Everything’s bigger in Texas. In fact, population growth in the Lone Star State continues at an uncanny pace, with some 1,200 new residents moving in each day. Houston is the fastest growing port city in the United States, offering you a host of business opportunities. In Texas, Houston is the biggest city that just keeps sprawling. The Greater Houston area’s population of 6.2 million is forecast to double in the next two to three decades.

At the Port of Houston Authority, we remind our stakeholders and customers daily that we are READY for bigger things to come. As the Texas population booms, the Port of Houston will maintain its status as the top gateway for foreign waterborne tonnage, not just in the state but in the entire country. This growth will continue to drive consumer demand, bringing increased volumes of loaded containerized imports across our docks. In 2014, the port ranked as the #1 container port in the Gulf and #6 in the nation, serving as a major container gateway for Houston and the 100 million people living between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains.

The Houston Ship Channel is already the heart of the country’s largest petrochemical and refining complex, making up 38 percent of total facilities in the United States. Houston is the petrochemical capital of the Americas; this stake is poised to grow vastly as downstream petrochemical companies and industry players are investing more than $35 billion in upgrades and expansions along the channel.

As the Gulf Coast petrochemical complex expansions kick into gear, increased containerized plastic pellet exports into markets across the globe will be facilitated by the Port of Houston Authority.

All of this growth stimulates the local economy, driving revenues and generating job security for the Houston region. The public and private marine terminals along the Houston Ship Channel generated an economic impact of $265 billion, which is roughly 16 percent of the state’s gross domestic product. Most importantly, more than 1.1 million people are put to work thanks to the activities at the Port of Houston.

Along with driving business to the region, the Port of Houston Authority highly values environmental stewardship. As we expand, the health and welfare of future generations is a constant priority.