucks are coming to Port Houston as part of a federal program aimed at reducing pollution around America's ports.

Transportation officials announced Wednesday that Port Houston would receive $26.9 million for new short-haul trucks, portable chargers and other upgrades at the cargo center.

“Investing in our ports to improve air quality and reduce pollution while modernizing infrastructure and strengthening supply chains is not only the right thing but also the smart thing," said Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Houston, who represents the areas west of the port. "What we are doing here is not only environmental justice but will help to transform the lives of thousands of workers and lay the groundwork for a brighter, more resilient future for our port."

The award was the second largest of $148 million announced as part of the Reduction of Truck Emissions at Port Facilities Grant Program.

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https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/...Pos=0#cxrecs_s

Chevron details plans to integrate Bayou Bend CCS with HyVelocity hydrogen hub

By Naomi Klinge – Reporter, Houston Business Journal
May 1, 2024

Chevron Corp. (NYSE: CVX) is preparing to integrate its Bayou Bend carbon capture and storage project near Beaumont and Port Arthur with the massive HyVelocity hydrogen hub across the Texas Gulf Coast.

At an event detailing a new report from the National Petroleum Council on scaling up hydrogen, Austin Knight, Chevron’s vice president of hydrogen, told media that integrating carbon capture and hydrogen on the Texas Gulf Coast would make sense for both sectors.

“We're a partner in the Bayou Bend carbon storage project, and this is basically between Houston and Port Arthur, both onshore and offshore. So for us, it makes a lot of sense then to integrate the development of hydrogen into that carbon storage solution in Bayou Bend,” Knight said.

The Bayou Bend CCS project is a joint venture between Chevron, TotalEnergies SE (NYSE: TTE) and Equinor ASA (NYSE: EQNR), with capacity to store 1 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide underground.

Meanwhile, the HyVelocity Hub brought seven industry partners with Houston presences — AES Corp. (NYSE: AES), Air Liquide, Chevron, Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE: XOM), Mitsubishi Power Americas, Ørsted and Sempra Infrastructure — and other academic, nonprofit and industry partners together to present the Texas Gulf Coast as a candidate for a piece of the up to $8 billion in hydrogen hub funding the Department of Energy offered. HyVelocity was one of seven projects selected by the DOE, and the team will negotiate with the federal government for up to $1.2 billion in funding.

Knight said he and the National Petroleum Council do not anticipate repurposing much existing natural gas infrastructure for use in the hydrogen ecosystem — though he said the existing infrastructure in Houston makes it an ideal location for the projects — so new hydrogen and carbon dioxide pipelines will be vital to building out low-carbon-intensity hydrogen.

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https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/...l-effects.html

Port of Houston reopens, weathers little effects from Hurricane Beryl

By Naomi Klinge – Reporter, Houston Business Journal
Jul 10, 2024

Although the Port of Houston was closed for more than two days, the major export hub seemed to fair pretty well when Category 1 Hurricane Beryl came though Houston on Monday, July 8.

The U.S. Coast Guard put the ports of Houston, Galveston, Freeport and Texas City in Port Condition Zulu, effective at 4 p.m. Sunday, July 7, which meant that no vessels could enter the ports without special permission, and all other vessel movements were prohibited. Waterfront operations, such as cargo and bunkering operations, also were required to stop.

On the evening of Tuesday, July 9, the Coast Guard put the Houston and Galveston ports into Port Condition Recovery, which means the storm was no longer a threat to the area.

The Port of Houston Authority, also known as Port Houston, said the eight public terminals it operates resumed operations Tuesday evening for vessel operations and returned to normal start times for truck gate operations Wednesday morning.

For now, Port Houston is offering extended hours at its two container terminals.

Adam Yanelli, senior reporter at data and research firm ICIS, told the Houston Business Journal that the economic impacts of the port’s closure should be minimal, given that shipments were simply delayed, not cancelled. He added that Port Houston’s extension of terminal hours will help get things back on track.

However, Yanelli said that if a business is operating on a tight supply chain, it could be disrupted with a few days of delay.

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https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/...Pos=1#cxrecs_s

Port of Galveston resumes cruises, cargo operations after Beryl (updated)

By Kyle R. Cotton – Reporter, Houston Business Journal
Jul 9, 2024
Updated Jul 10, 2024 10:14am CDT

Update: The Port of Galveston resumed cargo operations on Wednesday, July 10.

The original story from Tuesday, July 9, appears below.

After contending with Hurricane Beryl on Monday, the Port of Galveston is partially resuming operations on Tuesday, July 9.

Harborside Drive and other roadways to the port are now passable, according to an update from Rodger Rees, Galveston Wharves port director and CEO. However, power remains out for some areas of the port and city, so port administration offices are still closed Tuesday.

"Port of Galveston staff and port partners are working diligently to safely open the port for business after Hurricane Beryl struck the area the morning of Monday, July 8. … Port vessel operations remain suspended with case-by-case considerations based on hydrographic surveys of Galveston Harbor and port berths to assure navigable depths," Rees said.

The Royal Caribbean Mariner of the Seas arrived at the port at 1 p.m. Tuesday to debark. Beryl delayed the ship's return by one day, according to Royal Caribbean Group Chief Meteorologist Craig Setzer.

Passengers for the next cruise are asked to wait until 4 p.m. to arrive and will embark at 8 p.m., Rees said. Future Royal Caribbean Cruise Line sailings will return to the company's regular schedule.

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https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/...ane-beryl.html

Freeport LNG yet to announce reopening after Hurricane Beryl; chemical co. declares force majeure


By Naomi Klinge – Reporter, Houston Business Journal
Jul 11, 2024

As the impacts of Hurricane Beryl are still being assessed and neighborhoods are still waiting to regain power across the greater Houston area, Houston-based Freeport LNG has yet to announce a return to normal operations.

Given its location on the coast and proximity to Matagorda, Freeport LNG ramped down its production ahead of the storm. The company said on July 7 it had implemented its hurricane response plan and intends “to resume operations once it is safe to do so after this weather event.”

As of July 11, the company said it has no further comment, and that the July 7 statement stands.

Freeport LNG is capable of producing more than 15 million tons of liquefied natural gas per year across three liquefaction trains, making up around 2.2 billion cubic feet of exports per day. That's 17% of the nation's total LNG export capacity, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Although it is not clear if Freeport LNG lost power during the hurricane, over 1 million people are still without power across the region, and at least 500,000 CenterPoint Energy Inc. (NYSE: CNP) customers are likely to be without power into next week.

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https://www.galvnews.com/news/parkin...89aadd7c5.html

Parking garage rises at Port of Galveston's fourth cruise terminal

By B. SCOTT McLENDON The Daily News Jan 1, 2025

GALVESTON

Port of Galveston contractors this week began installing walls for a $55 million parking garage as construction crews wrap up foundation work and begin vertical construction of the $156 million Cruise Terminal 16 scheduled to be complete in November.

Although the cruise terminal will be the port’s fourth, marking the realization of cruise terminal construction goals set out in a 2020 port master plan, the parking garage will be a first for the entity. The cruise terminal, 1401 Harborside Drive, will be home to MSC Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, which will begin cruises from the island in the fall.

Construction began over the summer to convert former Del Monte Fresh Produce Co.’s facilities into a 165,000-square-foot cruise terminal at Pier 16, officials said.

The $156 million project also includes a 1,700-vehicle parking garage, pier improvements, two passenger boarding bridges and ground transportation areas, Port Director and CEO Rodger Rees said. The project is being funded with port cash reserves and revenue bonds, which were sold in July 2024.

“The new cruise terminal will open in November 2025 to homeport the MSC Seascape, the first MSC ship to homeport in Galveston,” Rees said.

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https://gcaptain.com/port-houston-ac...ts-accelerate/

Port Houston Achieves Record Container Growth as Infrastructure Investments Accelerate

Mike Schuler
Total Views: 704
August 27, 2025

Port Houston has reported exceptional growth in July, with container volumes surging 21% compared to July 2024, reaching 392,829 TEUs in one of the port’s strongest single-month performances on record. This continued momentum has pushed year-to-date volumes to 2,562,506 TEUs, marking a 6% increase and setting the fastest pace in the port’s history.

Loaded imports at the port increased 19% in July compared to the previous year, representing the largest growth among top five U.S. container ports. Loaded exports, primarily consisting of resins, grew by 18% in the same period, reinforcing Port Houston’s position as the market leader for resin exports.

General cargo volumes rose 10% year-to-date through July, with steel imports showing particularly strong performance at 41% growth compared to July 2024 and 8% year-to-date, totaling 2,704,658 short tons. Overall tonnage across public facilities reached 32,647,865 short tons through July, a 6% increase from the prior year.

“July’s volume performance reflects our Port’s commitment to providing a low-cost, high-service, low-risk gateway and demonstrates that our customers are trusting us with their cargo during these uncertain times,” said Charlie Jenkins, CEO at Port Houston.

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https://riskandinsurance.com/2025-th...ton-authority/

2025 Theo Award Winner: Port of Houston Authority


Port of Houston Authority operates one of the nation’s most dynamic and high-risk maritime environments, supporting millions of jobs and billions in economic output.

Despite the Port’s critical role in global commerce, the enterprise risk management team faced significant operational challenges in managing claims, preventing injuries, and coordinating mitigation initiatives across a complex workforce that includes employees represented by the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA).

The Port’s leadership recognized that traditional approaches to risk management were insufficient for their unique operational demands. Limited staff capacity stretched internal resources, delayed critical interventions, and made comprehensive incident investigations difficult. The absence of a centralized risk management information system (RMIS) has further complicated data tracking and real-time decision-making processes.

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https://www.workboat.com/port-housto...ic-tour-vessel

August 26, 2025

Port Houston orders hybrid electric tour vessel

For nearly 70 years, the Sam Houston has carried visitors through the Houston Ship Channel, offering a close-up view of the city’s maritime industry. Now, Port Houston is retiring the aging vessel and introducing a new hybrid-electric tour boat that will bring modern technology and improved efficiency to the Texas city.

Naval architecture firm Incat Crowther on Tuesday announced that its U.S. office has been selected to design the new vessel, which will be built by Breaux Brothers Enterprises Inc., New Iberia, La., for scheduled delivery in 2026.

The 73'x28' aluminum catamaran will be equipped with a Twin Disc battery hybrid propulsion system featuring two 265-kW propulsion motors that will drive fixed-pitch propellers through Twin Disc MGE-5065 SC gearboxes. The vessel will have a maximum speed of 12 knots.

The vessel is designed with energy storage system with a capacity of 768 kWh, enough to run entirely on battery power during its standard two-hour educational tours, offering a quiet, zero-emission ride. It will recharge between trips using a custom shoreside charging system equipped with AC/DC converters. To ensure reliability and extended range when needed, the vessel will also include two Caterpillar C9.3 backup generators, each producing 300 kW, for added operational flexibility.

Port Houston offers free tours twice per day Tuesday through Saturday, with additional special tours available as needed. The tours focus on maritime education and industry awareness.

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https://www.galvnews.com/news/u-s-fi...1b1ba92a5.html

U.S., Finland to build 3 of 11 icebreakers in Galveston shipyard
By COREY GREINEISEN
The Daily News
15 hrs ago

GALVESTON

The United States and Finland have reached an agreement to jointly build 11 new icebreakers, with three of the vessels being built by Davie Defense in Galveston and four by Bollinger Shipyards in Houma, Louisiana, a White House official said.

It’s a move officials say will bolster U.S. capabilities and defenses in the increasingly strategic Arctic region while creating jobs and boosting the local economy.

President Donald Trump and Finnish Prime Minister Alexander Stubb announced the deal Thursday, describing it as a major step in strengthening transatlantic cooperation and Arctic readiness. Under the agreement, four of the vessels will be built in Finland and seven in the United States, with Finland sharing its shipbuilding expertise.

“I think this is a huge strategic decision by the president,” Stubb said, emphasizing the Arctic’s growing importance for security and global commerce. Trump previously had signaled plans for an icebreaker partnership with Finland during the NATO summit in June.

The first ship is expected to be delivered by 2028, the official said.

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https://www.bisnow.com/houston/news/...-supply-131327

'The Little Engine That Could': Houston Industrial Demand Keeps Eating Up New Supply

October 10, 2025 | 5:20 p.m. ET
Maddy McCarty, Houston

A 420K SF distribution facility in Baytown secured a full-building lease prior to its construction completion, helping fuel Houston’s best quarter for industrial leasing activity since 2023.

The lease with Supply Chain Management filled the DC 9 building, expected to deliver in March at TGS Cedar Port Industrial Park. Along with the lease, developer TGS Cedar Port Partners broke ground on DC 10, an almost identical building slated to deliver in the second quarter.

Analysts say this activity is reflective of healthy demand in Houston’s industrial market, which is supported by a strong labor force, population growth and the heavily trafficked Port Houston. After more than 35M SF of industrial space was delivered in 2023, development has leveled out but not fallen off.

“In 2023 we had a record year of deliveries, and I don't think anybody expected Houston to eat through that new development so quickly,” said Allie Zepeda, senior research analyst for JLL.

At the time, supply was far outpacing demand, pushing vacancy rates up. Now Houston has seen about 13M SF of supply delivered this year. Another 17M SF is under construction, with 34% preleased, according to JLL’s third-quarter report.

Vacancy inched up 50 basis points, but 11.8M SF of leasing activity and even more expected in the fourth quarter signal a balanced market.

“We continue to be in a healthy place, with our vacancy at 6.8%,” Zepeda said. “It's still below our long-term average of 7%.”

The quarter’s leasing activity was led by PepsiCo expanding to 1M SF at I-10 West Trade Center in Brookshire, according to the JLL report. Food, beverage and retail distributors often tie to population growth, JLL Texas Research Director Rachel Alexander said.

“So it's no surprise that [PepsiCo] went out to a Katy location where it's very easy to distribute to Austin or San Antonio and also be near the population density that's out there,” she said.

Supply Chain Management, the tenant that preleased the DC 9 building, is a third-party logistics company that will benefit from TGS Cedar Port Industrial Park’s direct barge and dual-rail access, according to a press release. The park has a barge dock, capacity for more than 5,500 rail cars and another 1,000 rail car spaces under development.

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https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/...Pos=3#cxrecs_s

Port Houston completes its portion of $1.2 billion Houston Ship Channel expansion Project 11

By Naomi Klinge – Reporter, Houston Business Journal
Oct 28, 2025

The Port of Houston Authority has completed its portion of Project 11.

About 15 years after the $1.2 billion project to deepen and widen the Houston Ship Channel started being planned, Port Houston finished its dredging projects from Galveston to Barbours Cut Container Terminal.

Port Houston started planning the project with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 2010 and started construction of the channel improvements in 2022. The Army Corps of Engineers still has to complete its own portion of Project 11, which will take place from around Beltway 8 to Turning Basin Terminal, past the Interstate 610 bridge over the channel.

The Army Corps of Engineers’ portion is expected to be complete in 2029.

“We commend the incredible Port Houston team, our bipartisan federal and local delegations, and our industry and federal partners for their collaboration and capacity to see clearly the importance of this vital gateway to our nation and ensure its ability to safely sustain and grow international trade,” Port Commission Chairman Ric Campo said in a press release. "This collaborative achievement is truly a testament to the hard work of all the individuals involved in the project and reminds us of the importance of the Houston Ship Channel to the nation."

The Port of Houston is by far the country’s largest port by waterborne tonnage, reaching 309.5 million tonnes in 2023, according to the latest Department of Transportation data. The second-largest port, the Port of South Louisiana, had just 217.5 million tonnes that year. The gap in tonnage alone between Houston and South Louisiana is larger than the Port of Los Angeles' total tonnage.

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https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/...Pos=1#cxrecs_s

Thousands of container trucks travel Houston’s roads, but Port Houston is working to reduce congestion

By Naomi Klinge – Reporter, Houston Business Journal
Nov 3, 2025

As Houston drivers spend a record number of hours stuck in traffic, thousands of trucks are also moving in and out of Houston’s container terminals each week.

The Houston Business Journal obtained data from the Port of Houston Authority that shows weekly totals of trucks moving through the Barbour’s Cut and Bayport container terminals since the beginning of the year. Bayport often welcomes roughly two-thirds of the drayage trucks, according to the data obtained via a public information request.

After the first week of the year saw a very low number of trucks on the road toward the terminals, the rest of 2025 so far has seen between about 35,000 and 65,000 trucks a week move through the Barbour’s Cut and Bayport gates.

Many container ports use some mix of rail and trucks to transport containers before or after they are put on ships. For instance, the Port of Los Angeles, the largest container port in the country, transports 35% of its containers on rail. However, Houston, the fifth-largest container port in the country, transports 99% of its containers on trucks.

“There’s a simple reason,” Port Houston CEO Charlie Jenkins said at a Transportation Advocacy Group luncheon last month. “Most of (Houston’s) container market is regional. The jobs, the economic development, is more regional.”

Rail can be useful for long-distance transport, but most of the goods coming into the Port of Houston remain in the state of Texas.