Port of Houston as an Economic Driver

by | Jul 7, 2014 | International Desk, PKF Texas - The Entrepreneur's Playbook®

Russ: This is PKF Texas’ Entrepreneur’s Playbook. I’m Russ Capper, this weeks’ guest host. And continuing on the topic of port advisory services, I’m here with Keith Miceli, International Business Advisor at PKF Texas. Keith, welcome back to the Playbook.

Keith: Nice to be back. Thank you.

Russ: Okay. So the volume that’s taking place at the Houston port is just incredible. I’m sure a lot of it is attributable to just the booming economy around here. But it just seems like there’s more that’s happening right out there that helps this happen.

Keith: Well, you need to have a state of the art facilities, terminals. You need an enlightened Houston Port Authority Commission to make the capital expenditures, which they’re doing. And you have to have the ships come in. You have to have the steamship lines make a commitment to come in to reach the hundred countries that we’re now reaching out of Houston. And you have to have a good backhaul option for these shipping companies.

Russ: Okay. What’s backhaul option mean?

Keith: It means not only are you bringing products into Houston, but you’re taking products out.

Russ: Oh, okay. So it helps to attract a shipping line to bring something here if they know they can take something back out.

Keith: Exactly.

Russ: Do we have anything that falls in that category?

Keith: Houston is unique because the mix of imports and exports is about 50/50. And –

Russ: Wow. So they’re taking back out oil maybe?

Keith: Well, by-products. Which are the resins and chemicals in plastics.

Russ: Really? Cool. So we really do have that happening here.

Keith: We certainly do.

Russ: All right. That’s great. This has been another thought leader production brought to you by PKF Texas Entrepreneur’s Playbook. Tune in next week for another chapter.

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