A broad and rapidly increasing customer base and strong housing market that has translated into new import distribution centers in Houston and across Texas have been fuelled by economic growth and corporate relocations.
Houston and the US Gulf are a prime area for carrier service expansion, combined with the largest manufacturing region in North America for exports.
THE Alliance's member carriers, including Ocean Network Express, Hapag-Lloyd, Hyundai Merchant Marine and Yang Ming Line, announced in their 2021 service network announcement that they are "launching East Coast Loop 6 (EC6), the first service within the Alliance network to directly connect the US Gulf with major ports in Asia."
According to data from maritime sector data provider IHS Markit PIERS, Port Houston was the fastest-growing among the top container ports in the nation in 2019.
Last year, Port Houston nearly surpassed the 3 million mark for twenty-foot equivalent units, recording 2,987,291 TEU sand, amid the pandemic, is on track to estimate the same record for 2020.
Port Houston is a popular import gateway that is contributing to consumer demand with a rising population base.
In 2019, loaded imports at Port Houston increased by 5%, powered by a wide range of businesses from sectors like retail, renewable energy, food and beverage, and industrial materials.
Maritime Business World