Breakbulk Shipments Expected to Rise at Port of Houston

by Gus Bourgeois

Recently, the Houston Chronicle reported that breakbulk export shipments — cargo which is not "containerized" or shipped in bulk — were expected to rise at the Port of Houston in 2011, following two years of steep declines. That would be consistent with national trends, such as at the Port of New Orleans, where breakbulk exports were recently reported to be up 15.3 percent over the same period in 2009. It appears that much of the increase can be attributed to pent-up overseas demand, particularly demand for steel and other construction materials, which is a sign that long delayed construction projects may be finally moving forward. The trend is also supported by a weak dollar, which makes US exports more attractive.

As with the inventory effect noted in the July 30, 2010 Life in the Freight Lane blog entry, it remains to be seen whether the trend is sustainable, but for now, it's certainly good news for the national economy in general, and south Texas in particular.

To read The Houston Chronicle's "Breakbulk conferees upbeat about business picking up" article by Jenalia Moreno, click here.