The State of Port Houston Is Awesome

Chairman Ric Campo delivers annual address

On Wednesday, Sept. 6, Port Houston Chairman Ric Campo delivered the State of the Port address to the Greater Houston Partnership and guests, and declared the "State of Port Houston is awesome, and its future is in good hands," as he addressed a sold-out audience of business, industry, community leaders, and elected officials at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in Houston.

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Chairman of the Port of Houston Authority Commission Ric Campo delivers the 2023 State of the Port Address to the Greater Houston Partnership sold-out audience of business, industry, community leaders, and elected officials. (Photo: Business Wire)

He emphasized that Port Houston cargo volumes remain steady, waterside and landside infrastructure investments remain steadfast, industry and labor partnerships are good, and Port Houston's commitment to the community and sustainability stands untethered, during his remarks at the annual event.

Chairman Campo also shared the stage with three Port Houston employees he recognized as future leaders of Port Houston, whose careers have "long runways" ahead of them. As part of a panel discussion, the group described and highlighted Port Houston's achievements this past year, and its plans for the future.

Chairman Campo focused on the Houston Ship Channel Expansion - Project 11, underscoring the importance of widening the federal waterway to help navigational safety, national energy security, Texas exports, and jobs.

He also emphasized Port Houston's commitment to sustainability, highlighting support from state legislation to accommodate cleaner and more efficient dredge equipment for the project – including Tier 4 engines, the highest emissions standard in the industry, and sound mitigation, to reduce impacts to communities neighboring Galveston Bay.

Chairman Campo and these upcoming leaders also stressed Port Houston's commitment to future investments and the community, highlighting its community grants program, and maritime education and workforce development, business equity and small and minority and women-owned business procurement, and greenspace initiatives.

Other discussion highlights included details on the upcoming move of Port Houston's administrative offices to Houston's historic Fifth Ward community, helping stimulate economic development, providing greater accessibility and visibility to the community, and opening up job-generating cargo space at the Turning Basin Terminal.

Finally, Port Houston's new Wharf 6 at Bayport Terminal, which garnered a visit from Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg for a ribbon-cutting ceremony in June, is scheduled to be fully operational in October.

About Port Houston

For more than 100 years, Port Houston has owned and operated the public wharves and terminals along the Houston Ship Channel, including the area’s largest breakbulk facility and two of the most efficient container terminals in the country. Port Houston is the advocate and a strategic leader for the Channel. The Houston Ship Channel complex and its more than 200 private and eight public terminals is the nation’s largest port for waterborne tonnage and an essential economic engine for the Houston region, the state of Texas and the U.S. The Port of Houston supports the creation of nearly 1.5 million jobs in Texas and 3.37 million jobs nationwide, and economic activity totaling $439 billion in Texas and $906 billion in economic impact across the nation. For more information, visit the website at PortHouston.com.

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