The Galveston Wharves announced results for the month of March to round out a strong first quarter driven by substantial general cargoes volume. General cargoes, specifically wind energy increased by 3,691 percent year-over-year when compared to March 2018, increasing the year-to-date figure to 2,200 percent over the same period of 2018.
The Port handled year-over-year tonnage increases in March 2019 for bananas/fruit, bulk grain, and roll-on roll-off cargo. Bananas/fruit were up 2 percent, bulk grain 7.9 percent and ro-ro cargo rose 27 percent over March 2018.
“Cargo business is alive and well in Galveston!” said Port Director and CEO Rodger Rees. “We anticipate a substantial increase, especially in wind energy, due to two project agreements in effect until the end of 2019. These cargo results combined with an additional 27 cruise ship calls in 2019, should keep our revenue growth strong throughout this year and into 2020. Our team is working together toward another successful year.”
Additionally, the Port handled 42 lay vessel visits for March 2019, resulting in an increase of 68 percent year-over-year from the same period in March 2018 for an overall increase of 80 percent year-to-date. These lay vessel port calls accounted for more than $849,000 in revenue this year.
Lay vessels are those visiting the port for unscheduled reasons, whether that is for repairs or changing crew members, stores or more frequently, U.S. Coast Guard exams.
About the Port of Galveston
The Port of Galveston is the region’s gateway to the Gulf for cruise ships and international trade. Located at the entrance to Galveston Bay, the Port leases and maintains facilities on both Galveston Island and Pelican Island. The Galveston Island operations are a diversified mix of cargo including roll-on-roll-off cargo, dry bulk, export grain, refrigerated fruit, general cargo, and project cargo. In addition, the Port handles over 1.8 million cruise passenger movements annually. The Port’s Pelican Island facilities comprise a combination of undeveloped property, an active ship and rig repair facility, and liquid bulk operations. The Port is a self-supporting enterprise utility with operating revenues of approximately $43.5 million. It does not rely on tax dollars for operations.
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