Port Houston Blog

Did you know? Juneteenth was made an official federal holiday on June 17th, 2021, and this year will be Port Houston’s first-time celebrating Juneteenth in the workplace.

Kerrick Henny, Chief Government & Public Relations Officer at Port Houston, states “Juneteenth marks a date of major significance in American history and represents the ways in which freedom for Black people have been delayed. It is a reminder that “nobody is free until everybody is free” It should be celebrated as the day when all Americans were liberated and created equal. It should be a day to reflect, to learn, and grow as a nation and as a people.”

Written by: Caitlin Perry, Internal Communications Specialist at Port Houston

Pride Month is important at Port Houston because it honors the historical and ongoing fight for LGBTQ+ rights, recognizes the humanity and validity of the LGBTQ+ community, and demonstrates the power and importance of being your authentic self. We recognize that Houston has the largest LGBTQ+ population of any city in the state of Texas, and it is essential for Port Houston to create an environment of acceptance for LGBTQ+ people in our workforce and community.

For many years, small, minority-owned, and woman-owned businesses (S/MWBEs) around the U.S. have helped us grow as a nation. Just look at some of your favorite stores like Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, and Walmart. All four of these large corporations started as small businesses and worked their way to the top. Today small businesses face unique challenges, but continue to play a vital role in building our nation’s economy. The Port Houston Business Equity team knows this, and their program is designed to help S/MWBEs thrive in this country. Port Houston is honored to recognize and work with more than 1,400 S/MWBEs across the Greater Houston region.

Port Houston truly cares about the community surrounding the Houston Ship Channel. We believe in contributing to the quality of life in our local area and our outreach strategies help us manage the balance between our business efforts and our role as a neighbor to these communities. Part of our long-term strategic goals involves developing and strengthening partnerships that bring a positive impact to our region. Recently the community relations team had the privilege of establishing the Little Library initiative in Galena Park and join the Houston Yacht Club Boat Parade.

Unprecedented demand for cargo has impacted the entire supply chain causing record amounts of cargo. Port Houston is moving historic cargo volumes, but it is not without growing pains. That is why Port Houston is investing a total of $1.1 billion in capital enhancements over the next eight years to better serve our customers.

Did You Know? A twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU), a container, a box - no matter what you call it, it is the most efficient way to move cargo overseas. As Marc Levinson notes in his book The Box, it has “made the world smaller and the world economy bigger,” allowing cargo to flow freely and economies to become international players. The standard TEU is 20 feet long by eight feet high, made of heavy duty, weather and corrosion-resistant steel running vertically, with two doors on its side. When empty, it can weigh 2.24 metric tons and loaded up to 26 metric tons.

“In recent years, we have seen record growth at Port Houston and throughout the Houston Ship Channel complex. The maritime workforce remains essential to the ongoing success and stability of our region. Port Houston is committed to supporting the development of a robust maritime workforce, and our Maritime Education Program exists for this purpose,” states Roger Guenther, Executive Director of Port Houston.

More than half of the region’s maritime workers are age 50 or older and quickly approaching retirement. There is a growing need for talent in all areas of maritime and industry-related occupations, including transportation, logistics and supply chain management, environmental, security, emergency management and various positions with ocean-going carriers.

The global supply chain is in a time of evolution. With ships getting larger and cargo increasing, the constant focus on growth is undeniable. More equipment and upgrades to infrastructure will be necessary, but so is a properly trained workforce. Who will be the next generation of maritime workers supplying that manpower to sustain the supply chain? Whether truckers, equipment operators, logistics specialists, longshoremen or crane technicians, these are all key roles that keep operations running efficiently; and the industry needs more of them. A lot more.