Roger Guenther

Transportation industry representatives attack infrastructure law rollout

WASHINGTON — Transportation officials representing trucking, rail and seaports took aim at priorities touted by Democrats over the past two years — including the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) — at the opening hearing of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on Wednesday.

They took their cue from the committee’s Republicans, who now lead the 65-member panel after Republicans took control of the House in January.

“Although I did not support the IIJA, I...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/transportation-industry-representatives-attack-infrastructure-law-rollout

Gulf Coast ports’ January cargo volumes a mixed bag

Port Houston breaks record for daily truck transactions

Port Houston reported a record 14,000 trucks crossing through its gates in a single day in January, boosted by shipments of steel, plywood and dry bulk goods.

“The business coming across our public docks is busier than ever,” Roger Guenther, Port Houston’s executive director, said during the port’s monthly meeting Thursday. “We’re off to a good start in January.”

The previous record for trucks in a single day was just under 13,000 gate...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/gulf-coast-ports-january-cargo-volumes-a-mixed-bag

Borderlands: Port Houston signs agreement for $1.1B channel expansion

Borderlands is a weekly rundown of developments in the world of United States-Mexico cross-border trucking and trade. This week: Port Houston signs agreement for $1.1B channel expansion; German auto parts supplier expands in Mexico; E-commerce 3PL moves headquarters to Arizona; and CBP seizes $20M in meth at World Trade Bridge.

Port Houston signs agreement for $1.1B channel expansion

The Houston Ship Channel is set to be widened and deepened under an accelerated timeline scheduled to begin this...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/port-houston-signs-agreement-for-11b-channel-expansion

2 Port Houston terminals remain closed due to hardware failure

Port Houston halted operations Tuesday at its two main public container terminals due to a major hardware failure, officials said.

The issues at the Bayport and Barbours Cut terminals were first reported Tuesday, just before the gates were set to open at about 7 a.m.

In a letter posted on the port’s website on Wednesday, Port of Houston Executive Director Roger Guenther said the port experienced a “major failure of the storage devices that support all applications used to operate both Barbours...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/port-houston-terminals-close-due-to-hardware-failure

President of Panama lauds nations’ ties in visit to Port Houston

Panamanian President Laurentino Cortizo Cohen, on a visit to Port Houston, celebrated his country’s expansion of the Panama Canal and its effect on the biggest port along the Texas Gulf Coast.

“Four out of every 10 ships arriving at Port Houston transit through the [canal],” Cohen Thursday, the day of his visit. “The expansion of the Panama Canal created great commercial opportunities and increased exports from our country to Texas.”

Port Houston officials said the canal’s expansion was a...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/president-of-panama-lauds-nations-ties-in-visit-to-port-houston

Port Houston: ‘Worst should be behind us’

Executive Director Roger Guenther believes Port Houston has turned a corner.

“We had nine blank sailings in the month of May,” Guenther said. “But the worst should be behind us. We are aware of seven blank — or canceled — sailings to Houston in June and only three for the month of July.”

Container volume at Port Houston was down 16% year-over-year in May as the coronavirus pandemic continued to negatively impact imports and exports. 

Port Houston handled 222,250 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs)...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/port-houston-worst-should-be-behind-us