Port Houston Launches Own Study to Expand Ship Channel and Terminals
Cubierto por 3 fuentesPublicado
- Port of houstonOctober 2026 Meeting: Port Houston Continues Strategic Planning for Future Channel Improvements and Container Capacity
- jornal portuarioEE. UU.: Puerto de Houston desarrollará estudios para nuevo proyecto de profundización del canal de navegación
- ports news rusiaPort Houston launches own ship channel deepening study in Texas
On October 21, 2026, during the monthly meeting of the Port Houston Port Commission, CEO Charlie Jenkins announced that the port authority will move forward with its own study for portions of a potential Project 12, the next major improvement to deepen the Houston Ship Channel. The announcement was made during the commission meeting, and in parallel, the port continues to evaluate options to increase container capacity in the region, including a possible expansion of the Barbours Cut North terminal.
Study Under Section 203
The work will be carried out under Section 203 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1986, alongside the port's partnership with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for a traditional feasibility study on broader improvements to the Houston Ship Channel and the Galveston Bay system. That same week, Port Houston and the USACE held a Federal Interest Determination meeting, which kicked off a 45-day process that will result in a recommendation on the scope of the Project 12 study.
Project 11 Background
The announcement came following the completion of the port-led Project 11 segments, which widened the Galveston Bay reach of the channel from 530 to 700 feet, as detailed by Ports News. Commission Chairman Ric Campo referenced the recent celebration marking the completion of those segments and stressed the need to continue investing in the future of the Houston Ship Channel.
Barbours Cut North Expansion
As part of planning to address the additional container capacity the region is projected to need over the next decade, the USACE held a public scoping meeting on a possible expansion to the north of the Barbours Cut Terminal, on Spilman Island, in La Porte, Harris County. Port Houston also hosted Permitting Council Executive Director Emily Domenech for a site tour. According to Ports News, the project is under review through Department of the Army permit SWG-2025-00640 and an Environmental Impact Statement process, with plans for a container terminal of approximately 318 acres with two berths, new wharf infrastructure, dredging, and an expanded turning basin; phased construction could begin as early as 2032, with capacity available around 2036. The Barbours Cut expansion remains one of several options under study and would require a Final Investment Decision by the Port Commission.
Cargo Volumes
The commission also received an update on cargo activity through September. Strong consumer demand during peak shipping season drove a 5% year-over-year increase in Port Houston's loaded imports so far this year, according to the port, while the Houston Ship Channel region moved 22.3 million tons of foreign cargo in August, up 18% year-over-year, with exports growing 24%. Ports News added that Port Houston handled 376,419 TEUs in September, up 11% year-over-year, bringing throughput for the first nine months of 2026 to about 3.35 million TEUs, up 2%, with loaded imports rising 16%; the same source noted that Port Houston's existing container terminals would reach maximum throughput capacity by 2033.
