Major ports in the U.S. Gulf region, such as Houston and New Orleans, have reported cargo growth in March 2025, despite fluctuations in tariffs and the global market.

Port of Houston Recovers Container Volume in March

After a slowdown in cargo traffic in February, the Port of Houston handled 386,864 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) in March, a 7% increase compared to the same period in 2023.

This is a significant recovery after fog disrupted maritime operations through the Houston Ship Channel in February, when the port only processed 325,424 TEUs, a 13% drop compared to February 2024.

“At the container terminals, March was the busiest month ever for full export shipments,” said Mike Shaffner, Director of Operations, Planning, and Technology at the port, during a council meeting on Tuesday. “This was primarily due to a strong 14% increase in export cargo compared to March of last year.”

The total container volume for the year to date at the Port of Houston’s public terminals surpassed 1 million TEUs, reaching 1.1 million, almost equivalent to the same period in 2024.

“Financially, we are performing as expected with only slight adjustments,” Shaffner added. “We are still closely monitoring the impact of tariffs and fees applied to ships from China.”

The port has recorded three canceled sailings in recent weeks – a phenomenon known as “blank sailings,” when shipping lines cancel scheduled services due to low booking volumes.

“Of the three scheduled sailings, none arrived at the port,” he said. “We also received notice from a trans-Pacific service about reducing ship sizes.”

The total volume of full export cargo in March reached 152,857 TEUs, while imports increased by 2% year-over-year, reaching 167,859 TEUs.

Steel imports surged 26% compared to last year, totaling 436,256 short tons (a unit of weight commonly used in the U.S., equal to 2,000 pounds or approximately 907.18 kg). Year-to-date steel imports have reached 1.1 million short tons, a 10% increase compared to the same period last year.

The total cargo volume through Houston’s eight public ports in the first three months of the year was 13,202,844 tons, a 2% decrease compared to the same period.

Shaffner also mentioned that April is showing promising signs: “So far, April’s trends are improving, and we still have two more operating days. April may perform better than March due to strong demand.”

Port of New Orleans Reports Growth in Containers and Breakbulk Cargo

The Port of New Orleans handled 46,676 TEUs in March, marking a 3% increase from the same period last year.

Breakbulk cargo volume in March increased by 11% compared to the same period, reaching 91,463 short tons.

“In March, we saw a significant increase in bagged cement imports, doubling from last year,” said Kimberly Curth, spokesperson for the port.

Year-to-date, the port has handled 832,034 short tons of breakbulk cargo, a 10% increase compared to the same period last year, primarily due to steel, natural rubber, and project cargo.

The main container imports in March included coffee, chemicals, and furniture, while major export commodities included resin plastics, chemicals, and synthetic rubber.

Breakbulk cargo mainly consisted of natural rubber, project cargo, and bagged goods.

The port handled 7,557 Class I railcars in March from six major rail carriers: BNSF, CN, CSX, CPKC, Norfolk Southern, and Union Pacific.

Contact via email: ruby.nguyen@suntransco.com