Port of Houston offering container service to West Africa

The Port of Houston Authority in Texas achieved a milestone Friday, with its inaugural regular direct container service to West Africa from the authority's Barnours Cut Container Terminal.

The Port of Houston Authority is the largest container port in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico; its workers handle approximately two-thirds of all the gulf's container traffic.

The carrier used for the historic launch was Grimaldi Lines, a division of Grimaldi West Africa Service Direct. Grimaldi officials said the plan is for the line to keep a fleet of six ships that can carry containers, autos and other rolling stock for the service and that it will run every 11 days.

“Having an established carrier like Grimaldi expanding operations into Houston is an extremely positive development,” Houston Authority Chief Commercial Officer Ricky Kunz said. “Businesses will appreciate having direct service across our docks to and from West Africa.”  

The service will be offered to 15 West African ports.

"Grimaldi is pleased to announce the added port call to Houston on its successful East Coast West African service,” Grimaldi officials said. “The Gulf region is an important market in the growing trade from the United States to West Africa. We are excited to be able to offer manufacturers, traders and the oil and gas sector the facility of a regular direct container service from Houston to a wide range of ports on the West African coast.”